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| - The meal I had at the DuJour Restaurant of the Arizona Culinary Institute was very good, even with me holding my standards to students (as the restaurant, from the host stand, kitchen and serving are all part of their final class) my expectations were blown out of the water. Everything from start to finish was executed with such precision, and speed that were it not for the student uniforms I would have thought I was in a fine dining establishment. As soon as I walked into the lobby I was greeted by the host. Ryan, the host that day was very friendly and accommodating, while my group of three did arrive a few minutes early and there were other groups waiting for their table to be cleared, Ryan did a great job of keeping us company, and conversing, all while taking care of the various duties of the host, the next thing I knew we were seated. As soon as we were seated our server came to drop off our menus as well as take any drink orders we had. While waiting for our food and wine I made sure to drink plenty of water, however, my glass was never empty, as soon as my glass was anywhere close to half empty, our busser Antonia made sure to stop by and refill our waters as well as the rest of the customers dining that lunch. Our food was delivered in a very timely manner, my group did not feel rushed, nor were we waiting too long for each of our courses. The entire waiting staff was extremely friendly and bumped up an already great experience into an amazing one.
Our meal was a three course experience with an Amuse Bouche complimentary of the Chef. The amuse was a recreation of a Bruschetta, nestled on a crunchy, buttery garlic crostini was a small mozzarella roulade stuffed with a basil pesto, topping it was an ample serving of marinated tomatoes, and finally a deliciously sweet and tangy balsamic reduction, the entire amuse prepared me for a fantastic meal. I myself ordered the Tuna Tataki appetizer and the Mahi-Mahi entree. The Tuna Tataki came out on a warm plate, the flavors were amazing, yet the appetizer was the one dish that fell slightly short to me. While an appetizer is supposed to be small, I received only three very small slices of tuna, the rest of the plate went well with the tuna from the seaweed salad it was resting on, to the wasabi creme fraiche, not too strong, but definitely with a good kick to get the sinuses alerted. The pickled daikon radish was a delightfully sweet tangy crunchy treat, yet I found myself unable to eat it with anything else on the plate. The Mahi-Mahi entree was served with a lemongrass scented coconut macadamia nut rice and a passionfruit beurre blanc. This dish was in one word, amazing. The fish was perfectly cooked, with a great crust, yet juicy and flaky on the inside, the beurre blanc was the highlight of the dish, perfectly complimenting the texture of the fish, yet not overwhelming the delicate flavor of Mahi-Mahi, the sauce was perfectly emulsified with a smooth velvety feel, and the flavor of the wine, lemon, and butter did not compete with each other or the passionfruit, instead blending into one complex, bright and refreshing symphony. The rice was a great almost counterbalance to the fish and sauce, starchy, and slightly sweet due to the coconut, and added a texture difference from the macadamia nut that the dish would have been missing without. Overall I was extremely happy with my food choices, the flavors were amazing, and with the exception of the appetizer where I believe one or two more slices of tuna would have made it perfect, the portion for my entree was just right.
For my wines due to having an entirely seafood meal, I opted for their Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and their Riesling. The Sauvignon Blanc paired perfectly with my entree, and appetizer, the notes of grapefruit and citrus paired perfectly with the slightly spicy tuna, and the Mahi-Mahi, and had the wonderful quality of a crisp finish that didn't linger too long on my palette so I was able to enjoy the entire experience all over again each bite and each sip. While not overly fond of sweet or fortified wines, the Riesling was perfectly paired for my dessert, the Pot de Creme with Strawberry Mousse Creme Puffs. I will definitely be making plans to dine there again
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