New Year’s Eve at Bianca’s

Well, we did it! We got seats at St. John’s top restaurant on NY’s eve. It appears that perseverance really does work. Though there were no tables for two, my sis and I got two set-ups at the bar where we perched for a fantastic New Year’s Eve celebration.

As it was relatively late – 9:30 to be exact, and a full night of celebration was to be had, we decided to go a light route by sharing two small appetizers and a main course. We also shared a bottle of Oyster Bay Sauvingon Blanc.

Duck Fois Gras, Roquefort & Walnut Bread w/ a
Pomegranate Emulsion

Ooooo- this was so good! The rich fois gras was luxurious and so well balanced with the sweet and tart pomegranate molasses. That pairing was further luxed-up with pungent Roquefort cheese with a creamy consistency and sharp flavor. These were all served atop a lovely walnut bread having a french toast-like consistency; soft and moist with a touch of resistance to the tooth.

Sweet Chestnut Ravioli w/ a Forest Mushroom Ecume

This was a rather small appy, and a little pricey for the size, but tasty, with an amazing flavour pairing. The chestnut filling was smooth and sweet, having a fois gras consistency – not intended, but pleasant nonetheless. The rich filling contrasted well with the earthly mushroom sauce.

Cod a la Provencal, Capers, Zucchini, Olive Oil Vinaigrette and
Parsnip, Lemon & Honey Risotto

This dish was the third of our amazing culinary delights. Having grown up with our father making it all the time, my sis and I have quite the weakness for cod. We chose the Provencal cod w/ one of my food weaknesses; risotto. I would never have imagined the satisfying combination of parsnip, lemon and honey, but the two complimented each other nicely. The cod itself was meaty, though no knife was needed. The topping of zucchini, capers and olives were a lovely accompaniment, adding a touch of salt that cut through the sweet risotto. It also added a fresh, crispy component to the dish.

It was altogether a wonderful evening. We started off at home with champagne, and our bottle of Oyster Bay was the perfect choice to pair with all three dishes. In addition, we finished right on time to ring in the New Year. Champagne and fois gras- What better way to start off 2009?!