Tasting Counter: Chef Peter Ungár & Consistent Excellence

Back in 2008, I first met Chef Peter Ungár, who was holding private, five-course dinners, with wine pairings, at his home in Somerville. That first dinner was amazing, with dishes including Chawan Mushi, Maine Lobster Tortelloni, Halibut with Foie Gras & Black Truffle, Green Cardomon Brined Kurobuta Pork Belly, and Pineapple Vanilla Bean Tarte Tatin. I attended a number of these dinners, including having Chef Ungár prepare a special birthday dinner for me one year. 

Fast forward to July 2015, when Chef Ungár finally opened his own restaurant, Tasting Counter, in Somerville. He offers a nine-course tasting menu, paired with ten selections of wine, beer, Sake, or nonalcoholic beverages. It's a small place, seating only twenty people, but allowing more personal attention to each and every guest. I've dined there a number of times as well, and my most recent experience was a couple weeks ago. 

As I've frequently said, Chef Ungár is one of the best chefs in the Boston+ area, although he doesn't receive as much attention as he deserves. His restaurant has been consistently excellent every time I've been there, due in large part to Chef Ungár being a perfectionist. His dishes are creative and delicious, with such intriguing combinations of ingredients. And the drink pairings are excellent choices as well. It receives my highest and unqualified recommendation. If you have not dined there, then you need to make a reservation. 

You purchase your tickets to these dinners online, paying one price for the 9 courses of food, 10 drink pairings, tax and gratuity. You don't know the menu until you show up, although they can adjust matters for many allergies. Many of their ingredients are locally sourced, including herbs that they grow on the premises. Sustainability is very important to Chef Ungár. 

Below, you'll find information about the dishes I enjoyed at my last experience at Tasting Counter. I had the Sake pairing while my dining companion had the wine pairings. We shared the drinks so I got to taste both the Sake and wine. At the end of your meal, you receive a copy of the menu to take home with you. However, the menu doesn't fully do justice to the dishes you're served, as part of the experience is being told, often by Chef Ungár, the sourcing of the ingredients. It's also cool to watch the Chef and his staff prepare many of the dishes in front of you. 

I didn't take notes about this dinner, just photos, primarily as I was there simply to enjoy the dinner. It was another superb dinner, but the quality I always expect, and receive, from Chef Ungár. Consistency is one of the most important elements of a restaurant, and Tasting Counter always delivers. I've recommended it often, and the feedback from those who have dined there have largely been extremely positive. 

Welcoming Bites: Pickled Mussel with Sea Urchin; Duck Liver Mousse with black chestnut & hibiscus; Seaweed Cured Yellowtail Amberjack Belly with green blueberry.
Paired with: Benedicte et Stephanie Tissot Cremant de Jura Extra Brut and Hakkaisan Sparkling Nigori

Red Sea Bream with preserved lemon, snap peas, and red shiso. The red liquid is a shish soda! 
Paired with 2019 Domaine Barmes Buecher Tosenberg Alsace Pinot Blanc and Kikusui Shuzo Junmai Ginjo

Razor Clam with green strawberry, cucumber custard, black lime, and salad burnet
Paired with 2020 Poggio Anima il Mostro Ragana and Fukucho "Moon on the Water" Junmai Ginjo

(No photo)

White Nectarine & White Peony with lemon balm, ricotta, and parma ham
Paired with 2019 Bichi Tecate Rosa (from Mexico!) and Akishiko Shuzo Yama Junmai

Black Sea Bass with fava, shallot, radish, green tomato, and smoked tomato
Paired with 2019 Domaine Reveille Carpe and Iinuma Honke Kinoene Junmai Ginjo

Dover Sole with lobster, porcini, show pea, and fairy ring mushroom
Paired with 2020 Meinklang Mulatschak Weisser and Kidoizumi Shuzo Yamadanishiki Junmai

Schisandra Berry with pine nut & almond

Pheasant with pistschio, garlic scape, pea miso, lavage, and celery vinegar
Paired with 2020 Division Winemakig Co. Les Petits Fers and Tensei "Endless Summer" Tokubetsu Honjozo

Wagyu Sirloin with ancho chile, sunchoke, wild rapini, and turnip
Paired with 2017 Matlas Riccitelli Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina) and Katoukichibee Shouten Born Gold Junmai Daiginjo (one of my favorite Sakes)

