Anuchit Saeng-on and MD
Michael Delargy raise their glasses
to a good evening had by all.
Dr. Iain Corness
Wine dinners at the Sheraton Pattaya Resort are not
frequent affairs, but after experiencing the Italthai Wine Dinner at the
Sheraton last week, I just hope they will make these a more regular item. It
is not often that I will ensure I have, before leaving, spoken directly to
the chef to congratulate him, but Executive Chef Spencer Kells produced such
a sensational dinner menu, it was completely necessary.
Pim Seaton and Som Corness
enjoy the evening.
The first course was entitled “Almost Raw” and consisted
of small cubes of tuna tartar with a Bloody Mary Granita spooned over the
top. Refreshing, spicy and superb flavors, and I have experienced nothing
like it before. I remarked to one diner at our table, “I am afraid to go to
the next course, nothing could be this good again!”
The wine chosen for this course (and the following one)
was the Sauvignon Blanc, Cellar selection, Sileni Estate, Marlborough, New
Zealand, 2009. This was a pleasant drop, without trying to emulate the
effect from the Bloody Mary Granita.
The second course of pan-fried scallops topped with
truffle cream and quail eggs on a sweet corn puree was another
mouth-watering original from chef Spencer, and we were all waiting to see
what would come next!
Tony Malhotra toasts with
Anuchit Saeng-on
Entitled “Lightly Cooked” this was a fricassee of Boston
lobster with a potato gnocchi and curried walnuts. This dish was also
superb, but revolved around the taste sensation of the curried walnuts. I
wanted more! This course was taken with the Australian Cranswick Estate
Chardonnay, 2008. Again an eminently quaffable wine, which went well with
the crustacean.
It would be impossible to have multiple courses, with
each producing responses like the Bloody Mary Granita in the first course,
so there has to be one which didn’t quite make the grade, and for me it was
the roasted saddle and leg of rabbit, saut้ed cauliflower, haricot blanc in
a red wine sauce. Rabbit is not one of the more popular types of game,
outside of Spencer’s native UK, but hats off for a good try! The wine with
the rabbit was a Pinot Noir, Satyr, Sileni Estates, Marlborough, NZ, 2008.
Tuna tartar and Bloody Mary
Granita.
So to the main event, a combination of beef tenderloin
and braised beef flank, parsley risotto, tempura snails and garlic confit.
Tastes, flavors and textures all vying for the palate’s attention. Taken
with the Cranswick Estate Merlot, Australia 2008, this was a superb dish and
was universally popular.
By the time it was dessert, everyone at our table was
more than replete, but we manfully (and ladyfully) applied ourselves to the
task of the goat cheese mousse with the cherry sorbet and warm pistachio
cake, served with the Sileni Estate semillon 2009.
MD Michael Delargy wrapped up the evening, and chef
Spencer made a cameo appearance at the end, to a rousing ovation. Please
Sheraton, don’t leave it so long before the next wine dinner!
