Hi gang!  It’s Chef Joon again with some exciting news!  This Thursday is Nakameguro Taproom’s 4th year anniversary and we will be kicking off the celebration with the release of two special beers and a French brasserie-themed menu:

Starters

Smokey Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast and Croutons

スモーキーシーザーサラダ、グリルチキン、クルトン

Salad Nicoise with Seared Tuna and Confit Potatoes

ニース風サラダ、スパイシーツナ、ポテトのコンフィ

Quiche with Homemade Smoked Bacon

and Cheddar Cheese, Frisee Salad

自家製スモークベーコンとチェダーチーズのキッシュ

Main Dishes

“Palourdes Sayuri” with Frites (Saison Sayuri Steamed Clams with Fries)

「パルードサユリ」とフリッツ（ハマグリのセゾンさゆり蒸し）

Dijon Roasted Chicken with Asparagus and Porter Glazed Carrots

ディジョンローストチキン、アスパラ、にんじんのポーターグラッセ

Hop Cone and Beer Braised Sausages, Bacon, and Sauerkraut

ソーセージとベーコンのホップとビール煮込み

Beer Braised Beef Cheek with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

牛ほほ肉のビール煮込み、ガーリックマッシュポテト

Croque Monsieur Sandwich with Frites

クロックムッシュサンドとフリッツ

Desserts

Gateau Chocolat with Whipped Cream and Berries

ガトーショコラ、ホイップクリームとベリー

Morning Coffee Stout Float with Maris Otter Tuile

モーニングコーヒースタウトフロート、マリスオッターのチュイール

Don’t let all the French vocab fool you, there are no foie gras terrines or edible flowers here, this is hearty brewpub food done in the French style.  We will be offering this menu all weekend, so please stop by and give it a try.  By the way, the regular menu will be on hold until Monday, thanks for your understanding!

-CJ

Hello all you beer-lovin’ foodies out there!  This is Joon, the big guy with the ill-fitting apron and fauxhawk you sometimes see peeping out into the dining room from the kitchen.  I’ve decided to do what all the young, hip chefs are doing and start a kitchen blog.  This will be the first of many entries about new dishes, testing recipes, and our quest to create the greatest pizza known to mankind, so stay tuned!

As you may already know, I started working at the Taproom in March in order to get the kitchen ready for our pizza concept relaunch, (coming soon).  In the meantime, I have created an interim menu that’s fresh, simple, and most important of all: tasty!  However, this was not easy.  The following is about the one item that kept me up at night: the terrifying Beer-Battered Onion Ring

When I first arrived, the Taproom was using pre-made, frozen onion rings and being the kitchen elitist that I am, I firmly insisted on making fresh beer-battered onion rings from scratch.  Besides, how hard can it be?

Oh, the hubris.

Onion Rings of Doom

This was my first attempt.  I pre-battered the onions and gave each of them a coating of panko.  Not too shabby, you say?  If you look closer you can see the dark spots where the hot fryer oil got past the panko/flour/egg barrier and managed to caramelize the onion itself.

“But chef, isn’t caramelized onions delicious?” you might ask.

Yes, caramelized onions are delicious, but not when its surrounded by soggy batter dripping with piping hot fryer oil.

Different battering techniques all resulted in the same soggy mess.  Heartbroken and confused, I hit the books to find a proper solution.  The key was to create a thick barrier between the onion and the hot oil; something that forms a crispy shell the instant its dropped into the fryer.   That’s when I decided to skip the panko all together and make a nice, thick beer batter and fry up the onion rings to order.  Here’s my next attempt:

One ring to rule them all

Much better.  The batter also uses our own Single-Take Session Ale, which adds a crisp texture and light flavor that really works well with this paprika-spiked batter.  The rings crisp up quick and stays that way all the way to the table.  There are still some kinks to work out, but like all things culinary, these onion rings are a work in progress.

-CJ

こんにちは。

GW最終日！　快晴のビール日和ですねぇ～

みなさん　ビール飲んでますか～

ホップ好きですか～

１　・　２　・　３　・　だっしゃぁぁああっ！！

・・・

大好評May Hop Madness続々新樽繋げていきますよ～本日は8種類です！

ラインナップはブログ・ツイッターで更新していきます、フォロー宜しくお願いします。

Twitter　：　@BBNakameguroTap

そして中目黒タップルームが５月１０日に４周年を迎えます。

そんな中タプの誕生日を祝いに来て下さる皆様にブライアンからスペシャルビールが届きます。

セゾンさゆり２０１２

中目黒４周年記念ベルジャンリアルレッドエール

ベルジャンリアルレッドエールはベルギー酵母で発酵させた初めてのハンドポンプエールです、楽しみじゃっ！

そしてセゾンさゆり２０１２中目黒先行販売です！そう５月１０日はベアードの女神さゆりさんの誕生日でもあるのです！ダブル誕生ぱーりー皆さんお祝い来て下さいね！　楽しみじゃ！

そして５月１０日～１３日の４日間４周年イベントスペシャルフードが楽しめます！

chef　Joonのブラセリーメニューです！　楽しみじゃ！

早く飲みたいなー食べたいなー

本日のHop MadneesなBeer達

以上２３種でお待ちしてます。

楽しみじゃっ！　鵜藤