A Special Feast.

Today, I am going to share an account where I tried a food that I had never tried before. I am also going to perform a sensory evaluation using various criteria like the dish's eye appeal, perception, odor, texture, and taste. The dish is Braised Boeuf Bourguignon accompanied with creamed potatoes and for the dessert, I ordered a Chocolate and Chestnut Truffle Cake topped with Griottine Cherries.

--The first time I entered a fine dining restaurant managed by the celebrated chef Marco Pierre White. I was nervous and excited at the same time. At the end of the meal, I was ecstatic and contented.

Coming on to the food, I had tried beef before but it was in the form of 2 dishes that are famous in my hometown Lucknow called Galawati kebabs which just 'melts in your mouth' made up of minced 'round cut' of beef, green papaya pulp, and a blend of 19 spices. Another dish is a slow overnight-cooked stew called "NIHARI" which is eaten as breakfast by the locals as NIHARI translates to morning. It is often enjoyed with 'Ghilafhi Kulcha', a flatbread which is made up of 2 different types of dough, the upper layer made from unleavened and the bottom is from the leavened dough. The end product is flaky and buttery. So trying beef bourguignon for the first time was exhilarating.

Appearance: The brown-colored sauce had a rich sheen, nice cuts of mushrooms and carrots were visible, accompanied by mashed potato topped with finely chopped chives.

Odor: smoky, sweet, and a little bit of garlic. I could taste the umami flavor of the mushroom and beef cooked in the sauce, the pungency of the garlic. The sauce had greasiness, deep and opulent flavor. The mashed potatoes were mealy and had a nice woody flavor of rosemary.

Texture: delicately cooked beef to medium-rare texture, I noticed the same 'melt in the mouth feel that I used to get while having kebabs but this was totally in a new light.

Reflecting on the whole experience: I relished it and I would unquestionably eat this dish again. This experience has definitely changed my outlook towards trying new cuisines, the same ingredients cooked in a different way, and be aware of flavors and aromas when trying something new.

A light and delectable dessert, Chocolate, and Chestnut Truffle Cake topped with Griottine Cherries. The roasted chestnut tuile and plain roasted bits gave the dessert a nutty flavor which paired very well with chocolate and cherries.