Olive Oil with fermented rhubarba, schisandra cream, and burnt bay leaf
Paired with 2019 Silver Thread Vineyard Estate Riesling and Amabuki Shuzo Ichigo Junmai Ginjo Nama

Dark Chocolate with almond, kumquat curd, fermented red plum
Paired with Raphael Bartucci Bugey Cerdon and Ryujin Shuzo Oze x Rose Junmai Daiginjo

Parting Morsels: Williams Pear & Thai Basil Fruit Chew; Candy Cap Mushroom Bonbon; and Fennel Pollen Madeline

I thoroughly enjoyed every dish and was impressed with the creativity, the intriguing melange of ingredients in each dish. And I'd highly recommend you opt for the Sake pairings. Tasting Counter has the largest Sake menu of any non-Asian restaurant in the Boston+ area, if not in all of Massachusetts. The wine pairings are excellent too, generally all natural wines from all over the world. 

Tasting Counter: Now Open For Lunch

It was my Top Restaurant Experience of 2015. The restaurant has garnered many accolades from the local press and has even gained national attention. Chef Peter Ungár and his Tasting Counter deserve all of the attention and more. The cuisine is inventive, appealing and absolutely delicious. The setting is cool and intimate, a twenty-seat counter where you can also watch the chef and kitchen staff preparing your food. And they charge one reasonable price, which includes food, drink, tax and tip.

Recently, the Tasting Counter has started serving a three-course Lunch every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 1pm-2pm and his team will select dishes from the nightly tasting menu, including a pasta course, meat or fish plate, and dessert (with dietary restrictions accommodated). And the menu will change daily, so there will always be something new. Lunch also includes four courses of beverage, your choice of Sake, wine, beer or nonalcoholic, and it costs only $55, which includes tax and tip. (Try something different and opt for the Sake!) You just have to make your reservation through their online system.

This is a less expensive way to check out Chef Ungár's culinary skills and I'm sure that after lunch it will convince you to check out dinner as well. Chef recently invited me to sample the Lunch menu so I wanted to present a glimpse into what you can expect from such a Lunch. I opted for the Sake pairing (no surprise there), though they have a new Beverage Director, Eileen Elliott, who has selected some very intriguing wines, including Cider from Switzerland. They also have a delicious Travessia Rosé on tap, as well as Dovetail Nakahama Junmai Sake on tap.

Lunch began with a few Welcoming Bites, intriguing tidbits with lots of complexity and taste. They included Fluke, sake, rice; Rhubarb, almond, black rice; and Ocean trout, sesame, grapefruit. A beautiful presentation and an excellent way to awaken your palate for the rest of the lunch to come.

The First Course was Hand Rolled Seaweed Pasta with lobster custard, hen of the woods mushrooms, sea urchin and wakame. A potent dish of umami, it provides a taste of the earth and sea with some sweetness from the custard and briny notes from the sea urchin. Very impressive.

To cleanse your palate, you receive Schisandra Berry, a cold brewed tea which was sweet and salty, sour and bitter. I really want to make a Sake cocktail with this tea.

The Second Course was Hake with miso torch, beluga lentil, enoki, and charred leek. The sweet, flaky fish was complemented by the smokiness from the leeks, the savory lentils and earthy mushrooms.

The Dessert Course was Chocolate, covering a sponge cake and accompanied by two sauces: milk jam and preserved orange. A rich chocolate layer covered the moist sponge cake,  enhanced by the creamy milk jam sauce and strong citrus of the orange.

Finally, you receive a few Parting Morsels, which included a green tea meringue; blood orange chew; and foie gras bonbon. Again, little bites with powerful flavors, ensuring you leave on a positive note.

Overall, you receive plenty of food for lunch, though you won't leave feeling bloated. Chef Ungár creates compelling and complex dishes, which also impress with their beauty. I highly recommend you check out Tasting Counter for lunch or dinner. And give the Sake a try.

As a matter of full disclosure, I consulted on their Sake program & they possess the largest Sake menu of any non-Asian restaurant in the Boston area. Currently, I am working with them to redesign the Sake menu, to bring some new and exciting Sakes to their list.

