La Romanee, etc.......

15 Dec 2011: A short while ago a group of us took advantage of a friend's booking at TBLS (our friend couldn't use it and didn't want to let it go to waste - so I quickly snapped it up!).  TBLS (for Tablespoon) is a cosy little restaurant tucked away on the top floor of a commercial block on Hollywood Road.  Based on the concept of favourite comfort food dishes, Chef Que Vinh Dang embellishes them with fresh local ingredients, his very individual creative twist and innovative presentation.  The results are simply jaw-droppingly delicious.  The open kitchen ambiance lends further intimacy to the diners and the culinary team. Check out the website: http://www.tbls-kitchenstudio.com/ 

There is a new menu every month and as we arrived on 1st December, we were among the first to sample the December menu - "Best of 2011":

Soup & Sandwich:

Sweet Corn Soup with Paprika Popcorn
Chiptole Pork Belly Sandwich with Oaxaca Cheese, Avocado and Pickled Onions

Happy Memories:
Sobrassada, Poached Egg, Garlic Mashed Potato, Crispy Serrano Ham

Ceviche:
Yellowtail Ceviche, Smoked Pineapple, Fresh Guacamole, Tomato Water Jelly

Pastrami Brined Turkey:
Turkey Breast, Foie Gras, Sweet Potato Puree, Honey Mustard Cabbage, Sour Cherry and Pear Chutney

Jasmine Tea Party:
Jasmine Tea Panna Cotta, Strawberry Water, Milk Chocolate Mochi Ravioli

PB&J:
Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Homemade Strawberry Jam, Macaroon Sandwich




Soup and Sandwich at TBLS - the pork belly sandwich is simply sensational!



Happy Memories - looks more like a Steamed Vegetable Bun - that's what I call comfort food!!

My top marks went to the Soup and Sandwich course.......I could easily do with two of these and nothing else!  The Happy Memories dish was very innovatively presented but quite filling.  The turkey dish was the only disappointment....the turkey meat tasted quite rubbery and the foie gras was so rich that it kind of clashed with the rather delicate turkey meat.  The desserts were refreshing and thoughtfully presented, but I'm not a big fan of fancy desserts - yes, bring me some sticky toffee pudding, bread & butter pudding, apple and rhubarb crumble,.....!!!!

La Paulée style - so each of us brought a bottle.  Paul and David set the pace....Paul bringing a 2000 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne and David a 1966 La Romanée (bottled by Bichot).  Richard thought the 1962 La Romanée (bottled by Leroy) would make some interesting comparison and Mike brought a 1996 Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet.  My contribution was a Selosse Initial. 

NV Selosse Initial: 100% Chardonnay from Avize, Cramant and Oger, and blended from different vintages. This is a February 2009 disgorged bottle.  Creamy and textured, with layered nuances of savoury, mushroom, hazelnuts, freshed by honeysuckle, honey and toasty notes, caressing the palate.  Great sense of delineated minerality and terroir.  Beautifully crafted.  Love the acidity, complexity and the finish. Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years.  17.5/20 



2000 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne and 1996 Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet

 2000 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne: Quite tightly wound and restrained, oozing of purity, linearity, nobility, tension and minerality, with masses of energy and power yet to be released.  Lime blossom, apple compote and a hint of candied fruit.  It just keeps evolving in the glass.  The cool character now matched rather well with the ceviche!  Drink now (with a good amount of aeration) and over next 15 - 20 years, with good cellaring. 18/20

1996 Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet: Amazing freshness and youthfulness.  Really needs decanting if it's an available option.  Floral, toasty, smokey, some nutty character, with plenty of minerality bolstering the bouquet.  Palate gaining weight and further complexity in the glass, finding equilibrium with the racy acidity. Love the spicy finish.  A heavy weight wine, yet so fresh and vibrant to enjoy now.   A long long life ahead.  18+/20

1962 and 1966 La Romanée

1962 La Romanée (Leroy bottling): Last vintage under Leroy bottling.  Still ruby at core, bricking at rim.  Rather funky nose initially, settling into a very mature bouquet of animal, wet saddle, earthy, pomegranate and hoi sin sauce. Acidity a bit too prominent.  The silky texture a saving feature.  A bit disappointing as a grand cru.  Bottle number 329.  Drink now!  15.5/20 

1966 La Romanée (Bichot bottling): Bichot did the bottling between 1963 and 1975 for this wine.  Now this is proper Grand Cru material, with a classy and sophisticated mature bouquet of coffee, earthy, autumn leaves on the forest floor and some spicy notes.  Impressive by its sheer class and elegance.  Silky frame, with a slight acidity kick on the aftertaste, which could benefit from a bit more time to settle down in the glass/decanter.  (We kind of hurried through the 2 reds, as we probably spent too long on the white wines which paired better with the dishes at TBLS.....) Finishes long.  Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years, depending on storage.  17.5/20    
Decently respectable, the La Romanées didn't quite provide the wow factor, but the whites certainly did a very impressive job.  Given how little faith I have in old burgs and potentially premoxed whites, I actually brought a couple of back-ups! 

I will definitely return to TBLS if I get lucky with the booking again, but I will probably do it slightly differently.....keep to a simple wine theme and have all the reds and whites on the table for everyone to help themselves, as the menu does not quite allow a natural transition from white to red.....