Wish I hadn't missed this...
Chef's Wiard and Tanaka teamed up for a schochu tasting dinner last night at Elway's Cherry Creek. I wish I'd had reservations because their menus look phenomenal. Witness:
Wiard's menu:
Gently smoked Muscovy duck breast with duck egg salad, fresh hearts of palm, smelt roe and upland cress, paired with Nobu shochu
Grilled rabbit saddle with black truffle-scallion rice cakes, candied galangal root and micro arugula, paired with Kitchom shochu
Thai chile-braised Colorado goat leg, steamed Napa cabbage, charred onion and yuzu butter, paired with Awa No Kaori shochu
Hoisin pork jowl gyoza with daikon slaw and creamy wasabi vinaigrette, paired with "True Beauty" shochu
Flash-seared Colorado lamb loin with grilled maitake mushrooms, wilted tatsoi greens and crispy lotus root, paired with Beniotome shochu
Black rice gelato, jasmine tea syrup and sesame brittle, paired with Kaikouzu shochu
Tanaka's menu:
Potato gauffrette, Bigeye tuna tartar, spicy miso and foie gras snow, paired with Kaikouzu shochu
Japanese red snapper, Belgium endive, fried garlic chips and dried miso powder, paired with Beniotome shochu
Maine lobster, crispy wonton shell, fire-roasted tomato salsa with truffle guacamole, paired with Ginza No Suzume shochu
"Live" hirame, rocotto chile, yuzu lemon and sea salt, paired with Sudachi shochu
Thinly sliced yellowtail, jalapeno, cilantro and yuzo, paired with Nadeshiko shochu
Marinated black cod, sweet miso, limestone butter lettuce, fried and shredded filo, paired with Nobu Rice shochu
Wiard's menu:
Gently smoked Muscovy duck breast with duck egg salad, fresh hearts of palm, smelt roe and upland cress, paired with Nobu shochu
Grilled rabbit saddle with black truffle-scallion rice cakes, candied galangal root and micro arugula, paired with Kitchom shochu
Thai chile-braised Colorado goat leg, steamed Napa cabbage, charred onion and yuzu butter, paired with Awa No Kaori shochu
Hoisin pork jowl gyoza with daikon slaw and creamy wasabi vinaigrette, paired with "True Beauty" shochu
Flash-seared Colorado lamb loin with grilled maitake mushrooms, wilted tatsoi greens and crispy lotus root, paired with Beniotome shochu
Black rice gelato, jasmine tea syrup and sesame brittle, paired with Kaikouzu shochu
Tanaka's menu:
Potato gauffrette, Bigeye tuna tartar, spicy miso and foie gras snow, paired with Kaikouzu shochu
Japanese red snapper, Belgium endive, fried garlic chips and dried miso powder, paired with Beniotome shochu
Maine lobster, crispy wonton shell, fire-roasted tomato salsa with truffle guacamole, paired with Ginza No Suzume shochu
"Live" hirame, rocotto chile, yuzu lemon and sea salt, paired with Sudachi shochu
Thinly sliced yellowtail, jalapeno, cilantro and yuzo, paired with Nadeshiko shochu
Marinated black cod, sweet miso, limestone butter lettuce, fried and shredded filo, paired with Nobu Rice shochu