Last week I dined with a few friends at the Chefs Table at Seasonal 56 in Langley, joining me was Cassandra Anderton, Summer Dhillon and Kenji Maeda. Over the years I have dined at many chefs tables, always an experience in tasting a variety of dishes sometimes on the menu and others leaving it up to the chef to take you on a culinary journey. This was the first time I had dined at a Chefs Table that was actually located inside the kitchen, and this experience was quite unique as were able to watch Chef Adrian Beaty cook each dish literally. Dining in the kitchen means that you aren’t going to see any of the other restaurant patrons nor are they going to see you.

Chef/Co-Owner Adrian Beaty

Another thing that was unique to this Chefs Table experience was that they serve a 5 course menu, and since we were a party of 4, that meant we were going to be served 20 different dishes, encouraging us all to share and to try as many or as little of the dishes as we so desire. This takes into account various allergies or food dislikes that some in the party may of and creates the ultimate sharing dinner.

I tasted many of the dishes but I didn’t taste them all, here were the dishes that I tried and along with the others that my friends tasted.

1st course

Caesar Salad

Caesar salad our way; frisee, house dressing, house bacon bits and parmesan herb tuile

Glorious Organics greens, Goat’s Pride dairy feta cheese, Glen valley salmon berries, edible flowers and a Stuber’s honey and balsamic vinaigrette

Fraser valley endive salad, In Season farms hazelnuts, House smoked Thiessen farms Muscovy duck ham, Agassiz farm house castle blue cheese, and a maple cider vinaigrette

Six Masters rabbit liver pate with Glen valley rhubarb compote

2nd Course

Fresh Dungeness Crab Cakes

Fresh Dungeness crab cakes with caper tarragon aioli and pea tips

Thiessen farms Duck Rilette

Thiessen farms duck rilette, House pickled garlic scapes, Fort Wine cranberry compote

Local organic mushroom soup with fresh thyme Lovage cured wild salmon gravlax;

Glorious Organic fava tips, lovage and chive blossom vinaigrette

3rd Course

Braised Six masters veal neck; house made ricotta gnocchi

Braised Six masters veal neck; house made ricotta gnocchi, gremolata

Ocean Wise Ling Cod

Ocean Wise ling cod, Olera farms heirloom tomato puree, garlic sautéed local spinach

Salt Spring Island mussels, cured Gelderman farms pork jowl, rosemary, garlic, and Dead Frog beer

Roasted Thiessen farms squab, red onion marmalade, braised Glen valley collard greens

4^th Course

Risotto stuffed Six masters Veal breast

Risotto stuffed Six masters veal breast, local baby fennel, sorrel scented braising jus

Duck fat poached Six master lamb shoulder with Goat’s pride Dairy chevre risotto

Thiessen farms partridge; organic barley, local Portobello mushrooms, One Love Farms baby garlic and roasting jus

Gelderman farms pork tenderloin, deep fried pigs ear, Olera Farms mustard green and chevre ravioli, roasting jus reduction

5^th Course

Chocolate Espresso Tart

Chocolate espresso tart with Olera farms raspberry and cream cheese ice cream

Goat’s Pride Dairy Chevre Cheesecake

Goat’s pride dairy chevre cheesecake with lemon curd

House candied bacon and Jack Daniels Ice Cream

House candied bacon and Jack Daniels ice cream

Glen valley salmon berry and custard tart with vanilla bean ice cream

Seasonal 56 is a destination Farm to Table restaurant, they source most of their ingredients from farms and producers from nearby areas such as Langley and Abbotsford.

Seasonal 56 Restaurant

#201-26730 56th Avenue, Langley

Tel: 604-625 5601

Web: www.theseasonalexperience.ca

Twitter: @seasonal56

Book your Chefs Table dining adventure in advance, at least a week or two in advance for weekend nights, or a few days for weekday nights.

By: Richard Wolak