Tasting Counter, Somerville

Posted on Oct 28, 2015 in Restaurant Eats

A few months ago, a small restaurant opened in the space shared with Aeronaut Brewing Company in Somerville. Tasting Counter is more of a dinner and a show experience than just a meal.

The diners reserve tickets online, filling out food preferences and either beer, wine, sake or non-alcoholic pairings.

When you arrive, you are seated at one of 16 spaces around an open kitchen. You are greeted by the chefs and watch them start preparing your multi-course meal.

Welcoming Bites:
Smoked paprika thyme puff
Black olive, almond, foie gras
Scallop mousse, cured roe, preserved lemon, sesame crisp

Hake
The hake is cured in avocado oil, sliced thin and served with avocado cream, grapefruit roulade, and smoked sea salt –
the salt crunches in your mouth with each bite, exploding with flavor.

Sea Bream
The fish is marinated in hazelnut oil and paired with fried artichokes, artichoke cream, burgundy truffle, and jerez vinegar – this was my favorite dish!

Tortellini
lobster, pine mushroom, beef broth and lobster foam

Ocean Trout
shallot cream, basil oil surrounding a fermented soybean paste, and orange blossom pearls

Monkfish
with a trio of creams – tomato, fennel, and garlic along with saffron cured salmon roe
the saffron really cuts the salty-fishiness from the roe – something I’ve never encountered before, it was beautiful.

Persimmon Tea
with a pine nut cookie palate cleanser. The cookie was still warm, slightly chewy and delicious.

Miso Cured Duck
with a pear, daikon and celery gelatin, soy cream and celery cream (which blew my mind)

Dry Aged Beef Sirloin Cap
burdock, cilantro, ginger, red curry – the pairing of the pungent, spicy ginger with the beef was wonderful, though this was my least favorite dish

Lime Curd
passionfruit, lime, ginger ice cream, molasses cake, meringue

Bittersweet Chocolate
guava, macadamia nut, candied kumquat, coconut cream

Parting Morsels:
Yuzu chocolate truffle
Strawberry almond cake
Plum lavender chew

Needless to say it was a wonderful night and we will definitely be back!