Now that I have your attention, which I probably did anyway since you didn’t, likely, stumble on this page by accident, it’s time for the write-up of last week’s dinners. I mean, enough about other restaurants, right?

I’m not even going to venture a guess at the hit of the menu, the jury of guests seemed pretty evenly split between all five. We started off with what I called a mini-coca – a coca basically being a Spanish pizza – but here with a savory almond crust. Topped with sun-dried tomato puree, a mix of portobello and oyster mushrooms caramelized in olive oil, butter and molasses, and spiked with a rocoto pepper, and then a layer of grated manchego cheese. Then toasted almonds, green onions, arugula dressed in tomato vinegar, and an arugula and chive salsa verde.

A potato, lentil and fennel soup, pureed, topped with crispy potato skins, salted lemon yogurt and smoked pepper oil.

The first of our two fish – a panko and parsley crusted sea bass, baked and served over white beans and Chinese cabbage that are sauteed with miso and ají rojo puree and surrounded by a ring of piquillo pepper puree. Atop, a little scoop of kiwi relish. For a few vegetarian guests over the week, the same with a slice of baked eggplant.

Then, the second fish, a piece of salmon, marinated in soy sauce, triple sec and merkén pepper, seared on the skin side and then left to just barely cook through with the lid of the pan on. Sauteed globe zucchini with tangerine zest and juice. A carrot fritter flavored with our own garam masala blend. A carrot hummus sauce underneath. And, a reduction of the marinade drizzled around. For our vegetarian guests, and I apparently forgot to take any photos of it, a wedge of roasted squash that was then glazed with the same marinade to finish it, all the rest of the components the same.

An apple, butternut and walnut tart accompanied by apple butter and whipped cream. Simple and delicious!