Tasting Counter: Putting Sake On The Menu

It can be paired with appetizers, entrees and dessert. It works well with a myriad of cuisines from Italian to French, Mexican to Spanish. It is an excellent accompaniment to a diverse selection of foods, from burgers to pizza, seafood to poultry, mushrooms to cheese. Its versatility is without question yet few restaurants, except for Asian spots, take advantage.

That needs to change.

I'm talking about Sake, that wondrous Japanese alcohol made from rice, which is unfortunately neglected by most non-Asian restaurants. I've previously written about how well Sake pairs with food, in articles such as The Science Of Sake & Food Pairings, Pairing Cheese & Sake, and Sake For Thanksgiving. I've presided at Sake dinners, pairing it with Italian cuisine at Prezza and French cuisine at AKA Bistro. Despite these inroads, Sake is still scarce on the menus of non-Asian restaurants in the Boston area. You're extremely lucky if you can even find a single Sake on such menus.

That has begun to change. 

Last December, in my year-end Favorite Restaurants post, I noted that my Most Anticipated Restaurant Opening was the Tasting Counter, owned by Chef Peter Ungár. As I said then, Chef Ungár "is a highly skilled chef, who I believe is one of the best in this area, and has remained beneath the radar for many diners in the Boston area." The Tasting Counter will be opening soon, offering a twelve course tasting menu, with ten drink pairings. I've seen the initial menu and it should be an exceptional meal.

In addition, the Tasting Counter will also have the largest Sake menu of any non-Asian restaurant in the Boston area! That is quite an accomplishment, one showing a passion for Sake and confidence in its ability to pair well with a variety of dishes. With the tasting menu, you will have the option of pairing it with 10 different Sakes, from Sparkling Sake to Nigori, Honjozo to Junmai. The Sake list will change over time, offering new experiences with the various dishes.

When is the last time you tasted ten different Sakes? When is the last time you drank Sake with a non-Asian meal? Many people have probably never had either of those two  experiences so the Tasting Counter is offering something unique. At the Tasting Counter, you can opt for a wine or beer pairing, but you also can choose to expand your horizons with a Sake pairing.  

Recently, Chef Ungár retained my services to create the Sake program for his new restaurant, and we worked together to put together an initial list of 10 Sakes, obtained from Classic Wine Imports and Ruby Wines..The Sakes are generally from small, artisan breweries, and include Sakes which may be organic, made from heirloom rice, use traditional production methods, and more. The list is diverse, showcasing a wide range of Sake types and styles. It will be an excellent introduction to Sake for any diner, and the pairings will expand your palate and mind.

The change needs to continue.

We need more non-Asian restaurants to place Sake on their menus. They need to understand that Sake can pair well with any cuisine, and it may even pair better than wine with different foods. Sake is still a niche beverage and to help it become more mainstream, it needs to be available at more non-Asian restaurants. Most consumers think Sake is only for Asian food, but that misconception needs to change and restaurants can help destroy this myth by adding Sake to their menus. Let's hope that the Tasting Counter is but the first of many restaurants to take this great leap forward by showcasing Sake.

If your restaurant is interested in adding a Sake program, feel free to contact me and I can assist you with that endeavor.

Tasting Counter: Consistently Compelling Cuisine

This holiday season, if you feel like splurging on a fine dining experience, then Tasting Counter receives my highest recommendation. Chef Peter Ungár is undeniably one of the best chefs in the Boston area. He is creative and passionate, a perfectionist and humble, talented and personable. You can check out my last review for more information about this amazing culinary experience.

Last week, on the evening after Thanksgiving, I dined at Tasting Counter, introducing my good friend Adam Japko to the restaurant. Adam stated it was "utterly mind blowing" and "I've had my head in the sand missing out on Peter Unger's brilliance in Boston for too long." Yes, he was more than impressed.

During this season, Tasting Counter has expanded their lunch hours, serving lunch from Tuesday to Saturday, 1pm-2pm. Dinner service is held Wednesday to Saturday (one seating on Wednesday at 8pm, and two seatings on the other days, 6pm-8pm and 8pm-10pm). They have also started holding a Natural Wine Bar, from Thursday to Saturday, from 10:30pm-12:30pm, where you can enjoy wine and snacks. With Lunch and the Natural Wine Bar, you even a couple less expensive ways of checking out Chef Ungár's food.

