While we always have our Black-tie Christmas Dinner at the Hotel Okura hosted by Mr. Koichi Satow, it was the first time for Chef Yoshiyuki Ikeda to preside over the event. He chose to mix a classic fare of French cuisine for which the Okura is famous and a joyful and seasonal theme for the decorations of his meals.
To start with, we had, as an “amuse-bouche”, a mousse of soy milk and tomato. The red and white Christmas-like pattern pleased the eye while the balance of sweetness from the soymilk contrasted very much with the tomato flavor. A very appropriate way to start a Christmas meal! This was accompanied by a Brut Imperial from “Moet et Chandon”.
As an appetizer, we were treated to an excellent smoked salmon, accompanied by a salad of crab and vegetables. The creamy sauce was a classic sour cream and herbs, but the presentation in the form of a gift pack was original, well designed and seasonal at the same time. For this dish and the next one, a favorite of the group, the 2009 Chardonnay from Planeta in Sicilia, was served.
We moved to the fish dish with a fillet of sole, accompanied by a potato “mousseline”, pan fried seafood, spinach and served with aChampagneand Nantua sauce. The sauce “Nantua” takes its name from a famous town in the gastronomy stronghold of Ain inFrance(the prefecture with the”01” number plate nearLyon, home to many famous Chefs such as Georges Blanc or Alain Chapel). It is essentially a “béchamel” sauce with crayfish butter. It is usually served with aLyonspecialty, the “quenelles” but goes well with many fish dishes. TheChampagneadded a welcome touch of acidity and a festive mood.
As we reached the meat dish, it became all stars and bells. Christmas was decidedly getting closer. A simply fried fillet of beef with Madeira sauce took a different dimension when accompanied by star-shaped vegetables and bell-shaped potatoes. To complement the beef, a wonderful village Morey St-Denis, “Aux Cheseaux” from Louis Remy was served.
To finish the dinner we proposed a Finest Reserve port from Noval. This accompanied an assortment of cheeses and two desserts. The first dessert featured Santa Claus carrying his bag of presents. The dish of cottage cheese, passion fruit and red berries was itself a true treat of the palate on top of the remarkable presentation. Finally, as a “bouquet final”, all lights were turned off, to enjoy the making of flambéed pancakes served with orange flavor. A Classic from the Hotel Okura.
While coffee and teas were served, Chef Ikeda came to thank us and he was warmly congratulated on his first performance as the conductor. We cannot wait until next year.
We ended the evening with a toast of Laphroaig Single Malt to Chris McDonald, the longest reigning Member of the Tokyo Branch who passed away the Friday before our Christmas dinner. He will be greatly missed.
See the menu here.