Chef Chris Mills, of Joey Restaurants, and his team are off to the James Beard House for the third time in his career. This is an honour reserved for chefs of a certain calibre and Chef Mills has proven himself time and time again. He is known for his use of high quality and seasonal ingredients; sourced locally and in America. He is recognized here, and abroad, as an ambassador for sustainability, and his respect for local. regional, and ethnic cuisines are proven every season on Joey Restaurants’ menus.
An evening of food, wine, and great service was on the menu for a few foodies in Vancouver. The courses poured out of the kitchen. The Front of House and Back of House impressed us while Chef Mills, with seamless fluidity, appeared and disappeared. He has that down perfectly; the ability to move from kitchen to spotlight without losing his charisma. It’s understandable why he instills loyalty from his teams, it seems to be his natural character, not because he strives for it but because, he approaches food and people with humble respect.
The theme of the menu was a tribute to three distinct topics: Sustainability, hip multicultural California, and down home comfort of the West Coast.
The evening commenced with a personal meet and greet from Chef Mills and his team.
We were introduced to cool Reception Beverages like Super Sonic Gin & Tonic Lemon Sorbet, and Guava Time – which sent me pelting right back to my childhood in South America where I used to pick guavas right off the backyard tree.
The Passed Canapés were pure LA street food, a place where they celebrate every culture. I loved the Bison fat fries with dots of aioli and home-made ketchup.
Ribbon, my photographer and beautiful friend, sampled everything and enjoyed every morsel. Like the Baja Fish Tacos.
She said the Korean Food Truck Cauliflower was made complete with the authentic Korean sauce which can be found in the kitchen of every Korean family.
We then moved on to the seated dinner where the table was a stunning work of art.
Natural homemade bread smeared with hand-made butters, and glasses of Martins Lane Riesling, were accompanied by this gorgeous salad that pulled together so many cultures.
Vibrant heirloom beets, creamy avocados, Californian pistachios, and the new hybrid fruit, mandaquat. Yep you guessed it, a combination of mandarin and kumquat. It was a culinary tour on a plate. I love surprises like the taste of the juicy, yet firm, mandaquat that pulled me to the marketplaces of Asia.
California wines mingled with West Coast distinct tastes in the second course. Chardonnays of Au Bon Climat, and Santa Barbara vineyards.
Spot prawns from wild Tofino, artichokes, from Baroda Farms California, homemade ravioli, and a frothy mint and butter lettuce sauce. One perfect bite leaves a voracious desire for a massive plateful. It was fresh, light, and bursting with wild nature.
Pinot Noir from Oregon, wines from California, and British Columbia, stared me in the face the entire evening and it was adored right back.
The third course was absolutely divine and uniquely Chef Mills and his team’s. Fresh-caught octopus from the cold, clear Pacific Ocean, pan charred. Think about bacon-ized octopus on top of that, and the faint sweet aroma of fennel, finish with the tartness of a creamy mayonnaise, bruised with a smoke flavour and throw in some dried olives. It was West Coast, California, and the Mediterranean all chilling together at a seaside barbecue.
The main entree (below) was almost-nirvana, and of course completely and utterly Chef Chris and his team’s. This was paired with Daou “Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon which was a bold and dense wine, filled with concentrated flavours that satisfied every tastebud but did not linger. It complimented the dish precisely so.
The Snake River Farms USDA New York Strip was teeth-through-butter kind of tender, seared, and almost naked so as to really celebrate the richness of the steak. Served with Joey Restaurants’s signature crispy mashed potatoes. On the plate also were chanterelle mushrooms that were foraged by Chef Chris himself from his secret place in the forest – he refused to share the location and I respect that because when he spoke about it he glowed as though he was in his “happy place”.
The final stroke on the masterpiece was Humboldt Fog blue potato gratin; aromatic humboldt blue combined with crisp, garden-fresh potato gratin was a match made in heaven.
There was a dish of Santa Monica Farmer’s Market family style vegetables, and though it was fresh and delicious it was largely ignored because the plate in front of me was so hypnotic.
Finally there were the Dessert and Mignardises. The wines were Late Harvest Riesling/Eroica Gold and Chateau Ste. Michelle/Washington.
The BC apples and toasted walnut pie was gorgeously presented in a flower-like roll. It tasted like a pie version of a mama’s cinnamon bun, explained Ribbon. It smelled warm and comfortable like a childhood memory.
The Next Level double caramel ice cream was fantastic – how clever to fuse a bitter brew with homemade caramel, and creamy ice cream.
The Madeline was a spiced pumpkin financier which was a nice nod to the season.
These desserts were gorgeous and memorable, individually, but all together they detracted from each other.
Congratulations to Joey Restaurants on their new launch in LA. They walk the talk when it comes to their belief in local, seasonal, and all natural. They stay as close to the bountiful land as is possible; here in BC and now in California.
Good luck Chris Mills and team, keep on having fun, and impressing us with your creations. I do admire your quests for sustainability – in your respectful and loving appreciation for food – how it is grown – where it comes from – and the people that grows it.
All Images are the sole property of Ribbon of Ribbon AJ photography . Ribbon is a student of life capturing beautiful images of people, and places, and food, around the world.
Until next time keep up with my local community/sustainable/gluten-free travels on twitter @glutenfreesam and for even more stories check out www.eathical.ca