Let me lead you through our latest dinner, though please note that this is but a glimpse of the wonders you will find. I didn't take notes, just basically photos, so my descriptions won't include every special element of each dish. First, numerous ingredients are locally sourced or created in-house, from the butter to the yogurt. Second, as you receive each course, the details of its creation are provided to you, and you'll be amazed at the numerous ingredients, and their preparation, that go into each dish. And all of those ingredients coalesce into a balanced, flavorful and exquisite dish. Third, it is a joy to watch the perfection of the chefs as they compose each dish, which also look as beautiful as they taste. Aesthetics are very important to Chef Ungár.

With your dinner, you also get your choice of beverages, ten pairings of Wine, Sake, Beer or Non-Alcoholic drinks. Their beverage director, Eileen Elliott, has composed plenty of excellent drink pairings for the various courses, and she presides over their Natural Wine Bar too. For our dinner, Adam and I both opted for Sake pairings, and I highly recommend that you do the same. Tasting Counter has the largest Sake selection of any non-Asian restaurant in the Boston area. They understand that Sake works well with all types of different foods and you will enjoy experiencing the marvels of those pairings.

As for the specific dishes, there wasn't one that I didn't enjoy and there were plenty that brought sheer joy to my palate. I'm providing the pictures with only the barest of descriptions, hoping that alone will compel you to visit Tasting Counter. It is one of the best restaurants in the Boston area and if you haven't dined there yet, you really need to make a reservation.

Welcoming Bites: Sweet potato, sherry, fig, parma ham. Ocean trout, sesame & lime. Sea urchin, cultured butter, brioche.

Sea Scallop: lavender yogurt, wild herbs, preserved scallop, seaweed.

Yellowtail: rice smoke, eggplant, cucumber, meyer lemon, bashing pear.

Hand Rolled Seaweed Pasta: hen of the woods, sea urchin custard, anchovy, bonito.

Fluke: sake lees, kohlrabi, cranberry

Sea Bream: sunchoke, pine mushroom, burgundy truffle.

To cleanse your palate, you receive Schisandra Berry, a cold brewed tea which is sweet and salty, sour and bitter. I really want to make a Sake cocktail with this tea.

Whole Duck: fermented garlic roast, confit leg & liver, butternut.

Sirloin Beef Cap: patron pepper, green curry, daikon, cilantro, lime.

Green Tea & Lemon: lime leaf custard, avocado oil

Hazelnut: cardamom mascarpone, ginger milk jam, chocolate sorbet

Parting Morsels: Almond, buttermilk, thyme; Pineapple vanilla fruit crew; duck liver bonbon.

What an amazing dinner!

Tasting Counter Is Closing, But Will Return!

Last December, I posted 2022: My Favorite Restaurants, and noted that one of my Top Three Favorite Restaurants was Tasting Counter in Somerville. I wrote, "This is another restaurant which has long been one of my top favorites, and I really need to dine there more often. As I've frequently mentioned, I believe Chef Peter Ungár is one of the best chefs in the Boston+ area, and doesn't receive as much attention as he deserves. His restaurant has been consistently excellent every time I've been there, due in large part to Chef Ungár being a perfectionist. His dishes are creative and delicious, with such intriguing combinations of ingredients. And the drink pairings are excellent choices as well. If you want to splurge on one of my top dining experiences in the Boston+ area, this is the spot you should do so."

So, it was with great sadness when I received an email yesterday stating that the Tasting Counter would close at the end of May. Their landlord, Aeronaut Brewing Company, notified them a few weeks ago that they wouldn't renew their lease. It appears that Aeronaut has other plans for the Tasting Counter space. 

Fortunately, the email also stated, "As we grapple with the news and impact this closure will have on our family, our staff, our guests, and our community, one thing remains certain – Tasting Counter WILL continue!" The email continued, "Just as Tasting Counter was always more than just a restaurant, the next iteration of Tasting Counter will expand on the work we started here. We’ve been given the green light to pursue our dreams, and we sincerely hope that you, as our guest and community supporter, will join us to continue the work we’ve started."

in 2008, I first met Peter when I attended one of his Chef's Table multi-course dinners which were held at his Somerville home. I was thoroughly impressed with Peter's cuisine and attended several more of his Chef's Table dinners, including having him host a special birthday dinner for me. 

