A Tantalizing Experience for Your Taste Buds and Senses
The Colibri Collective believes food is a way for friends, families and communities to come together, connect and celebrate. Growing up, food was the center of all our family gatherings. In recent years, the dining experience for many has shifted. Becoming quick meals, an instagrammable moment, or simply nonexistent for people because of lack of time. In efforts to bring back the appreciation for food and community, Chef Ivan Jacobo of 319 Hidden Kitchen, has created a unique culinary experience meant to connect people to people and to the food he masterfully prepares through pop-up dinners. Here are the three reasons The Colibri Collective is obsessed with 319 Hidden Kitchen:
The Experience: Everything about 319 Hidden Kitchen is an experience and an adventure of sorts – the location, time, menu and other guests are completely unknown. 319 Hidden Kitchen is a pop-up dinner experience that is held at several interesting and unique locations at random times in Phoenix. From art galleries, roof tops, public areas, backyards and private homes, these pop-up dinners can literally pop-up anywhere. The only way to find out about these dinners, which are usually held on Fridays and Saturdays, is through their newsletter and Instagram profile. Each dinner hosts anywhere from 12 to 22 people.
2. The Food: At this particular dinner, which was held at Bentley Art Gallery, the experience was a perfect combination of visual and culinary appeal. As the six-course meal started to be served, Chef Ivan would begin by giving a brief explanation of each dish prior to serving his guests. The meal began with a sourdough bread and a perfectly smooth and creamy salted butter carved into a rose. The second dish was a truffle ricotta stuffed tortellini in a tomato tea-based sauce. Next came a roasted chicken in corn pudding with farro ragout. Then came the most amazing cut of roasted rib-eye, seasoned with his own concoction of decadent spices accompanied by parmesan-crusted asparagus. Although this dish appeared to be simple, the flavors, presentation, and perfectly cooked rib-eye was out of this world – a dish not easily forgotten. The next two, which we would categorize both as desserts were as opposite, unique and as visually perfect as could be. The first was a roasted apricot confit with spiced granola, pickled onion and vanilla bubbles and the final plate was a 40 second lemon cake drizzled with a salted caramel toffee sauce, pickled apples and mascarpone. Oh, and of course there was wine and even a special treat to take home – macaroons and a lovely note.
3. The Connection: Needless to say, after this meal our taste buds were deeply satisfied. However, we would be amiss to forego mentioning this simple yet often overlooked ingredient most of us don’t come across often – a conversation with a complete stranger. Looking around the table we knew no one, yet the flow of the conversation around the table was as if everyone was amongst friends. It felt natural, light, welcoming and almost as if every soul at that table was in search of it and found it at the perfect time.
This is an experience not easily savored through words, it must be had firsthand. Chef Ivan Jacobo is a mastermind that will continue making an immense impact in the Phoenix Valley and on the culinary industry.
*At the bottom of the menu there was this lovely note:
Life is sweet.
Just because of the friends we have made,
And the things which in common we share;
We want to live on, not because of ourselves,
But because of the people who care.
It’s giving and doing for somebody else –
On that, all life’s splendor depends…
And the joy of this world,
When you’ve summed it all up,
Is found in the making of friends.
B.J. Morbitzer
https://www.319hiddenkitchen.com/
Instagram: @319HiddenKitchen
Facebook: 319HiddenKitchen