Aldea

Amuse Bouche of ramp, mussel, mushroom, broth, coconut foam and disk of spicy ham

Sea Urchin toast meticulously prepared with tweezers - cauliflower cream, sea lettuce and lime

Lightly lemon-cured fluke with bacon, crunchy soy and almond milk

If there is ever a poached egg dish, of any sort, on a menu, I order it. This slow poached egg in a garlic broth with bacon, peas, mushroom and seasonal black truffles is an appetizer to be reckoned with.

Hanger Steak - smoked potatoes, golden carrots and piquillo peppers

Growing up in Texas, I've eaten my fair share of game and this venison is 1st rate. I've only had one venison dish that was perfection at Auberge de Soleil in Napa. This was a Denver leg cut crusted with coriander, mustard seed, star anise, clove, cumin and black pepper and then cooked on the plancha. Then it is topped with a crumble of toasted almond, crispy shallot and huckleberry, then the napa cabbage, a froth made with hazelnut milk and finally a pomegranate reduction.

Watching George Mendes' tattooed staff cleaning after a hard night's work.