Spirited Away with The Pig and the Lady at R/D

It’s been a busy past couple of weeks and this weekend was no different. It’s quite rare to be able eat while working and even rarer to do so at this level. The idea of dinner and a movie has been around for a long time, and it can mean a lot of different things to people. However, I have never had the joy and pleasure of enjoying such a splendid five course meal as this while watching a movie. The setting at R&D provided an intimate experience and the perfect backdrop for such occasion. Every detail of the interior was thoughtfully themed in Totoro/ Studio Ghibli decor. I had the privilege and honor of photographing the inaugural event which easily surpassed any expectations I had of the evening. It was truly an enjoyable night spent with a colorful cast of hardworking individuals filled with a lot of fun moments. I can’t wait for the next movie night!
For info about future events please see: http://www.facebook.com/ThePigandTheLady?fref=ts
 

Each dish represented a full taste and textural contrast across the palette, a symphony comprised of savory, sweet, and salty carefully planned and executed.
I’ve never had a daikon cooked so stewed resembling the textural nature of a succulent scallop. The richness of the egg yolk was like gold shaved and sprinkled throughout the dish

The noodles in the next dish provided the base flavorful blend of tomatoes, fried garlic and chives. The shrimp chips and crab punctuate the bold flavors with crunch and pizzaz.
The short rib was cooked beautifully tender. A starkly smooth contrast to the prior dish. The pairing of the subtle parsnip puree and the savory cabbage each play their own role to add to the culinary canvas.The tofu in the miso soup was an island in the subtlely complex broth. The real highlight was the puffed rice. Each aspect represented a playful counterpart to the rest of the elements, finished by the pickled vegetables. The dining portion of the evening concluded with a well timed sweet treat. The thai basil was not overbearing but melded nicely with the condensed milk, and caramelized green tea cake.