In July 2015, he opened Tasting Counter, which offered a nine-course tasting menu paired with ten courses of wine, beer, Sake or non-alcoholic beverages. The restaurant was very intimate, seating only 20 people, and you were able to watch your dinner prepared before you. Exquisite food, compelling beverages, and impeccable service. 

You can still dine at Tasting Counter during the next few weeks. After May, hopefully it won't take too long before Chef Peter Ungár and his crew begin their next endeavor. Peter's passion will propel them forward and their next restaurant will be worthy as well. Best of luck to Peter and his staff, and I hope all of my readers wish the same to him as well. I'm eager to see the next evolution of Peter's culinary ideas. 

My Most Anticipated Restaurant Opens: Chef Peter Ungár & Tasting Counter

The Tasting Counter is now open!

Last December, in my year-end Favorite Restaurants post, I noted that my Most Anticipated Restaurant Opening for 2015 was the Tasting Counter, owned by Chef Peter Ungár (pictured above). As I said then, and continue to believe, Chef Ungár "is a highly skilled chef, who I believe is one of the best in this area, and has remained beneath the radar for many diners in the Boston area."

I first met Peter in 2008 when I attended one of his Chef's Table multi-course dinners which was held in his home. I was thoroughly impressed with Peter's cuisine and attended several more of his Chef's Table dinners, including having him host a special birthday dinner for me. I was excited last year when I learned he was going to open his first restaurant.

The Tasting Counter officially opened yesterday, though I attended a Friends & Family dinner on Wednesday evening. The restaurant is located in Somerville in the Aeronaut Food Hub building, the site of other food & drink businesses. It offers a nine-course tasting menu, paired with ten selections of wine, beer, Sake, or nonalcoholic beverages. The restaurant seats twenty people at a time, at their U-shaped counter (pictured above). Peter also has a mission that his restaurant should be 0 Carbon, and source at least 50% of their ingredients from Massachusetts.

Currently, the restaurant is open for a single dinner service each night from Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 8pm-10pm. In the near future, they plan to add a second, earlier dinner service, as well as a lunch seating. You purchase your dinner ticket online, priced at $150 for Tuesday through Thursday seatings, and $165 for Friday and Saturday night seatings.  They will also welcome walk-in guests (for an additional $15) dependent on whether there is a free seat or not.

The price includes your nine-course dinner, 10 selections of drink, tax and your gratuity. I think that it a very fair price for the quality and quantity of food and drink you receive. Sure, due to the price, most people will view the Tasting Counter as a special occasion restaurant. However, you should seriously consider it when deciding on a venue for those special occasions.

When you purchase your ticket online, you indicate your choice of drink and note any allergies and dietary restrictions. As their website states: "We are happy to accommodate various diets, including nut-free, lactose-free, pescetarian, gluten-free, and shellfish-free. We may do gluten-free only if you have a sensitivity to gluten. We work with flour in our kitchen and unfortunately cannot guarantee a menu for any guest with celiac disease. We currently do not offer vegetarian or vegan menus, however, aim to do so in the near future."

As for your beverage choices, their wines are all natural wines, primarily sourced from Mise Wines. These wines are generally from France and Italy, and I'm familiar with some of Mise's portfolio, having enjoyed what I've tasted. The beers are from Aeronaut Brewery, and offer a variety of styles and tastes. Over time, the drink choices will change, offering new choices for your dining enjoyment,

I designed the Sake program for the Tasting Counter and it now has the largest Sake menu of any non-Asian restaurant in the Boston area. That is quite an accomplishment, showing Peter's passion for Sake and confidence in its ability to pair well with a variety of dishes. We put together a list of 10 Sakes, obtained from Classic Wine Imports and Ruby Wines, and including a diverse mix, from Sparkling Sake to Nigori.

The Sakes are generally from small, artisan breweries, and include Sake which may be organic, made from heirloom rice, use traditional production methods, and more. The list is diverse, showcasing a wide range of Sake types and styles. When is the last time you tasted ten different Sakes? When is the last time you drank Sake with a non-Asian meal? Many people have probably never had either of those two  experiences so the Tasting Counter is offering something unique. As with the wine and beer, the Sake selections will change with time, offering new experiences with the various dishes.

