About Last Night... Food Party Bham

Posted on: 27 August 2017
By: jessica

So... about last night.

I ate some of the best food of my life, drank delicious wine, and met fun and interesting people at the first ever Food Party Bham.

Chefs Dave Smith, Brent Seamon, and Garrett Osburn created a menu full of whimsy, elegance, and pure joy. With each bite the chefs displayed an understanding and respect for ingredients presented in a very unique way.

Chefs Garrett, Brent, and Dave plating the final course of the evening.

The inagural food party was held at Serendipity and drinks were provided by Rush and Red Hare Brewing Company.

Now, for the reason you're all here... Let's talk about this delicious food!!!!!!!!!

Elotes: Alabama corn, bacon aioli, jalapenos, cilantro, cotija.

This corn was such a fun way to kick off the dinner. Blackened, sweet, and straight from Alabama. The bacon aioli was like a pillowy cloud of deliciousness and the fat from the crisp bacon and heat from the jalapenos worked perfectly with the tang of the lime squeezed on top. We got this party off to a great start!

Mofongo Stack: plantain tostada, braised goat, habanero crema, pickled red onion

The second plate of the evening was this braised goat magic you see above. One theme throughout the entire dinner was sauces with a kick. This one was no exception. The melt in your mouth texture of the goat combined with the crunch of the plantain tostada married perfectly with the right amount of acid from the pickled red onion. The spicy, creamy habanero crema made for a dynamic finish.

Ceviche Misto: shrimp, grouper, heirloom tomato, cucumber, lime, epazote

The next plate was so fresh and crisp with an intentional nod to the end of Summer. Tomatoes, cucumbers, epazote, and lime brightened up the grouper and shrimp perfectly. And those chips were the perfect crunchy untensil.

Calamari Relleno: chorizo, shallot, smoked piquillo pepper puree, herb oil

Although this combo was something I have never had before, somehow the chef managed to make it taste like home. The spicy chorizo tucked into that calamari was like a fun surprise. And the sauce was creamy, spicy, buttery perfection. It reminded me of an elevated version of a meal my grandmother makes often and transported me right into her kitchen with each bite. I am totally obsessed.

Cerdo De Plantano: maduro, lardons, chipotle salted caramel, radish

Let me start with saying this: pickled strawberry puree. Yes, you heard that right. Those cute little dots on this plate of dessert are a pickled strawberry puree. It bleneded with the firey, rich salted caramel in an incredibly indulgent way. The plantains were torched to just the right texture and of course the crispy bacon on top took me right on into paradise.

Mango Chamoy: mango sorbet, tamarind candy, pineapple, chamoy

This is one of the most exciting, adventurous desserts I have ever had in my life! The mango sorbet was incredibly creamy and fluffy, the tamarind candy had these amazing crystals that popped on your tongue, sauce was hot and smokey, and it was all balanced out by the acid in the pineapple. It was such a creative finish to this wonderful evening.

The food was absolutely amazing, but what stood out to me even more was the strong sense of community. Each chef took the time to chat with everyone who attended. The hostesses and servers were attentive and kind the entire evening. And we had a blast meeting new, local friends we had so much in common with.