Rarely would you ever see me polished, but on May 19th, 2012, I put on a black-tie, a tuxedo jacket, and slicked my hair back to celebrate the return of luxurious food brought to us by Canada. The Canada Brand and Canadian Chamber of Commerce Korea collaborated to present their first annual ‘Delicious Canada’ Gala Dinner at the Grand Hilton Seoul. Big names amongst the Canadian community such as Don McKenzie, Chairman of Can Cham, and David Chatterson, Canadian Ambassador, helped to raise awareness about the comeback of the most coveted food products imported from Canada such as top-grade lobster and tender beef, just to name a few.
The opulent evening began with dim-lit chandeliers exuding a romantic vibe. But the energetic sounds of the live Celtic music performance kept it balanced and as effervescent as the micro-brewery beer served by a Canadian-owned pub, Craftworks, which I had the pleasure to sip while mingling with other well-dressed patrons ranging from radio journalists to local pub owners.
Shortly after McKenzie and Chatterson’s welcoming speech, it became evident that the Canadian cuisine was the main guest of the event, thus the 5 course meal begins with the “Lobster avocado and Red Pimiento Sheet, Lobster Pastrami, Micro greens, Whiskey Cola Caviar, Lemon Dust” as a starter. The pimiento sheet served a subtle sting of spiciness merely adding heat to the spring season taste of the meddled lobster avocado. Caviar and aged whiskey are two things that seem to disagree with my taste pallet, but after combining the two, the Whiskey Cola Caviar was unexpectedly humble, and gave a whimsical twist with its jelly-like texture.
As a self-proclaimed, international food connoisseur, the second course, “Lobster Cappuccino, Brandy Froth,” is a dish that is very new to me—is it a cappuccino? Is it a soup? The name certainly lives up to its innovative style of preparation and taste. Unbeknownst to myself, I consumed this dish using a spoon, thus it seemed too diluted for my liking. After watching the gentleman sitting by my side, it turned out that there was a special method of enjoying this cappuccino soup, and it’s as simple as sipping a warm latte by the fireplace. By doing so, the flavors of the lobster, brandy and other secret spices erupt in the tip of your tongue. Creamy, yet subtle, this dish is reminiscent of fancy lobster bisque. Two thumbs up.
For the main course: a Half a Canadian Live Lobster, Coffee-rubbed Canadian Flat Iron Roast, Potato Gratin Square, Spinach Horse Radish Puree, can be simply described as a taste from two heavens of the sea and the land. A hat off to the chef, the flat iron roast was cooked to perfection. The meat was so tender; it dissolved in my mouth. Simple, but flavorful, the iron roast had the proper amount of flavors without being contrived.
It’s been quite some time since I had a dish without the over-powering sauces that take away the natural flavor of the meat. With that being said, the half live lobster was the complete opposite of that. The lobster was the highlight of the hour, and the spotlight was shining on its natural flavors. Put aside your extra lemon and melted butter, it would only take away the freshness and invigorating taste of what shellfish should be. It tasted as if it was caught right from the sea minutes before it was served.
While we enjoyed the native Canadian dessert, Nanaimo bars with Maple Mousse and Red Compote (originated from Nanaimo, British Columbia), the Gala sponsors were kind enough to reward the raffle winners with generous prizes. A trip for two to Vancouver, Canada was the one I was keeping my fingers crossed for, but I would have also settled for a gift certificate to Burn’s or the Limited Release 18 year old Wiser’s. Unfortunately, my raffle number refused to be called, but the overall gala event was a prize of its own.
In retrospect, I would like to give a big round of applause to Food Promotion Specialists, Mike David and Kalli Yoon for planning a successful gala dinner. With the combination of fancy aura without being overly pretentious, and fresh, flavorful dishes, I urge everyone to attend their next event. They will be hosting a ‘Booze Cruise’ for Canada’s Independence Day at Craftworks, located in 경리단, on June 30th, and a Canadian BBQ will be held at the Canadian Embassy on July 1st from 3:30 to 6:30 to recognize Canada Day.
