This Monday, Melisse welcomes a guest-chef to cook a six-course pre-fixe dinner at the Santa Monica restaurant. April Bloomfield, chef and co-owner of New York’s Spotted Pig and The Breslin, was nominated as a Food & Wine “Best New Chef” in 2005. A native of England, her past stints found her cooking at London’s Bibendum and River Cafe and, closer to home, Chez Panisse. Taking a break from work on her coming cookbook A Girl and Her Pig, Bloomfield’s one-night appearance at Melisse will find her making gazpacho from heirlooms, plus boudin blanc, Arctic char, and a N.Y. strip loin with short rib, all backed with a surgical use of produce and French and Italian wines. To see what else Bloomfield is bringing, check out the full menu below. $150 reservations can be made at 310-395-0881, with a portion of proceeds going to Special Olympics.
Melisse
Guest Chef Dinner
April Bloomfield
Monday, July 26th
1104 Wilshire Blvd.
310-395-0881
$150/person
Amuse Bouche
Wild Japanese Kamapchi
Cucumber, Passion fruit
Scacciadiavoli, Brut Metado, Umbria, Italy
First Course
Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho
Crisp Olives
2007 Bandol, Rose, “Moulin des Costes”, Domaine Bunan
Second Course
Stuffed Squid Basquaise-Nduja
Forbidden Rice, Olympic Garden Tomatoes, Espellete
2006 Vino da Tavola, “Ceonobium”, Paolo Bea, Toscana
Third Course
Boudin Blanc
Sautéed Market Potatoes, Basil and Pickled Mustard Seed
2008 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine de la Solitude
Fourth Course
Arctic Char
Spiced Lentils, Anchovy-Pine Nut Bread Crumb
2005 Chinon, “Chene Vert”, Charles Joguet
Fifth Course
Prime New York Strip Loin and Short Rib
Chanterelle Mushrooms, Sweet White Corn, Summer Truffles,
“Jus de Boeuf Acidule”
2005 Château La Louvière, Pessac-Léognan
Dessert
Strawberry, Basil, Pistachio
2005 Moscato d’ Asti, “Moncucco”, Fontanafredda, Piemonte
