A birthday to remember...our 2nd experience at Victoria & Albert's - March 25th 2010

After our amazing first experience at Victoria & Albert's in September 2009, we knew that we would be returning as soon as possible. So when it came time for me to choose a place for my 25th birthday dinner I couldn't think of a better restaurant. Our expectations were high as the first experience had been flawless but we were confident that this meal would be equally impressive. We were wrong....it was even better!

On March 25th 2010, we arrived at Victoria & Albert's shortly after 5. One thing that I find incredibly impressive is that the hostesses will come out into the lobby to find you. As our reservation wasn't until 5:30, we planned on simply sitting in the waiting area (shared with Citrico's) for about 15 to 20 minutes and enjoy the views of the resort grounds.

Just 5 minutes after our arrival, the frosted glass and wood doors opened and out walked one of the hostesses. She approached our party and inquired as to whether we were ready to dine. Every time we have been to Victoria & Albert's someone has come to get us before we have had the opportunity to alert the staff that we have arrived

Entrance to Victoria & Albert's

Once you pass through those doors you might as well have stepped into a time machine, harkening back to an era where everyone dressed for dinner. The waiting area is far from noisy, but the interior of the restaurant is so pleasantly calm, with soft harp music floating through the air, dimmed lights and quiet conversations overheard as you are escorted to your table.

Another impressive touch: Ladies are offered a stool or a hook for your handbag lest it sit on the floor. In fact, I was presented with a stool for my camera and notebook AND a hook to hang my handbag on.

Additionally, the hostesses will inquire if any of the ladies in the party are sensitive to the cold, as they will fetch you a cashmere throw if you are feeling a chill.

We were seated in the far left corner of the restaurant as you enter. The first seating was very quiet, with only 7 tables occupied in the main dining room and 2 occupied in the Queen Victoria Room.

Place Setting

Roses and a Lantern

Moments after we were seated, our primary server, Beth, and our assistant server, Rado, stopped by to introduce themselves, deliver our menus and offer us pre-dinner drinks. As we were planning on ordering the wine pairings, we passed on pre-dinner drinks. Beth offered sparkling or flat water, and our water glasses were never more than half-empty throughout the night.

I know that some have voiced concerns that the high level of service at Victoria & Albert's might intrude with the intimacy of the meal. This could not be further from the case. All the servers are courteous, and stealth-like. They are noticed when needed, such as presenting and describing wines or courses, but are practically invisible otherwise, such as clearing plates or refilling water glasses.

The amuse bouche for the evening was Variations of Salmon. Chef Hunnel also included a blini with caviar as a birthday treat. I was thrilled with the salmon theme, as I adore salmon and was intrigued to see the Chef's variations.

Starting in the top right corner:

Organic Hen's Egg Smoked Salmon Custard

I am not the biggest fan of eggs but I adored the Tomato Fennel Custard in the fall, so I figured I would love this just as much! While it was good, it was the weakest item on the plate in my opinion. The smoked salmon flavor was too subtle for me, it was very egg-y and not much else.

Potato Blini, Creme Fraiche, Egg Yolk, Cornichon & Caviar

Our server Rado said that this item was compliments of the Chef for my birthday. I'm not sure if the other diners got the caviar blini with their amuse that evening but I loved it. This was my 2nd favorite item on the plate! I had seriously contemplated ordering the caviar as an upgrade, but this single bite satisfied my craving for the evening. Perhaps I'll order the caviar service on an upcoming trip...this taste certainly confirmed that I love caviar!

Smoked Salmon Panna Cotta

This was a delightful little bite, creamy and soft with the perfect balance of salmon and a touch of chive paired with the great pop and saltiness of the salmon roe! This was my 3rd favorite item on the plate.

Demitasse Cup with Smoked Salmon, Tomato Salad and Celery Root Puree

Once again tomato haunts me at Victoria & Albert's! When I first heard the description I thought this would be my least favorite item, but my god was I wrong! The spoon was warmed and the item itself was creamy and insanely delicious. The tomato provided a bright acidic note, the puree was creamy and the smoked salmon was rich. I wanted 10 more of these!

Shortly after our amuse we were presented with our first bread course of the evening.

Fresh mini baguette with house made lightly salted butter

These are wonderful and so close to authentic Parisian baguette! We were actually lucky enough to be offered 2 baguettes each! We took Rado up on that offer faster than you can blink. Was more bread the smartest idea with 6 courses to come? Probably not, but this baguette is so divine that it is worth every extra bite.

Sadly, we were quite boring and all ordered the same first course, but I assure you, it was delicious!

We each had:

Maine Lobster with Watermelon Radish, Kohlrabi, and Vanilla Aioli paired with Baileyana Chardonnay "Firepeak Vineyard" Edna Valley 2006

I tend to dislike radish as I feel the flavor can be too intense, but the watermelon radish was very mild and perfectly crunchy against the creamy tender lobster salad. The vanilla flavor was so mild that it merely imparted a delicate sweetness that complimented the natural sweetness of the lobster.

