The Supper Club
Culinary Students Share
an Inspiring Meal at V. Mertz
by Brian O’Malley,
photos by Pat Ratigan
M
embers of the Institute for Culinary Arts’ culinary student
organization, Omega Omega Omega periodically gather
to share a meal – this is Supper Club. But it’s not just about
eating. They seek out and share engaging, meaningful, delicious
food experiences in different venues, and through words and
photographs, they capture and then share those experiences.
V. Mertz is a modest yet elegant restaurant, tucked away inside
the Old Market Passageway. Its gourmet fare and intimate setting
blend seamlessly to create a one-of-a-kind experience.
The restaurant opens each evening, Tuesday through Saturday, for
dinner service and offers its patrons meals from both regular and
tasting menus. For this experience, head chef Jon Seymour treated
members of Tri-Omega to a special, reserved spread. This exclusive
menu consisted of six courses and two desserts, each expertly paired
with a number of different wines.
“For this experience, V. Mertz
head chef Jon Seymour treated the
members of Tri-Omega to a special,
reserved spread.”
At the beginning of the meal, diners were served an amuse
bouche comprised of tomato gelée, shaved shallot and oregano on a
crisp bacon wafer to whet the appetite.
“The first thing to hit my tongue was the bacon – crispy, salty and
smoky,” said second year culinary student Pat Ratigan. “The gelée
then cuts the bacon with smooth, refreshing ‘meltiness’ and subtle
spicy, herbaceous notes, finishing with the crisp, bright shallot.”
The first wine served, Hochterrassen Grüner Veltliner, was paired
with the first three courses. This wine has a fruity aroma and crisp,
delicately sweet notes of apple and pear.
The first course of the experience was a diver scallop crudo with
green apple, horseradish, and dried beef powder, rolled together
and served as one bite in a deep, sloping white bowl that captured
and focused the aroma of the preparation. The tartness of the apple
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flawlessly prepared the mouth for the delicate scallop while the
bite-sized course as a whole left the mouth with residual flavors of
horseradish and salty umami.
Next, diners enjoyed a seared cobia (black salmon) in pork broth,
sweet pea purée and shungiku greens. Floating in the broth were
tiny tapioca pearls that created a lovely contrast in mouth feel
against the broth. The cobia was flaky, tender and full of flavor,
which paired nicely with the smoky ham flavor of the broth.
There was a fresh, vibrant taste from the purée, and a slight bitter
note from the greens – those played into the overall flavor in an
interesting and pleasing way.
The third course was duck confit ravioli served on a spoon, with
thickened duck jus, chicory and pickled garlic. This dish had a
spicy, savory aroma that lingered in the air and tantalized the table.
It hooked everyone with a single taste. The savory jus, full of hearty,
earthy tones, was occasionally interrupted with alternating notes of
spicy garlic and mildly bitter greens.
Seared cobia in pork broth, sweet pea purée
and shungiku greens.