(Being a staff member of Emeril’s Delmonico, I have come adopt the nickname of my workplace, which is Del’s. I like it better.)

A few days ago, I, and a few friends had dinner at Del’s. The executive chef, Spencer Minch, decided to cook an impromptu tasting menu for us (meaning we get whatever he wants to send out to our table for dinner).

The third course (of seven) was my favorite. It was a pair of Maine diver scallops with a puree of butternut squash and parsnip, wilted kale, hedgehog mushrooms and a brown butter fondue.

The scallops were cooked to perfection–seared so they had a nice caramelized top and bottom and a moist, yet firm, internal texture; the puree (which was roasted, then pureed) was intense–earthy-flavored, creamy with a touch of butter at the finish; the wilted kale has just the right amount of crunch to make them remain wilted (as opposed to complete mush) and had a slight bit of garlic sautéed along with them; the mushrooms were braised in olive oil, shallots and fresh thyme; and the sauce was made from the pan drippings of the seared scallops, which were deglazed with browned butter and fresh lemon juice.

The seared scallops lended themselves well to the caramel flavors of the roasted puree; the kale was a bright and green flavor that stood up against the richness of the braised mushrooms; and the brown butter sauce was like a marriage of all the flavors of the dish. In all, I thought the dish was perfectly balanced–it was simple, but had lots of depth in its layering of flavors.

I truly enjoyed all of the courses during our chef’s tasting (the scallops just really stood out for me). Because we did not order off the menu, our meal was exciting and full of surprises. In addition to the food, we also opted for a wine tasting–a pairing of a different glass of wine with each course of food. This, too, was an excellent choice and gave our sommelier a chance to really share with us some wonderful different wines.

Upon one of your next visits to Del’s, I would suggest you inquire about such a menu for yourself. You will find that dining in a fine-dining restaurant and leaving all the inspiration and work to the chef is a great treat!

Filed Under: Food Finds, Restaurant News