Tasting Collective #1: Little Bear

This 5-course Jewish meets Sichuan tasting series was a great way to start this new journey! Chef/Owner Jarrett Stieber is a creative wunderkind. Who would ever think to blend Jewish and Sichuan cuisines? Not only does Jarrett conceptualize it, but it does it well!

The meal began with Spring Lettuce Salad with peach harissa dressing, shaved roots, salted berry, and shoyu pastrami seasoning. An incredible start to kick off the journey. The heat of the harissa plus the sweetness of the peach married well in the dressing, but when you added in the umami of the shoyu pastrami seasoning...WOW! The second course was also an intriguing surprise - Heirloom Tomato & Peach with coffee tahini vinaigrette, you po, spearmint, and benne. Heirloom tomato and peach are a plausible combination, but coffee and tahini...and spearmint? Never in my wildest dreams. The sweetness of the fresh summer tomatoes and peaches were the perfect canvas for the stronger coffee/tahini/spearmint elements. Masterful!

The third course was Pork Doner Sausage with summer squash, zhug, red pea mapo sauce, spring greens and roselle za'atar. To be honest, I'm not a huge pork fan so this wasn't my favorite course, but it was pretty good. I love a good zhug and this one was delicious. The zhug plus the herby, nutty, salty, savory, and slightly tangy flavor of the za'atar was a nice complement. The fourth course was a delicious 3 Cup Chicken with cucumber, daikon, spring onion, cress, duo jiao, tajine spices and cilantro. This entree was delicious and the humble chicken successfully held its own against the tajine spices , cilantro and heat of the duo jiao.

The final course was by far my favorite...Cream Custard with meringue, beet, 5 spice granola, green coriander coulis and flowers. The beet and the green coriander were a surprising twist + the 5 spice granola , it was the perfect end to a fantastic meal. Not too sweet with a unique combination of flavors.

A great start to a new culinary experience and a cool bonus - I've met lots of great new foodie friends! Check it out...you will not be disappointed.