Experience the New TASTING Series at Prime Stamford (sponsored post)

Earlier this week a few of us from the CTBites team made our now seasonal pilgrimage to Prime in Stamford. This time to experience the restaurant’s new TASTING menu.

The summit of cuisine at Prime, the TASTING series is a re-imagined experience in dining. Small tastes are presented in a unique rhythm and play to Chef’s sensibilities on a weekly basis.  In what feels like a restaurant within a restaurant, TASTING places you in the inner sanctum of the kitchen, with the Chef as your guide. The four course TASTING menu is a truly unique table experience.

Each week Chef hand selects items inspired by the season. “The dishes I prepare are definitely centered around seasonality, what is in peak season at the moment. Seasonality also influences the kinds of dishes I prepare; including more legumes and grains during the fall and winter and light vegetable centric cuisine in spring/summer.” Says Chef Julio. He explained to me that he might also be inspired by what he sees at the market on a particular day. “I might go looking for one ingredient, but see something else that catches my attention instead.” And with that a new menu is imagined, created and beautifully executed. I liken this new TASTING menu to a fresh palette of paint. Here Chef is the painter masterfully creating his own work of art. 

We began our tasting with a beautiful Ceviche comprised of tuna, salmon, calamari, shrimp, salmon roe and paper thin Japanese sweet potato slices dressed in a roasted jalapeño sauce. In a bowl varying hues of pink orange so beautiful you almost don’t want to disturb still life image before you, but the supplest pieces of fish lightly dressed in all of the jalapeño flavor with none of the heat allowing the freshness of the seafood to stand on its own.

Next we experienced the New York Strip Prime (above). Aged 21 days and accompanied by a bed of forbidden black rice with tofu and edamame dressed in ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, hoisin and a tamarind glaze. A beautifully prepared steak with a nicely seared exterior yields to a pink, tender bite. The portions are on point – there’s not so much that you’ll be too full for the next plate and not so little that you’ll be left wondering, “where’s the beef?” 

The Halibut with Crab Tortelloni is a perfect example of Chef’s mastery of flavor, texture and presentation. An oversized tortolloni shell filled with tender crabmeat, topped with caviar accompanied by a nicely portioned slice of halibut, an incredibly light lemon butter, served with butternut squash, celery root and accompanied by the most beautiful Perigord truffle shavings. 

But what’s a tasting without dessert? We were privy to try two. One, a cleverly reimagined Candy Apple made from cream, white chocolate and an apple cider compote that chef so creatively managed to resemble an actual candied apple. A small scoop of Granny Smith gelato was served on the side. 

For us, however, the real piece de resistance was his White Chocolate Semifreddo. A piece of art we almost hated to bite in to. The dessert featured a golden chocolate orb that once cracked open revealed the decadent semifreddo. Dulce de leche, salted caramel gelato and a dark chocolate tuile left us positively speechless. 

This TASTING menu will be available for the next couple of weeks or so until Chef unleashes another spectacular vision. 

Chef Julio Genao’s personal style shines through in this new menu. Drawn from his experience working at top NYC restaurants such as Casa Nonna, Tabla and Aurora Ristorante, Chef Julio brings his signature style to the table each week with artistic renditions, flavor nuances and dramatic and complex desserts. The intimate, picturesque waterfront dining room sets the stage for this enigmatic dining experience, comprised of a succession of 4-6 courses that must be experienced by the entire table.  PP price is determined by the menu and can change weekly. Pairing are available by request. TASTING is soulful and emotional. Flavors connect in harmony and you are left with a sensory experience that is at once visual and flavorful.   With TASTING, the Chef is the artist, the plate; his canvas.  

Prime first opened its doors during the summer of 2016. Defined by both innovative departures and classic dishes, Prime offers a curated raw bar, world-class sushi and USDA Prime 21-day dry aged beef paired with enhancements as well as classic steakhouse side dishes and fantastic modern creations. There is no skipping dessert either, with layered s’more’s or movie theater sundaes on the menu.

With over 750 labels, the floor to ceiling enclosure has separate temperatures for white and red wines. Every Wednesday, look for our price fixed Wednesday Night Wine Dinners. 
TASTING is available Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays from November to April.  Details and reservations here.