We had the pleasure of dining at Cowboy Star, located in the East Village neighborhood of San Diego. Chef de Cuisine Chris Osborne was kind enough to invite us to dine and take pictures; he hooked us up with a great spot at the Chef's counter where we were up front of the wide open show kitchen. This was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had in my life. The experience was one of a kind. The dining room had a cool fine dining feel but not stuffy, very modern and sleek. The service was excellent. The drinks were imaginative and beautifully presented. And last but not least, the food was amazing. Each dish, whatever course it be, was a work of art. The food was spot on, bold and surprising flavors, delicious textures, and perfectly seasoned everything. In no way are we a food blogger or even a food photographer here at ricomarcelo.com but this meal was so good it had to be shared. I watch enough Top Chef and food network, so hopefully it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, lol.
For apps we started with Roasted Seasonal Mushrooms with a chicken liver sauce, caramelized fennel, tangerine and mushroom stock. The mushrooms were decadent and each bite was as flavorful as the last. The Steamed Mussels with braised kale, fennel, and bacon were so clean and bright, I wanted to have a whole cup of broth it came in and just sip right from the bowl. Chef surprised us with two intermezzo courses. First we tried the Fried Wagyu Beef Tongue, it was beautifully presented over a yam puree and adobo sauce. I'm not that adventurous when it comes to trying new things, but this was just a tasty dish, a little in my head that it's a beef tongue but it was great tasting nonetheless. He brought out next a rustic looking plate of Heirloom Carrots with burrata ice cream, marinated cucumber, cilantro chimchurri, and hen cracklins. Everything worked, the sweet and savory of the cheese ice cream and the earthiness of the carrots was a combination I thought I would never have, the different temperature and textures wowed the palette.
The entree courses were next. We had the Pan Roasted Sea Bass with broccoli risotto, asparagus and radish. This was the most beautiful plate of food I've ever seen, the colors were vivid and plating was an absolute masterpiece. This was probably the best piece of fish of fish I've ever eaten. The risotto was creamy, the asparagus was fresh; the whole dish ate light, it was a perfect spring/summer dish. The Wagyu Skirt Steak was to die for, perfectly cooked med rare and the seasoning was spot on. It was served over broccolini and the most creamiest mashed potatoes I've ever had in my life.
We really didn't have room for dessert but we were just admiring all the beautiful dishes the pastry chef was producing the entire night, of course we had to try. We tried 2 dishes, the Beet Brownie and the Chocolate Bread Pudding. The beet brownie was rich with the beet flavor shining through and the bread pudding was moist and airy. These were a fitting end to an absolute masterpiece of a meal.
Thanks Chef! Check out their website here: http://www.thecowboystar.com/