Thankfully, we each went with different selections for our 2nd course.

My Mom had: Sake-Soy-marinated King Salmon with Bok Choy and Soy Beans

Sake-Soy-marinated King Salmon with Bok Choy and Soy Beans

The listed pairing was a sake, but as my Mom is not the biggest fan, she asked for a white to be substituted. Off the top of my head I cannot recall what it was, but it was crisp and light to compliment the earthy flavors and the fatty taste of the salmon. I had one bite of this dish and it was amazing! Far superior to the salmon preparation I had in September. It was rich, earthy, salty but balanced with the basmati rice, shiitake and hojumiji mushrooms and edamame. I almost regret not ordering this!

Dad had an item that was a special request rather than being listed on his menu OR the vegetarian menu.

In September he had the Timbale of Rataouille which looked like this:

When I spoke to a reservation agent at Victoria & Albert's to confirm allergies the week prior we had requested this dish as my Dad has raved about it ever since!

We were delighted when Beth informed us that Chef Hunnel would make the Ratatouille and Dad ordered it as a replacement for his fish course.

Much to his surprise this was presented:

This is what we love about this restaurant, even items that seem similar from menu to menu can be dramatically different. He said this was lighter, sweeter and more acidic whereas the fall preparation was earthy, rich and savory. It appears the recipe changes to reflect the seasons, fall versus spring, but regardless, he loved this.

My 2nd course was:

Diver Scallop with Florida Corn and Chorizo Sauce paired with Michel Redde Sancerre "Les Tuilieres" Loire 2007

I adore scallops but so rarely get them as my Dad is allergic and my Mom does not like them much. This was heavenly. The scallop was perfectly seared and lovely and opaque inside. The corn cake was tender, fluffy and melted away on your tongue. The two sauces were the perfect compliment of one another - the corn sauce was sweet and creamy whereas the chorizo sauce was salty and had a mild hint of spice. The ragout of corn was crisp and bright. The best scallop dish I've ever had!

When Dad and I were looking at the menu we both gravitated towards Duck for the third course, but were also drawn to the Lobster Bisque. I recalled a friend that had requested a split portion of the bisque and we requested this of Beth. She happily granted our wish and Dad and I were each presented with:

Lobster Bisque with Vol au Vent and Vanilla Foam paired with Chimay Ale Peres Trappistes, Belgium

The bowls were presented warmed and empty and then your server pours the bisque just prior to eating. The spoon was warmed as well! Now, I have had lobster bisque before and I find it can be overwhelmingly lobster-y if not prepared properly. This was velvety, rich and had just the perfect amount of lobster flavor. The vol-au-vent was filled with claw meat and dusted with lobster roe, it was very sweet and crisp, providing a delightful contrast to the bisque. We are so glad we ordered this and nearly licked the bowls clean.

Also, we were both surprised when we were each poured a pairing of ale! We had not anticipated getting the additional pairing when we asked for the split order of the bisque. We are so glad that we got the pairing! The ale was creamy but had acidic tones that helped cut the richness of the bisque.


I was really hoping that we would get a chance to try the truffle brioche, but they had switched back to the herb brioche - not a disappointment at all! The herbs (chives, lemon balm, garlic shoots and a few others if I recall correctly) add a bright freshness to the rich buttery brioche. The crust is the most amazing part. Some brioche can have a tough exterior, but this one has the perfect amount of crustiness before it gives way to the fluffy soft interior. I love this bread.

Herb Brioche with Herb Butter

Mom went with the same selection for her 3rd course as our September meal. She was amazed how different the preparation was. It was lighter, not as heavily earthy. I tried one bite and made a mental note to try this the next time!

Poulet Rouge with Mushroom-Truffle Ragout, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and English Peas paired with Cesari Mara Ripasso Valpolicella, Veneto 2006

Dad and I also went with the same selection as our last visit. This time the duck was paired with different items. The duck breast was paired with butternut squash puree and a fine dice of sauteed butternut squash. The sweetness really complimented the meaty flavor of the duck. The sausage was paired with spaghetti squash and salsify, which added texture and crunch. The duck confit had slivers of salty duck proscuitto and was matched with a pomegranate sauce that was tangy to cut through the fattiness of the confit.

3rd course - Duck Breast, Duck Sausage and Confit with Salsify and Pomegranate Sauce paired with Acacia "Winery Lake Vineyard" Pinot Noir, Carneros 2006

I am generally not a fan of multi-grain bread as I find it kind of bland. This is the holy grail of multi-grain. It has a perfect crust much like a baguette but is super light and soft inside. It also has sea salt that heightens the flavor of the grains!

Multigrain Bread with Salted Butter

I had been debating over my choice for the entree course since our last visit to Victoria & Albert's. I absolutely loved the pork dish, but I was so tempted to try the Australian Kobe.

