What I Ate: January 9, 2009 (Parcel 104)

For lunch, I heated up some of the ruote that I cooked before along with an ample serving of my meat sauce.

I had made a reservation at Parcel 104 in Santa Clara for dinner. During the 6+ years that I worked at Intel, I would pass by this restaurant once in a while - once even stepping in accidentally when I was trying to find a conference room for a meeting in the Marriott Hotel that it's inside. Only recently (the last couple years) had I heard about how they were doing good fine dining with fresh (usually local) ingredients. I was eager to try the food and was pleasantly surprised by not only the quality of the cuisine, but the friendliness of the wait staff as well as the eagerness of the chefs to talk about their food (I spoke to Anthony Ippolito, Parcel 104's Chef de Cuisine, and Carlos Sanchez (one of two chef's who started Parcel 104 7 years ago), the Pastry Chef).

I'll be doing a full write up on Cooking For Engineers, but here's a list of what we ate and a sample of the photos:
Frozen Pomegranate Lemonade

Amuse Bouche of Foie Gras Pate topped with blood orange gelatin, toasted bioche, and tangerine

Coconut Butter Poached Maine Lobster, Banana Consommé, Parcel Garden Keffir Lime Sea Salt

Apple-Cinnamon Pork Belly, Gizdich Ranch Apple Glaze, Roasted Chestnut Ice Cream

Sunchoke on Sunflower Seed Mock Risotto

Cabernet Braised Short Rib, Potato "Terrine", Half Moon Bay Brussels Sprouts, Gilroy Pearl Onions

Massachusetts Diver Scallops, Dungeness Crab Agnolotti, Satsuma Tangerine Butter, Radish

Desserts

Orange & Cream - Crepe Suzette, Creamsicle Ice Cream, Fresh Citrus

Salad - Petite Garden Lettuce, Citrus Fruit, Blood Orange Sorbet, Carmody Cheese Beignet

Flan

Passion Fruit Gems