May 17th – One doesn’t need much of an excuse to make a trip to Manresa. The farmer’s market had exploded with bounty the previous weekend and that bode well for the visit. When compared to previous visits, you can see Kinch has begun incorporating more and more vegetables into the dishes. Looking at the pictures, it might be easy to say they merely perform an aesthetic function, but Kinch is too deliberate and careful to haphazardly add ingredients to a dish – the vegetables are becoming the centerpiece for the summer’s meals.

This meal was as good as the last – every dish very good to excellent. The peas with scallops and vegetables with burrata cheese and vegetable juices dishes are hints of the cuisine to be. The copper river salmon dish was my favorite of the night – proof that fish and shellfish will continue to play an important role. The simple roast spring lamb at the end was a perfect touchdown – satisfying and delicious without being overbearing. The desserts too merit special mention – they are getting more accomplished. The sweet pea ice cream walked the perfect line between sweet and savory.

I didn’t take notes on this trip so I will let the photographs speak for the dishes. Most of the photos turned out well; those that did not were omitted. Until I can convince every restaurant to consider 1-2 tables with improved lighting…

Vegetables from the garden

Spring croquettes

Oyster in urchin jelly, nori croustillant

Garden veloute w/ mustard

Arpege farm egg

Wood grilled foie gras w/ radish, ficoide glaciale

Spring sea breem, sashimi style, caviar & lime

Peas w/ Scallops

Vegetables from the garden and burrata cheese, vegetable juices

Roasted turnips farci, poularde jelly w/ riesling

Salt cod “tripe” and shellfish pil-pil, arugula

Courgette and abalone salad, seaweed pistou

Copper river salmon & smoked roe, roast tuna juice, & red pepper

Wild turbot w/ oyster & sorrel

Roast lamb in exotic spice, yam w/ coconut

7 year old Parmigiano Reggiano “Guffanti”, 25 year old balsamico

Sweet pea & pistachio cones

Buttermilk panna cotta, rhubard w/ rosewater

Chocolate mousse w/ olive oil ice cream

Summertime is here – there will be many more Manresa posts on this blog.

- chuck