Dai Due Supper Club

this weekend i ventured out to austin to visit friends and support tyson and philly on their iron chef battle against morimoto. my friends had a surprise for me on saturday. they informed me about a farm in austin that has dinners weekend nights. their dinners are composed of all local ingredients. working with jj, i have become an avid fan of local products. this was my dinner at rain lily farm.

Fennel and Lemon Blossom Ratafia
i've tried some ratafias at tafia's, but none were as clean and smooth as this one. i hate fennel, so i was completely surprised i enjoyed this so much. i asked for thirds.

Gruyere and Apple Butter on Grilled Bread
the cheese was my favorite. it comes from Veldhuizen Farm. i hear we are getting lots of our cheeses and dairy products from them. the apple butter gave the canape a nice mellow sweetness.

Ham, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup
light and hearty ... seems an oxymoron or a bad way to describe food, but i stand by my description.


Grilled Spring Onions with Green Garlic Sauce
i like my onions fully cooked. i cannot stand the flavor of raw or barely cooked onions. these spring onions were barely grilled and were absolutely delicious.

Grilled Quail with Lettuces
the quail was delicious, but for me the lettuces (especially the arugula) were the highlight of the evening. the quail rested on a nest of lettuces. the jus dripped from the quail and seasoned the lettuces. the smoky flavor, the saltiness and oil from the quail jus mixed incredibly with the bitterness of the arugula.

Grilled Pork Shoulder with Cabbage & Celery Root
i found the meat a bit tough. the celery root was outstanding.

Spit Roasted Lamb Shoulder
that was some tasty lamb shoulder!

Grilled Asparagus and Mushrooms
mmmm ... the tips of the arugula were crisp and tasty, but the best part was the stems. as soon as you bit into it, it melted in your mouth. they used oyster mushrooms and i loved them. my favorite were the bits that were small and slightly over cooked. they had a nice texture and concentrated flavor.

Beef Ribs with Beets and Beet Greens
i dont quite remember this one. im not a big beef fan.

Strawberry Sorbet with Fresh Cream
soon after eating this i received a phone call (or i called her. im not sure) from my best friend jennifer. she trained me. she would spent hours literally holding my hand showing me how to make pastry cream. (my custard dessert is my culinary ode to her) everything that i am and will be is because of her. she is my inspiration and motivation in life. so she called (or i called her. im not sure) and the first things i said were, "this is the best dessert i have ever had in my life!" it was a simple delicious strawberry sorbet topped with unpasteurized unsweetened whipped cream.


Dai Due is having another dinner this saturday evening, the focus will be seafood. i heard that tyson cole would be the guest chef. im headed back with a group of chefs from houston.

i highly recommend and invite all to come out. its simple and delicious food. all local. all grown with passion and with love.

call and make reservations (512)769-7261
Dai Due Supper Club