The table across from us had been keeping generally the same pace as us, and their next course arrived first. We smelled the place setting for this dish before we actually saw it. Joy and I immediately yelled, "lavendar!", but there was also something caramelly-smokey going on, too.
We watched as fluffy linen pillows were placed before each diner. As each dish was set down atop them, wispy tendrils of heavenly-scented vapor escaped from little pinholes in the pillow, and added something really special to the dish.
The food? House-made silken tofu, with a texture like pudding. Fried ham, toothsome and salty. Charred pork cheek (or something similar), crisp outside, meaty and tender inside. Fried tofu "skin", flavorless but a crispy chicharron-like texture. Yuzu emulsion, to bring it all together and add a beautiful, bright note. All enhanced with that seductive lavender "air".
This dish was another dance of textures. Brilliant.
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