Abandon's Chef's Table: August 2015

I'm so excited to share a recap of the successful Abandon's Chef's Table we hosted this past weekend! This was our fourth Chef's Table event since its creation, and the menu just keeps getting better and better!

For August, the menu was inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine. Since Chanse is from Laos, the majority of menu items were Lao dishes, but he also incorporated a few Thai and Vietnamese derivations into the menu as well.

Steamed edamame tossed in sesame oil and garlic.

Chef's twist on Thai tom kha gai soup: Lobster, straw mushrooms, bamboo shoots and roasted corn in a miso-based broth.

Lao duck larb: Sliced duck marinated in a fermented fish sauce and burnt rice and served with red cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers and sprouts.

Peeng seen: Rare roasted beef served with celery root and caviar.

Pun pai: Striped bass lettuce wrap, served with a house-made Vietnamese mam nam sauce.

Main entree: Pork belly steamed in banana leaves atop coconut rice and served with pickled veggies.

Exotic fruit assortment: Korean squash, dragonfruit, mangosteen and rambutan.

Everything was full of bold flavor, and the exotic fruit assortment was the perfect palette cleanser. What I love most about Abandon's Chef's Table, is the culture - the relaxed and fun vibe, where people who don't know one another can connect and bond over their mutual love for food and exploration. I always enjoy meeting new guests at our Chef's Table events, and leaving feeling like I've made new friends.

We are working hard to expand the Chef's Table concept across the Tampa Bay area, and open the doors to even more guests - to support us and to learn more about upcoming events, follow along with us on Facebook and Instagram!