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A CULINARY JOURNEY RE-VISITING THE SPICE ROUTE
OF SOUTHEAST ASIA IN NEW FLAVOR-FILLED
CHEF’S TASTING MENU AT CAMPTON PLACE RESTAURANT
Origins of Many Flavoring Ingredients
Predate Recorded History
SAN FRANCISCO (September 27, 2011) - Inspired by adventuresome traders and visionary merchants who sailed the ancient world to bring pungent flavors and exotic aromas to civilizations who prized the taste of food, Taj Campton Place’s Michelin-starred Campton Place Restaurant has created a new tasting menu with wine pairings that re-traces the Spice Routes of Southeast Asia.
Executive Chef Sri Gopinathan’s culinary tasting journey can be paired with wines selected by Master Sommelier Richard Dean and is designed to arouse the taste buds and sate the appetite. With recipes, ingredients and cooking styles from Chef Sri’s homeland in Southern India and experiences in Southeast Asia, the menu reflects his training in European kitchens, use of hand-selected California-grown vegetables, fruits, meats and fish plus fresh spices sourced from purveyors locally and overseas.
“This is a dining experience where origins of many of the flavoring ingredients predate recorded history,” says Chef Sri. “The first mention of any spice was sesame in 3500 BC when an Assyrian myth said the gods drank sesame wine the night before they created Earth. Our menu is inspired by the ‘cinnamon’ and clove’ routes which initially linked the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea.”
The Spice Route Tasting Menu’s six-course culinary voyage relies on seasonal menu items, and can be paired with wines:
- Summer salad of spiced shrimps, peaches, mint yogurt and cumin; suggested pairing: Albariño Licia Rias Baixas 2009
- Maine lobster, butter poached with coconut curry, black rice and salicornia; suggested pairing: Riseling Kabinett Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Mosel 2008
- Alaskan halibut, slow cooked with Prim Manteca, spring onions, Cuttlefish and Vadouvan, a mixture of Indian spices that impart a light smoky flavor; suggested pairing: Gruner Veltliner Laurent V Kamptal 2006
- Lamb loin, slow roasted with smoked eggplant, fava beans, buttermilk mousse and mint; suggested pairing: Malbec Bodega Colomé Calchaqui Argentina 2009
- Chef Sri’s selection of artisanal cheeses
- Spiced chocolate crémeux; suggested pairing Muscat Canelli Ceago Vinegarden Clear Lake 2008
Pricing is $100 for six courses (excluding taxes/gratuity), an additional $45 for wine pairings.
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