Dinner At Peridot

^ Fried chicken wings with caramelized fish sauce glaze

^ Green papaya salad with English cucumber, pickled daikon, roasted peanuts, 

fried shallots, spicy lime dressing and house-made beef jerky.

^ Roasted cauliflower with scallion puree, chilies, peanuts, and fresh herbs

^ Seared Dover sole with red curry bagna cauda, bok choy, and chives

 ^ Confit duck spring rolls with kohlrabi puree, pickled Fresno, cilantro, 

scallion dipping sauce

^ Yuzu citrus tart: yuzu citrus curd, black cardamom, diplomat cream, 

orange supreme, cashew crust

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Other food we ate before we thought to take a photo:

Fried pork belly with black garlic puree, soy-tamarind gel, pickled beech and alba mushrooms

Star anise bread pudding with Chantilly cream, poached pears, and bourbon caramel sauce

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I jumped on a plane

flew across the country to Columbus, Ohio

landed in the evening and soon fell fast asleep.

Next morning,

I jumped into a car

drove to Ann Arbor, Michigan,

and ate dinner at a restaurant called Peridot.

Oh, the food was delicious. Modern Vietnamese, the reviewers say, with a decidedly American point of view. Served on small plates for sharing, which is my absolute favorite. And my companions for the meal were highly entertaining; I dined with my first- and second-born daughters, as well as my nephew who lives in nearby Detroit. But none of those are the reason why I went to such lengths to eat at Peridot.

I went because my youngest nephew is a chef at Peridot. He has a fierce and fiery passion for cooking, this nephew of mine, and I could think of no better way to support him and cheer him on than to show up in person and eat his food. When he came out of the kitchen and saw us sitting nearby, you can't imagine the smile that lit up his face. 

I don't often travel 2,200 miles for my dinner. But I'd do it all again just to see my nephew, the chef, smile.

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Photo credits to my first-born.

I was too busy eating. 

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How lucky am I to have two chefs in the family?! 

Read about my two brilliant nephews who love to cook.

Dinner At Peridot

Dinner At San Fermo