Remembrances of menus past—Menu for aspiring Roy's chefs
From the chapter: Menus—through the past
September 1999
In the fall of 1999 Roy’s was in the midst of transitioning far beyond the Islands and into other parts of the country. We were making culinary jihad. Yamaguchi’s kitchens were always laboratories anyway, with 20 to 25 new dishes crafted each day by teams of future executive chefs working under Gordon Hopkins’ brutally (often) intense supervision.
The basic principles of food and wine matching were very much a part of the process. The following was a working piece devised to demonstrate our sensory objectives to our own chefs, illustrating menu progression and the Asian/fusion methodology of balancing taste and tactile sensations that touch the entire palate⏤in the context of globally sourced wines found to meet those culinary demands. Cooking with a purpose.
Complete with the wine descriptions printed on this tasting menu to familiarize the chefs with the range of wines at their culinary disposal:
Hot Iron Kabayaki (Eel in Shoyu) Seared Sea Scallops in Sweet Ginger Kabayaki Butter Sauce
Domaine Delmas, Crémant de Limoux 1993 (light, frothy, appley fresh, off-dry “half sparkler” from the French South-West)
Steamed Hawaiian Snapper in Sizzling Hot Chinese Style Peanut Oil, Ginger, Soy and Cilantro
Weinhaus Heger, Pinot Gris 1996 (wonderfully crisp, balanced, stony dry, light and buoyant style of white from Germany’s Baden region)
Soy Charred Scallops and Mango Watercress Salad with Couscous in Thai Citrus Vinaigrette
Weingut Bassermann-Jordan, Riesling Kabinett Pfalz 1997 (delicate, off-dry, refined and minerally scented white wine from Germany’s Pfalz region)
Teriyaki Glazed Slow Roasted Hudson Valley Duck Breast in Black Bean “Dragon” Syrup
Beaux Frères, Belle Soeurs Oregon Pinot Noir 1996 (sultry, silken, fragrantly spiced and earthen red from a meticulously farmed Willamette Valley estate)
Shichimi Charred Rare New York with Lomi Lomi (Chopped) Tomatoes and Sizzling Truffle Oil
Robert Biale, Old Crane Ranch Napa Valley Zinfandel 1996 (intensely full, jammy, spicy, yet satiny smooth style of this uniquely Californian varietal red)
Wood Roasted Rack of Lamb in White Balsamic, Fig and Pomegranate Reduction
Treana, Paso Robles 1996 (lusciously full, original “Super Paso” blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and Petite Sirah)
Napoleon of Strawberry and Haupia (Coconut Pudding) with Sugar Cookies and Lychee Ice
Bonnezeaux, Château de La Chapelle 1993 (sumptuously honeyed, zesty, headily perfumed late harvest style Chenin blanc from the Loire River)