Côte de Bouef Prix Fixe Dinner at CDP Bar
Although it has been almost two months since I had the Côte de Boeuf dinner at CDP Bar in Oakland, I remember it very well. The meal itself was special, but it was also a special celebration of my best friend’s birthday. CDP Bar is the cocktail lounge that connects to Commis, the Michelin 2-Star restaurant by Chef James Syhabout.
A limited number of Côte de Boeuf meals are available daily by making a Resy reservation and paying in advance through their website. It’s priced at about $100 per person. The 5 course prix fixe menu is essentially served family style and centered around a 30 day dry-aged beef steak as the main dish.
The first course was a fun trio of deliciousness. There was a bowl of popcorn that was flavored with butter, dashi seasoning, and lime that was addicting. This creative popcorn seasoning was so good that the both of us have been recreating this on our own ever since. A side of warm olives marinated in Meyer lemon was also served which was nice to snack on. We were each presented with a raw oyster topped with smoked trout roe served in a lovely bowl of juices. It was a well balanced bite that I happily slurped down.
Course two was a beautiful salad of gem lettuces and shaved vegetables, pistachio, and mint tossed with a Meyer lemon yogurt dressing. The simple fresh salad had me anticipating what was yet to come.
The third course is Chef Syhabout’s famous slow poached egg yolk with smoked dates, onions, crispy steal-cut oats and chives. Watching Chef Syhabout demonstrate how it’s made on the tv show, The Mind of a Chef, makes you feel quite special to be able to enjoy it. This rich bowl of indulgence is matched with the house made levain and chicken skin butter. The levain is the same as what is served at Commis and still remains the best ever. If you have had their levain, you know what I’m talking about.
The main course, the 30 day dry-aged beef steak was topped with spring vegetables and accompanied by a side of potatoes. The perfectly seasoned and crusted medium rare steak melted in my mouth. Now I wasn’t feeling just special, I was feeling fortunate.
The final dessert course was rhubarb with shaved strawberries on a white chocolate bombe. The seasonal dessert was a balance of sweet and tart as well as creamy and textural. It was a great ending to a very special dinner.
About half the price of dinner at Commis, the Côte de Boeuf dinner at CDP Bar still allows you to enjoy some of the innovation and flavors of Chef Syhabout. You might even be lucky to be in his presence. (Chef Syhabout ended up serving us one of our dishes.)
