Having really enjoyed Chef Ivan Brehm's "crossroads cuisine" at @restaurantnouri, I was naturally excited for his first "Four Hands" event with Chef Leandro Carreira. From Chef Ivan's instagram posts and spotting them at work in the open kitchen area upon my arrival, I knew my group of friends and I were in for a wonderful meal. Their camaraderie was certainly palpable.
Every course with the exception of the last (Nouri's signature nutmeg candy in a mind-boggling puzzle box) was a result of the collaboration. Flavours and textures constantly surprised throughout the meal as ingredients took on innovative forms and were presented in new ways. The first jaw-dropping moment was with one of the three snacks, the Clams Bulhão Pato. Imagine the very essence of a clam in its thinnest and crispiest guise - brilliant.
For me, the other standouts from the meal were the Japanese Sardine in Escabeche - its intrinsic fishiness nicely tempered by light curing and Nyonya pickles, and the King Crab with Toasted Milk Tofu - I loved the way the spicy heat of the peppercorns and soft creaminess of tofu tasted with the sweet, smoky chunks of crabmeat.
I found the desserts of Peanut Soup, Halva with Mandarin Sorbet as well as the Requeijao with Lemon Curd, Malt and Vanilla Cracker memorable for different reasons. The former framed peanuts (which I am not crazy about honestly) in a whole new and refreshing light - one that I thoroughly enjoyed with surprise written all over my face. On the other hand, the latter felt familiar (like a deconstructed lemon cheesecake) but executed to absolute perfection.
Contributing to the terrific evening was the warm service from team Nouri. The thoughtfully concocted cocktails by bartender Joe Fong and restaurant manager Matthew got the merriment rolling and it didn't stop thanks to the premium sake that our friend Louis so generously shared.