HUSH Denver: Lamb-O-Plenty

The supper club is not a new concept. However, It is a new addition to the Denver dining scene- we seem to be about two years on the uptake with food trends [cupcake and cereal bars ring a bell]. Phil Armstrong, founder of Hush and a partner at Green Spaces, contacted Terry for some Cook Street assistance with the event. Without hesitation, she agreed. This new partnership did not guarantee us a seat at the table, but we did get on the wait list. And by way of some cancellations, we received a last minute invitation.Hush Denver launched its debut dinner in the elegant Studio Como showroom. So if you happen to be a foodie and a contemporary furniture whore, then you may think you had died and dined in heaven.

Studio Como

We were greeted by Nathan, new owner of Sip Fine Wines, with a little starter of Rogue’s Imperial Pilsner. Outside of the solid jug 750ml packaging, the pilsner was a refined and bold little number, while quietly packing an 8% alc. punch. We somehow eluded the first appetizer course. It may have been due to our snooping around the premises and not mingling properly with the other 50 some odd attendees. What we missed was Lamb Neck with Pickled Tongue on Crostini. Yes, why not start off such an event with some suggested parts of a mammal in which we never think to consume. What you should take from this starter is a theme(and this theme will have further sustainable meaning which I will cover later)*…starting from the head…of a lamb. We did get a sneak peak at the menu before the event. We knew what we were walking into. And overall we were pleasantly surprised; with the Chef, Geoff Rhyne (of SugarToad in Chicago), with our wonderfully entertaining dinner guests, Mara and Matthew, with the wine pairings and with the thoughtful menu and preparation of the food.

As we nestled down into our modish digs and introduced ourselves to our fellow diners. Among our fellows were Tracy Zimmer of Hutch & Spoon, Deb (sister of favorite hair stylist Rebecca Jarboe, Diane, and the aforementioned due of Mara and Matthew.The courses rolled out without hesitation. The wines were poured in a timely fashion that prefaced the arrival of the next dish-o-lamb.

First Course: Lamb Tartar with Pommes Maxim
Wine: Roeno Sparkling

I realize that a lot of these titles sound shocking. Lamb Tartar. Really. Yes, really. It was balanced perfectly with shallots, Dijon, some mint oil and diced oranges. I often get a bit tripped up on how gamey lamb can taste, or the fact that I have to chew on it for a good seven and half minutes to allow for some decent digestion. Not this lamb. The texture was firm but not chewy, the flavor had a skosh of game, but not overwhelming. The tartare was accompanied with Pommes Maxim (fancy potato cracker). If you shaved a potato as thinly as possible, brushed with a bit of butter, overlapped on a sheet pan, covered with another sheet pan and baked until these beautiful crisp wafers came out looking something like the Nelson Marshmallow sofa, that’s a Pommes Maxim. As delicate and transparent as they appeared, they made for a perfect delivery mechanism for the tartar.

Second Course: Cauliflower Soup with Popcorn sweetbreads,  with Yellow Curry
Wine: Charles Smith Reisling-Washington

Sweetbreads, huh. In case you’ve never been certain on what a sweetbread is, it’s essentially the adrenal
glands of an animal- whether that is Thymus or Pancreas is relative to the animal. It does make me wonder if they taste different relative to what hormone is dominant at time of death. Well, maybe if they are wooed into slumber, they taste sweeter. The jury is still out.

The bowl arrived with popcorn sized sweetbreads lightly breaded and fried sitting in the middle of a curry
concotion swirl. Phil eagerly announced not to dive in yet, that there was more to come. Upon his promise arrives a Cauliflower puree in pristine white gravy boats. Pour over. Integrate the curry flavors. Dig in.

Again, I was surprised at how delicate and tasty the sweetbreads were. And the marriage with curry was
kismet. The cauliflower puree was a good balance between the two, but I could have used a little less of it in the bowl. Balance is everything. Terry managed to find that balance. I got a little puree happy.

Third Course: Corned Lamb Heart with Lambs Lettuce (maché), Crispy egg and Fresh English
Wine: 07 Dom. Patrick Size Mercurey Premiere Cru (Pinot Noir)

I had forgotten what part of the lamb was corned when it arrived. I also failed to here Phil’s description
of the dish. So I didn’t really have any issues diving into this dish. This is the kind of dish you want on a morning after a touch too much wine. Albeit the English muffins were a bit to chewy and undercooked. I’ll chalk that up to some chefs coming in from Chicago dealing with some altitude baking issue. But the egg, the glorious egg was boiled slightly to a gooey center then battered and panko fried. The egg atop the corned heart atop a bed of maché- a lovely combination. The cure on the meat put it squarely in the “corned” category.

Fourth Course: Lamb Shoulder Roulade with Smoked Shank Cassoulet
Wine: 06 Olivier Cousin Breton Anjou(Cabernet Franc)

One may think that after neck, tongue, loin, gland and heart that I may be getting a bit taxed on the precious lamb. Then came the roulade. It was served in a generous family style portion. I wanted seconds and thirds, but refrained. The shoulder encased homemade lamb sausage and was seared off, sliced and lay atop white beans and carrots prepared in more contemporary [read not cooked to death] fashion. The sausage was fresh and perfectly seasoned. Again, the shoulder was supple, not gamey, not chewy. I’m assuming this lamb had some cushy provenance. I loved the white beans, they were a bit toothsome which made me think that they were saved from a life in a can. I’m sitting back now. I’m doing that slump that I do when my belly starts to get a bit full. But I have to hold on, I know what’s coming next.

Fifth Course: Lamb Bacon Doughnuts with Goat’s Milk Eggnog

Don’t knock ‘em until you’ve tried ‘em. Piles of doughnuts emerged from the fancy Poliform kitchens. Dusted with powdered sugar. Little tiny bits of bacon peaking out from corners of fried dough. I don’t even think we had the decorum to pass the platter around. I’m fairly certain we just dove onto the plate. Again, surprised. The dough was dense and flavorful, the bacon bits seemed to just harmonize with the position they were given. And to wash it down, a little shot of eggnog. Because why not. The goat’s milk made this traditionally cloying drink, lighter and brighter- aiding the bacon dough love down the gullet to digest with all of the other
parts.

I’m glad that I was pleasantly surprised.

I’m glad that Denver is starting to explore the realm of the supper club.

I’m glad that really great and thoughtful chefs are getting a spotlight to do their thing.

I’m glad I’m not a vegetarian or that meal would have just sucked.

BTW, diners do not have access to the menus before the dinner- so be prepared for anything.

Next month Hush  is featuring Ian Klienman. I’ve heard amazing things, but I’m a purist, so I’ll be sitting that one out.

*I would like to point out that this exercise is not something that they just do for the fun of it. Geoff and his crew at Sugartoad get in full animals on a weekly basis from a local farm. They utilize as much of the animal as possible from stocks to sausages. There is a serious commitment to the process of charcuterie and a philosophy of sustainability that I can really get behind.