Demi, Belvedere Square

UPDATE: THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED

Last week I was super excited to be invited to Demi, a restaurant that is located in the basement of Crush in Belvedere Square.

Demi is an amazingly inventive restaurant - a Foodie Paradise that knows outright that it will dazzle some and keep away others.  Those looking for a large portion of meat and potatoes should look elsewhere, but those looking for small yet interesting plates with complex flavors, should look no further.  Demi's new chef, the wonderful Tae Strain has this entire menu thought out perfectly.

Let's start, shall we?

Ahi Tuna, Jasmine Rice, Vanilla Soy Broth, Sirachi Aioli ($13)

Yes, the tuna is tasty and tender, but the vanilla broth here is the standout - and they encourage you to drink it up with a spoon!  The flavor is reminiscent of a rice krispie treat (I promise you that's a GOOD thing), the sweetness pairing wonderfully with the spicy aioli.

Six Minute Egg (Runny), Cauliflower Puree, Asparagus, Parmesan, Toast ($9)

First of all let me say, I LOOOOOVE runny eggs, so I was excited to see this and to know that it was A-OK to dip my toasted bread (which itself had truffle butter on it) into the runny yolk.  But then I happened to sop up not only the yolk, but the creamy cauliflower puree and parsley oil.  These flavors just swam perfectly together in my mouth.  YUM YUM YUM

Diver Sea Scallop, Miso Butter, Brussel Sprouts, Shiitake Mushrooms

Look at that seared scallop - flawless, right?  And it tastes that way as well, especially with the miso butter which reminded me of a salty apple butter!!!!!!  I couldn't get enough!!!!!  It was probably one of my favorite flavors of the night!  I was saddened, however, that we weren't served the full brussel sprout.  I love that vegetable! This particular dish isn't on the menu yet, but it will be served with 3 scallops for $15. 

Sous Vide Bistro Steak, Spice Crusted Fingerling, Haricot Vert, Salsa Verde

Oh the meat was so tender, the haricot verts were so crunchy and the red pepper and CHORIZO oil were great flavor complements.  This is currently not on the menu, but will be added shortly for $15.  P.S.  See, you can still order your meat and potatoes here! :)  

Croissant Bread Pudding, Golden Raisins, Creme Anglaise, Biscotti

Though bread pudding isn't my favorite dessert, I did love the presentation and the deliiiiiiiiiiiiiicious out-of-this-world creamy ice cream.  Lovely ending to an incredible meal.



What was so interesting about this restaurant and about each dish is that EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. mattered, even a dribble of sauce added to the flavor of the dish.  It's definitely a new way of eating something - to view it as a whole, rather than as separate parts.

Now, let's be honest.  This place is expensive, especially because you will have to order at least 3 of these items in order to be satiated.  But this isn't the type of place you go in order to become so full you can hardly move.  Instead, order a bottle of wine (yes, that's right, a bottle) and take your time sampling the menu over a long conversation-laden evening or come here later on in the night for some high end snacking. 



DISCLAIMER: Though this was a free tasting, I was not asked to write a positive review and felt no inclination to write anything which did not reflect my true opinion of Demi.