dinner 14

here we go again...
ryan's new favorite salad. one of the few dishes that have been repeated at staplehouse. salty, spicy and vinegary....yum!
great soup is one of those things that can warm the soul and make you smile. soups have become a staplehouse "staple" for our guests. it's funny how the simple things are often the best. soup is one of those dishes that lets the ingredient shine and reminds you of home. whether it's a bowl of campbells tomato or a homemade bowl of fennel puree with granny smith apples and goat cheese, as pictured here.ben is making mascarpone footballs for ryan's ravioli dish.



a more classic flavor pairing, ryan still loves tradition. here we have sweet potato raviolis with house cured bacon, mascarpone cheese and sage oil. definitely cold weather food.
intermission time.
more bold flavors. yellow corn crusted maine scallops with jalapeno creamed spinach and spicy pickled carrot salad.
a small but powerful dessert. chocolate terrine with raspberries, caramel sauce and sea salt.
the crew! thank you bob, nathan, molly, lindsey, marissa, lisa, karen, michael, ann and dane! 5 out of 10 of our guests celebrated a january birthday tonight. we were honored to have them here with us doing so!

january 31st dinner - SOLD OUT

sunday, january 31st, 2010 - dinner 14

salad of fried chorizo, pickled green tomato, cilantro and red onion

fennel soup with apple relish

sweet potato ravioli, house cured bacon and mascarpone cheese

yellow corn crusted scallops, jalapeño creamed spinach

chocolate terriene with raspberry, caramel and sea salt

dinner 13

a happy ryan makes for a great dinner. this was one of his favorites.
we start with a salad of fried spanish chorizo, pickled green tomatoes, red onion and lots of cilantro. awe, ben! portioning out the cauliflower soup.
our guests had trouble believing there was no cream in this soup. ryan's a big fan of letting the ingredient speak for itself... a little drizzle of "really good olive oil" and some homemade black olive croutons was all the soup needed.
crowd favorite. braised riverview farm pork belly with watermelon radish kimchi. kimchi is one of ryan's favorite asian dishes, although he tends to eat it as junk food... in mass quantity! for this version, ryan used watermelon radishes which macerated in a slew of asian condiments, such as fish sauce and lan chi (a red chili garlic paste). YUM!
i told jenny and kerry to not feel bad about slurping the broth down. they weren't shy.
the best beef ryan has had in a LONG time. montana ranch, eye of ribeye (piedmontese beef), served here with beet potato puree, caramelized cipollini onions and mushroom ragout.
a touch of sweetness to end the night. homemade banana cream pie with nilla wafer crust.
ryan discovered that he loves dark liquor. a little gentleman jack mixed with ginger beer as a night cap...

sunday, january 17th dinner - SOLD OUT

sunday, january 17th 2010

salad of fried chorizo, pickled green tomatoes, red onion and cilantro

cauliflower soup, black olive croutons, really good olive oil

pork belly with watermelon radish kimchi

piedmontese beef with potato beet purée, carmelized onion and mushroom ragout

banana cream pie with nilla waffer crust

family dinner

pregame... the table is set. wine ready to go. waiting for 10 new guests to arrive for this family style dinner.

it's becoming more important for ryan + i to share "family style" dinners with all of you. the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and pass a platter to your neighbor is an experience that's been left in the past. we love the idea of getting back to basics and providing an experience that is hard to find in restaurants these days. what will staplehouse, the restaurant, do to provide the same type of experience once it opens? whether we have a community style table or through our monthly sunday dinner, we will continue to offer a family style experience for those who feel the same way we do. comfortable. homelike. personal.

although void of color, this salad has found it's way onto ryan's staple list. composed of caramelized fennel, endive and garlic croutons with an anchovy vinaigrette. it's a bit of rustic warmth for this cold season.

main course. roasted cobia over house-made bacon and cipollini onions. garnished with pickled mustard seeds.
dessert. another example of ryan's simple, straightforward take on sweets. here is his chocolate pots de creme served with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

and finally, we forgot again to take a group photo. someone remind us next time.