well ladies and gentlemen, this is a first! we just received a post in the quarrygirl forums (aka quarrums) that was so awesome, we decided to publish it on the main blog. check out tettes’ in depth review of tonight’s special madeleine bistro tasting menu. the food writing here is exquisite, and you are all in for a real treat. this review makes me so sad that i wasn’t there, and reminds me that i need to eat madeleine bistro tasting menus WHENEVER POSSIBLE. here you go:

I checked out the tasting menu at Madeleine Bistro on Saturday, June 26 and it was so mouth-wateringly amazing I wanted to share my experience with you guys. I wish the photos did the food justice!

First up:

Rainier cherry gazpacho: Cherrywood-smoked corn panzanella, crostini, avocado foam

How it tasted: The gazpacho was more like a thin pudding rather than a soup. Pretty spicy with a tangy finish and just a hint of cherry sweetness. The corn gave it a playful smokey flavor, but it didn’t overwhelm the dish as smokey flavors can often do. The corn and crostino gave the dish a much-needed textural contrast. And I’ve never had avocado foam before. It was light, fluffy and fun to eat! Chef Dave told me this puree-like gazpacho comes from Spain, and he adds toasted bread to the gazpacho and purees until it reaches perfection.

Next up:

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UPDATE 6/25/10: i just found out from madeleine bistro, that anyone who mentions that they heard about this tasting menu from quarrygirl will receive a $10 discount PER PERSON! you gotta take them up on it! also, please note that dinner is anytime between 5:30 and 7pm…and the discussion starts at 7, if you are interested in that.

hey everyone! just a quick heads up that our favorite restaurant in los angeles, madeleine bistro, is having a very special tasting menu this saturday june 26th at 5:30pm. not only will there be an extravagant 5 course meal using etheridge farms produce prepared by chef david anderson, but organic farmer gene etheridge himself will be on hand for a discussion.

it sounds AMAZING. and let me tell you, the best meal of my life was a madeleine bistro tasting menu…so i highly suggest you make a reservation!

check out the menu below:
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last night, i was fortunate enough to attend the “meat is for pussies” release party, with food provided by david anderson and tal ronnen. i was already super excited about john joseph’s latest book, so when i heard that two of the best vegan chefs in the world would be catering the event, i knew i had to be there.

here’s a re-cap of the night.

finger foods were being served all evening, and while it was impossible to keep track of (or even taste) every dish, all the ones i tried were spectacular. my friends and i stood gathered around a table savoring the appetizers as they were brought out, and trying to figure out whether each one was created by tal or dave. there was an incredible mini-pancake/mushroom appetizer topped with some sort of cream (pictured above), as well as crackers topped with vegan cheese…

little jacket potatoes…

some kind of insanely tasty pot pie thing (i have no clue what was in it, but it ruled)…

sushi…

bigger maque SLIDERS!!!!!!! (these alone were worth the drive to downtown)…

cheesecake tarts…and several other desserts i don’t have pix of!

there was a very good crowd in attendance as well…

vegans

it was bustling, but not uncomfortably crowded…

more vegans

a nice intimate group.

john joseph was wandering around, mingling with folks and chatting with fans. we snapped a pic of him with molly from madeleine bistro.

john joseph and molly anderson

moby was even there! and boy, was he shocked to see me!

moby

later in the evening, chefs david anderson and tal ronnen took the stage to introduce john joseph…

chefs david anderson and tal ronnen

of course the crowd went nuts cheering the chefs, because their food was so awesome.

john joseph treated us to a brief talk on veganism and a reading from his book, “meat is for pussies.” john’s presence on stage was awesome and his words were beyond compelling. his no-nonsense style was motivating and i could tell that meat is for pussies would be both an entertaining and informative read.

overall, the party was fantastic, and i’m so glad i went! incredible food, great company, inspiring words, and a worthwhile cause. just another night in the life of a vegan!

be sure to pick 2 copies of “meat is for pussies”—one for yourself, and one for your favorite omnivore. also, buy tal ronnen’s cookbook, and eat at madeleine bistro as often as possible!