I went with whatever rolled off my tongue when we ordered at the start of the meal.

Australian "Kobe" Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Garlic Potato Puree paired with Benziger "Tribute" Sonoma Mountain 2006

This dish was so much more complex than I had been expecting. In the bottom right quadrant is the Australian Kobe, cooked perfectly to medium (now I would likely order it medium rare as suggested, but I was a bit shy about beef temperatures at this point. Now, I am a medium rare girl all the way!). You cannot properly describe this beef without having tried it. It is the most concentrated beef flavor, it melts like butter on your tongue, you barely feel the need to chew. While the portion may look ridiculously small, it was more than enough given how rich the dish was.

Moving counterclockwise is a spring vegetable medley with a sliver of black garlic. What is black garlic? Well in one word: delicious. But the product itself is fermented garlic. The fermentation process imparts the black colour, as well as a jelly-like texture, an intense sweetness without the traditional intensity of raw garlic. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, retaining a nice snap of crispness and the sweet black garlic was a wonderful compliment.

Continuing to the top left quadrant, a small casserole of smoked garlic potato puree with braised kobe short ribs. This was heaven. Imagine the smoothest mashed potatoes in the world, topped with stunningly rich braised beef so tender it flakes apart. Wow.

Lastly, in the top right quadrant, oxtail jus that takes 5 days to make as Chef Hunnel refuses to use any thickening agents! This was syrupy, and outstanding. The acidity from the reduction softened the very fatty mouthfeel that the kobe left.

I will be hard pressed not to order this in the future

Mom & Dad both ordered the veal

Marcho Farms Veal Tenderloin, Shank and Sweetbread with Marble Potatoes and Sauce Soubise
Pirathon Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2005

The only item I tried on this plate was the sweetbread and the best way I can describe it is like bacon! Salty and crunchy. So good!

Between the main course and the pre-dessert course we were offered a tour of the kitchen. I was excited to meet Chef Hunnel! Israel came to our table and walked us back to the kitchen, we spent a few minutes talking with Chef Hunnel, telling him how delicious every bite had been. He was very friendly and offered to take a picture with us.

Israel showed us around the rest of the kitchen and explained that each dish contains 19-25 components! The tour was the perfect break between courses as we were starting to feel extremely full by that point.

When we returned to the dining room it was time for the pre-dessert course. I was torn between the gelato and the cheese but my love of chocolate and moscato d'asti led me towards the gelato.

White Chocolate Gelato with Tableside Shavings and Micro Orchids paired with Paolo Saracco Moscato D'Asti, Piedmont 2007

The pairing was slightly different than from our September trip. It was micro mint on that visit and imported Hawaiian micro orchids on this visit. The flavor was entirely different, fruity, sweet and floral - the best way I can describe it is like watermelon.

Both Mom & Dad went with the cheese course.

36-month Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Coach Farm Goat, Thomasville Tomme, Fiscalini Cheddar paired with Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Potro 2003

36-month Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Coach Farm Goat, Thomasville Tomme, Thomas Hoe Stevenson Stilton paired with Quinta do Crasto Late Bottled Vintage Potro 2003

As my Dad is allergic to blue cheese, you will notice a slight variation in the two plates. I had a bite of each of Dad's cheese pairings and they were delicious, particularly the fiscalini cheddar!

Between fifth and sixth courses we were offered coffee or tea. Mom discovered the best tea in the world, Harmony, and ordered it several times throughout the course of our trip. Dad and I went with Celebes coffee. Now, let me preface this by saying I never drink coffee but I love this! It is much more subtle, less bitter and very smooth.

Now...onto the best course of all....Dessert! This course was not a difficult choice for me...in fact, I decided what I wanted last September.

Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle

This is heaven in dessert form. It is so rich and light and airy with the godiva anglaise and the chocolate ice cream! I'm ashamed to say that I couldn't bring myself to finish it as I was too full but what I did eat of it was bliss!

Mom went with her favorite dessert figuring that no restaurant would do it better than V&A

Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

Oh my god, from the one bite I had I can tell you that this was literally the perfect creme brulee. The custard was creamy, cold and the dish was the perfect depth to provide a high brulee to custard ratio. The brulee crust was the perfect thickness and the most evenly caramelized crust I'd ever seen. Yum!

Dad had also decided on his dessert months ago...

Grand Marnier Souffle

I had one bite and it was delicious. I still like the Kona Chocolate version better but this was equally good in terms of texture and execution, just not my favorite flavor. He also loved the orange sauce and the candied orange pieces on the plate.

At the end of each meal at Victoria & Albert's you are presented with a few parting candies called friandise, each lady at the table receives a rose and the gentleman is given a fruit bread for breakfast the next morning.

That evening our friandise were:
- Blood Orange Jelee
- Lemon Shortbread
- Murray River Sea Salted Rum Caramels

The jelee was outstanding and the caramels are complex and delicious.

This concludes my second fabulous meal at Victoria & Albert's. We were eager to return in October 2010.