Corner Table Restaurant: Kitchen Table Birthday Celebration

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jan 15, 2011 at 11:07am

wild mushroom broth with fresh and pickled vegetables

Even though my (and Fresh Tart’s!) birthday was last week, the celebrating goes on.

And on.

scott pampuch corner table

lardo

Thursday night John & I enjoyed an epic meal, at the kitchen table at Corner Table Restaurant, with Ana Scofield & Rudy Maxa and Debbie & Stu The Wine Genius Williams.

When you reserve the kitchen table, you actually reserve local food advocate, Tour de Farm founder, and chef/proprietor Scott Pampuch, all to yourself.

From a station right next to the table, Chef Scott gets a feel for what everyone likes, then starts riffing course after course of gorgeous food, perfectly paired with wine.  Even our rambunctiously verbal, wine drinking group grew (occasionally) quiet, marveling at the delicious talent it takes to seriously pair food with wine.

Seriously.

coppa, crostini

Show up early and eat as many courses as you can hold – I believe that Scott said the record is 24.  Hey, by my (admittedly blurry as the night drew to a close) count, we put back a cool 16 courses, not bad.

We covered my four major food groups: pork (warm lardo, coppa, crispy belly), rabbit (poached in butter), eggs (softly scrambled in browned butter), and mushrooms (an ethereal, chicken-of-the-woods wild mushroom broth with pickled and fresh vegetables, I can’t stop thinking about it), as well as duck, beef, foie gras, hummus with smoked trout (yes!), chocolate, and a dreamy sweet polenta pudding topped with sweet corn ice cream.

eggs scrambled in brown butter

Our conversation covered pig skulls, Larry Flynt, Napa Valley, lap dances, lipstick, cheese rinds, gluttony, scrambled egg technique, Vegas, writing on deadline, surgery vs. butchery…

I laughed so hard that I lost my voice.

Thank goodness for chef-client privilege.

hummus with smoked trout and apple

minnesota spring roll with turnip

Thank goodness for great friends, lovely restaurants, talented chefs, delicious wine, sublime food, and loving husbands.

Thank goodness for bitterly cold Minnesota winters that make a warm, cozy kitchen seem more perfect than a white-sand beach.

foie gras

duck breast with apple parsnip

Thank goodness for an utterly unforgettable birthday celebration.

My huge thanks to Corner Table, Chef Scott, and his fantastic staff, as well as Debbie, Stu, Ana, and Rudy, for sharing the evening with us.

polenta pudding with sweet corn ice cream

Do you have a special celebration approaching?  Are you needing a mid-winter’s escape?  Are you hungry?

I have a recommendation for you…

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Older Comments

  1. By FreshTartSteph on February 26, 2011 at 6:33AM

    Glad you had fun, Sweetie. I saw your post, looked like lots of fun, even for the girls :)

  2. By Dania Miwa on February 25, 2011 at 8:41PM

    You were so right. It was amazing! I can't wait to go back!

  3. By FreshTartSteph on February 2, 2011 at 6:45AM

    Thanks Dania! Happy blogging... :)

  4. By Dania Miwa on January 28, 2011 at 6:04PM

    That all looked fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing.

  5. By FreshTartSteph on January 21, 2011 at 10:12AM

    Thanks FinnLover - It was a food-lover's dream. That hummus was so cool, topped with flakes of smoked trout and crisp apple. Mmmm. It was all ridic :)

  6. By FinnLover on January 20, 2011 at 11:54PM

    Rabbit, duck, mushrooms, polenta, pork, chocolate, and hummus? Sounds like my dream birthday dinner. Glad you had a great evening. :)

  7. By FreshTartSteph on January 19, 2011 at 11:48AM

    Thanks Lisa! Yes, a trip to CT might be just what you need to ease back into the cold... Welcome home!

  8. By littlepod on January 19, 2011 at 9:46AM

    your meal looks fantastic! makes me want to scoot back to the corner table asap :)

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

  9. By FreshTartSteph on January 17, 2011 at 8:40AM

    Thanks Shaina! It was a serious birthday, serious fun :) See you tonight!

  10. By Shaina (Food for My Family) on January 16, 2011 at 7:10PM

    Sounds like an absolutely wonderful time, Steph!

  11. By FreshTartSteph on January 16, 2011 at 12:59PM

    Brenda - Total gluttony, ha. The only thing that makes it all possible is small portions prepared with a light hand, with big punches of flavor and texture to keep your palate engaged. I did pretty well until the last couple of desserts - although I totally ate them!

  12. By Brenda @ a farmgirl’s dabbles on January 16, 2011 at 12:24PM

    That looked like an incredible meal. Or gluttony, as you were talking about - 16 courses, wow! My mouth is watering...

  13. By FreshTartSteph on January 16, 2011 at 7:41AM

    Thanks Beth! You should indeed, lovely spot. It's rather miraculous I snapped pics all the way to the end, but I'm so glad that I did - my notes were pretty funny. Too busy talking and eating! (And drinking wine!)

  14. By Beth Blair on January 15, 2011 at 5:55PM

    This meal sounds fabulous - and I love the photos. My mouth is watering. I better add Corner Table to my list of places to visit.

  15. By FreshTartSteph on January 15, 2011 at 12:53PM

    Keane, you'll love it, I know that you will. Delicious, of course, and a cozy spot on a cold winter's eve. Makes me love Minnesota in January, and that's not easy to do.

  16. By kyn_a on January 15, 2011 at 11:29AM

    Wow! I am seriously jealous! My next stop will definitely be the Corner Table!