At the dinner on Wednesday, about 60% of the guests chose wine pairings, 20% chose beer and the other 20% chose Sake.

The restaurant grows some of their own herbs.

Dining at the Tasting Counter is an experience, as you get to watch much of the preparation of the dishes you'll be served. It is a personal experience, insinuating the guest into the kitchen, giving you access to the Chef and the rest of the staff. It is a reflection of Peter's previous Chef's Table dinners, which were held in his house, in a large living room/kitchen area. And if you ever enjoyed one of those Chef Table dinners, you will equally enjoy the Tasting Counter.

I was thoroughly impressed with Peter's cuisine this past Wednesday evening. From my first bite, I was enthralled and each course brought an appealing presentation with intriguing, delicious flavors. I also felt that the Sake pairings did very well with the various courses, a belief shared with others at the dinner who also ordered the Sake.

Let me provide you a glimpse into what you will find at the Tasting Counter. This isn't a formal review, as the restaurant has just opened, but I honestly can say that I very much enjoyed every dish and it would be impossible for me to choose my favorite among so many tasty choices. I've also added the Sake pairings for each dish. Please note that the menu may vary from what you experience, dependent on the availability of ingredients.

Welcoming Bites
--Black olive, almond, duck liver (bottom):  Wow! Wow!! Wow!!!
--Sourdough, gruyère, onion (top left)
--Sichuan, fennel, hake, roe, lime, rice (top right)
Paired with the Asahi Brewery Dassai “Otterfest” 50 Sparkling Junmai Ginjo.

Sea Urchin
Kelp custard, white truffle, & wakame. An umami bomb. Creamy, briny, and savory.
Paired with Daishichi Brewery Classic Kimoto Junmai.

Sea Scallop
Yuzu, grapefruit, preserved lemon, & avocado oil cream. Clean, fresh and bright flavors.
Paired with Shiragiku Brewery Ohtouka “Cherry Peach Blossom” Honjozo Namazake.

Hand Rolled Seaweed Pasta
Hen of the woods, anchovy, & bonito broth. Another umami bomb. Taste of the earth & sea.
Paired with Doi Brewery Takatenjin “Sword of the Sun” Tokubetsu Honjozo,

Sea Bream
Beet, pomegranate, campari, rhubarb, & sake. Fresn, tender fish with bitter acents. And a Sake gel with rhubarb cubes.
Paired with Kikusui Brewery Organic Junmai Ginjo.

Monkfish
Milk jam fennel, brown butter, & cucumber. A bone-in, tender fish with an intriguing milk jam fennel.
Paired with Katokichibee Shouten Born Muroka Nama Genshu Junmai Daiginjo,.

Schisandra Berry
Pine nut. A cold brewed tea which was sweet and salty, sour and bitter. A tasty palate cleanser.

Miso Cured Duck
Pear, daikon, celery, & soy. Such a silky, creamy taste to the duck, Wow!
Paired with Tomita Brewery Shichi Hon Yari “Seven Spearmen” Junma

Dry Aged Beef Sirloin Cap
Burdock, cilantro, ginger, & red curry. Tender, flavorful beef with a fine curry sauce and creamy burdock.
Paired with Huchu Homare Brewery Wataribune "Ferry Boat" 55 Junmai Ginjo.

Lime Curd
Passion fruit, lime & ginger ice cream. Light and fruity.
Paired with SakeOne Brewery Momokawa Organic Nigori

Bittersweet Chocolate
Guava, macadamia nut, & kumquat. Who doesn't like a little chocolate at the end of the meal?
Paired with Saiya Brewery Yuki No Bosha “Cabin in the Snow” Nigori Junmai Ginjo.

Parting Morsels
Raspberry lychee rose tart
Pear lemongrass chew
Beet pomegranate marshmallow
The last little taste before the dinner ends. And as you already bought your ticket online, you don't need to dip into your wallet. You just finish and leave.

I highly recommend tat you dine at the Tasting Counter and enjoy this compelling culinary experience. Chef Peter Ungár has created a fine restaurant and is worthy of your support.

