Raw Almond 2015 - Bob Blumer

Raw Almond is the epitome of the Winnipeg culinary scene. Take an eclectic group of chefs, have them cook a tasting for a table of 15, design a restaurant on the frozen river and let the local and international diners enjoy. A lot of credit has to go to Deer & Almond for dreaming up of the idea and even more needs to go to the creative chefs that made this possible. I finish my spree of Raw Almond meals with a doozy.

When I first purchased tickets to Raw Almond in December, I was attracted to the local talent that was being showcased. What thoroughly impressed me were the chefs of international fame that would be partaking. One of whom was Bob Blumer.

Bob Blumer is a celebrity chef from The Food Network and host of The Surreal Gourmet, Glutton for Punishment and World's Weirdest Restaurants. Furthermore, he also has seven Guinness World Records! Known for his creative takes on food, this turned out to be the most unique meal I have ever had the pleasure of having.

Getting the opportunity to chat with him for a few minutes, it was immediately apparent his love and passion for food. Full of stories, he began by introducing the special menu he had designed for Raw Almond. I appreciate it when chefs take the time and energy to meet and personally greet you, which fosters a sense of togetherness and showcases their passion for food. The excitement and buzz surrounding the air was palpable and with a wink and a huge smile, we began this surreal, delicious and unique meal.

The first dish, ice fish(ing), could have been found in a art gallery. The dish consists of an arctic char sashimi in vodka covered with a thin slice of jicama and paired with olive oil, sea salt and a finger lime. The presentation was exquisite and well thought out with the jicama resembling an icy river and the (real) fish hook puncturing the newly caught char.

The taste was also excellent. The fish was perfectly prepared and had a nice bouncy texture to the fatty meat and the condiments added needed saltiness to the dish. The star was the finger lime. Mr. Blumer explains that he grows these tiny limes in his backyard and love their burst of sour flavour when you bite into them. True enough, it resembled a intense baby lime and the paste-like lime fresh went well with the smooth fish. The only downside was the vodka which was a bit overpowering and took away from the delicateness of the sashimi.

The second dish, prawn fire, was also nicely presented. Three wonderful prawn spring rolls were served with a homemade Thai sweet chili. The spring rolls were nice and crisp on the outside while smooth on the inside and went well with the sauce. I applaud Mr. Blumer for adding some heat in the sauce which elevated the entire dish in intensity. As always, the presentation was exquisite with the detailed red pepper flames.

Bob showed his playfulness with the next dish, Italian onion soup au gratin. Initially bemused by a pizza delivery man, I was honestly quite shocked to see the contents being a onion soup pizza! Chuckling to myself, this bewildering dish was a perfect example of the uniqueness of Bob Blumer.

The dish itself was well done. The crust was thin and crispy and was covered with caramelized onions, layered with a sharp cheese (?gruyere) and finished with Italian parsley. I loved the playfulness of the dish but thought the taste was simply average. The onions were nicely caramelized and added a sweet and tangy component to the sharp cheese.

In par with the meal, the next dish, winter wonderlamb, was so unique that I felt wrong digging it. Braised lamb with a lamb demi-glace cover the bottom of the snowman and are topped with a parsnip and potato mash. Finishing off the snowman, the hat is made of olives, the arms twigs of rosemary and the eyes/mouth/buttons peppercorns. Not only a feast for the eyes, this had excellent flavour. The lamb was expertly cooked and wonderfully tender. The mash was nice and creamy and went well with the fiery-ness of the peppercorns. I praise Bob for his presentation but thought it was short on the demi-glace: I was missing a salty gravy-like component to bring the entire dish together.

For dessert we had chilly s'mores. I expected the meal to finish with a bang and was not disappointed. Bob had replaced the centre dining plank with a retrofitted one topped with a propane burner, a litany of marshmallows and cups of Mexican chocolate. He then promptly hands everyone a branch and off we go.
 

Resembling a campfire, one toasts the marshmallow and dips it into the delicious chocolate sauce. I was visually stunned by the presentation and loved the unique take on a campfire. I welcomed the, well thought out, use of the propane burners and loved self toasting the marshmallows.

The taste also did not disappoint! The Mexican chocolate sauce was wonderfully smooth, salty, sweet and a hint of bitterness. Eating this dish reminds me of their childhood and the giddy fun associated with camping. Furthermore the warm chocolate warmed by stomach (and soul) to face the cold wintry night of Winnipeg.

This meal was exemplifies everything Raw Almond does right. Take a accomplished chef and give diners an unforgettable dining experience that is unparalleled around the world. Words cannot describe how fortunate I am to be able to dine at Raw Almond and be in the presence of a celebrity chef. I entered this meal with equal amounts anticipation and excitement and left wholly satisfied. A night to remember.