My Big Night

Molly Martin
May 18th, 2010
Tulsa Food Blog

A couple of weeks ago I watched the movie Big Night. It was the first time I had ever seen it. It was a beautiful movie and although not a foreign film, it has that foreign film feel and look to it. The movie centers around a failing Italian restaurant owned by two Italian brothers who are cooking a feast for the arrival of special guest, Louis Prima. He never shows. But the guests awaiting his arrival have their own feast and eat and drink the night away. On Sunday I got to attend my very own “Big Night”. It was at Palace Café and while the guest was not Louis Primo (he‘s dead), it’s okay because I was thrilled that it was Deborah Madison. The dinner was nothing less than perfection on a plate. But then again, how could it not be, James Shrader is a culinary genius, channeling his inner Stanely Tucci and Tony Shaloub, he created an extremely memorable meal. And while I will attempt to describe and go into a little detail about what was consumed, it is nothing compared to how wonderful it really was.

In a tiny room upstairs, a long 20-person table sat waiting for the intimate dinner party. This dinner party was by far the highlight of my week (month? Year?). And how could it not be? Palace Café, local ingredients, good wine and Deborah Madison equals a wonderful evening. When I arrived I was pleased to learn that a representative from the Owen Roe winery was there, complete with white and reds that paired wonderfully with the meal. I started with a glass of Sharecroppers Pinot Noir. Wonderful. We started with a shrimp and vegetable pot sticker that was simple and delicious. This was followed by a precious amuse bouche that I can’t even begin to describe. It was tiny and beautiful and if it had been appropriate, I would have been taking food photos all night long. Next up a warm asparagus soup with a vichyssoise base, the green color was beautiful and at the bottom of the bowl was a surprise, bits of cold asparagus tips and minced preserved lemon. If that had been the last course of the night, I would have left content. But no, a salad with goat cheese and preserved lemon raviolis was next. The goat cheese was from The Living Kitchen in Bristow and had been made the day before. The day before! The raviolis sat on a bed of beautiful rainbow chard. The goat cheese really was unreal. But wait, there’s more, chicken with the skin and truffle-infused mashed potatoes were next. The chicken fell apart it was so tender and delicious and I wanted bowls full of the mash. At this point I really was getting full, but I knew that whatever came next I had to eat it, I could not let myself miss out on one new bite. Two new bottles of wine were opened and shared. I had glass of Kilmore Pinot Noir along with a small glass of Red Willow Chapel Block Syrah. Both were wonderful. Another salad was delivered to my table and while I was pretty darn full, I spotted a breadcrumb-coated round of that fresh goat cheese and I had to eat it. The salad was light, local greens and pecans spiced with Sambal Oelek. I knew that dessert was just around the corner, and what a dessert it was. A lovely champagne glass arrived filled with a vanilla gelato cloud from Kafe Bona, strawberries and a Grand Marnier syrup waiting at the bottom. The berries were nearly frozen but not hard from the ice cream and it was the perfect little treat to end the meal with. Most of the meal came from local vendors and it is so wonderful to see how one man can take all those local ingredients and transform them in a incredibly memorable meal. Chef James Shrader loves what he does and you can really tell, it comes through with every bite.

There were times during the meal that I felt drunk (no, it was not the wine). It was food euphoria. I was high on my meal. When the meal ended, I found myself reliving each course and each bite. Turning it over in my head so I could remember just how it tasted. There are few moments in life when we can realize in the present that we are living a moment that will be remembered for years to come. This was one of those times.