The Dining Alternative & Chef Peter Ungár: Part 1

I recently dined in someone's home and the five-course dinner was as exceptional as any fine dining restaurant in Boston. You can duplicate my experience and I strongly believe you will be thoroughly satisfied. Rather than making reservations at some high-end restaurant, you can eat at home and have the same high quality cuisine and still not have to cook or clean up after yourself.

How is that possible? Over the course of several posts during the next four days, I will explain all, as well as describing some incredible food and wine.

I was recently invited to attend a special Chef's Table dinner at the home of Chef Peter Ungár. Peter operates The Dining Alternative, a private dining service, and holds Chef''s Table events approximately once a month to showcase his culinary skills. I found Peter to be very pleasant, accomodating, down-to-earth, and mostly importantly, passionate. To me, it seems he cooks because he must, because he has a special drive within to excel in the culinary arts. His passion is quite evident and it is reflected in the food he prepares.

The Chef's Table dinner cost $75 per person for a five-course meal with wine pairings ($60 without wine), not an unreasonable price for such. Before making my reservation, I did not know what the menu would be. It was to be a secret, partially as Peter selects only the freshest ingredients so his menu is partially determined by what is available near the time of the dinner. I certainly had no problem with that, and I was able to peruse some sample menus from prior dinners so I had a basic idea of what I might find. The mystery of it all excited me and I very much looked forward what I would find.

Accompanied by my wife, we joined ten other strangers at the table above in Peter's living room/dining room/kitchen, a very spacious and homey room. This almost could have been anyone's home, with some children's toys in one spot, books shelves on another, a comfy couch, etc. Initially, we mingled with the other guests, learning who they were and why they had come. It was a diverse and fun crowd, obviously all people who savored good food and drink but also people from many different backgrounds such as a holistic health doctor and a financial advisor.

I did learn that a number of other food bloggers had been invited but none of them had decided to come. I don't know their reasons but I would have thought at least a few would have been intrigued by this culinary adventure. They did miss an excellent dinner and next time, if they are invited, they should make reservations for this event.

Above, you can see the kitchen staff. From left to right, you will find Quynh Dang, Antonio Lettieri, Chef Peter Ungár, and Scott Ryan. All of them were very pleasant and based on the food, quite skilled as well.

The kitchen was open and near the dining table so we had a close-up view of all of the work going during the entire evening. A true insider's view of a working kitchen. The kitchen staff had obviously worked together for some time as they operated as a well-oiled machine and I did not notice any misteps any of the times I watched them.

While we stood around mingling, we sipped some Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne. Founded in 1729, Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house in France. This wine is a blend of 100% Chardonnay from different vintages. It had a pale yellow color and very few and tiny bubbles. It had a nose of citrus and spring flowers and much of that came through on the palate as well. A dry champagne with a touch of yeastiness and a dominant taste of nectarine.

All of the wines for the evening were specially selected to match the food by sommelier Scott Weinstein of the Martignetti Companies. He was accompanied by his colleague, Garret Vandermolen, who also talked about the wines during dinner. Both were very knowledgeable about wine and good conversationalists.

To accompany the champagne, we were served some Gruyere Cheese Gougères, pictured above. These cheese puffs were so addictive! Warm, light, crispy and with that delicious taste of Gruyere I so love. These are probably so simple to make yet they hooked me, placing me in a good mood and very hopeful that the rest of the dinner would be delicious. It is like a restaurant that serves warm bread before your meal, it sets the mood so well and makes you anticipate what is to come.

I think a number of restaurants miss out on the opportunity to hook their customers from the start, before their meals arrive. Drinks alone don't always set a sufficient mood. It may not seem like much, but warm bread, cheese puffs, or some similar little item can mean so much. They can be a stepping stone for the food that is to come, a welcome mat that entices the guest to enter. The same can work in reverse as well. A guest who receives ordinary, unwarmed bread may not begin the meal with a fully positive attitude. Remember, the little things can sometimes mean so much.

We eventually sat down at our assigned places at the table, strangely enough with all of the women at one end of the table and the men at the other. Coincidence? Peter told me that though the seating was intentional, he had not intended to separate the men and women as it worked out.

As I sipped more of the Ruinart, I pondered over what dishes I would soon be eating.

To Be Continued Tomorrow....