Just when you thought these Pop-Up’s couldn’t get any better, last nights event marked an occasion truly worth speaking of – 100% of the proceeds from last nights dinner are to be donated to Noel House Programs. For those that may not know, Noel House is the largest women’s only shelter in Seattle. Providing both permanent and temporary housing, food, resources and support for women in need, Noel House is truly a blessing for women in need. It is awesome knowing that Irbille Edible’s partnered up with such a great organization.
The Food:
mango salad: manila mango, mizuna, watermelon radish, green mango vinaigrette
This salad was dressed wonderfully. The julienned mangos really popped against the backdrop of the mizuna and was a pleasing plate to look at. This is the second time I have mizuna (the first was at his April Pop-Up) and I can honestly say I enjoyed it! It has a more mild flavor than arugula and does well in cutting through the sweetness of the mango. One critique I have about this dish is I didn’t notice the watermelon radish – which was listed on the menu.
roasted eggplant: baby eggplant, bell peppers, almond sauce
Cherry and I opted to lean away from our norm and order the roasted eggplant. The eggplant was roasted nicely with a good char and soft inner layer. The almond sauce added a countering sweetness almost like a peanut sauce and worked great with the eggplant! However, again, the menu stated the dish would come with bell peppers, and if my memory (and photo) serve me correct, there were none.
steak bagoong: anchovy marinated hanger steak, purple yams, heirloom tomato
For me, this dish was the highlight of the meal. The steak was cooked perfectly with a perfect char on the outside and a tender pink in the middle. The anchovy (or bagoong) marinated stead had great flavor and really added a nice depth of flavor. Acting almost like a sweet potato mash, the purple yams added a delicious touch when combined with the tomato and steak, it was sublime.
My Conclusion:
It is always great coming to these Pop-Up dinners, not only to support an up-and-coming chef, but also a friend. Being able to witness Chef Irbille’s progression of his creativity, technique and plating from his first Pop-up to now, is truly something great. Learning and growth is something that is constantly the goal of any professional and despite some missing elements on our dishes, these miscues were mere hiccups in the overall dinner. Furthermore, in the grand scheme of things, the main winners are the residents and staff at Noel House, for they are the ones who will directly benefit from this event – I was lucky enough to be apart of the ride.
nw gourmand 