[San Jose] Off-the-menu Yunnan banquet at Chef Z- Sat 7/14, 7pm

Regional Dining Discussions SF Bay Area, NorCal, Tahoe
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Please sign up for the Yunnan banquet here by indicating the number of guests that will be joining the banquet. For ease of counting, and to minimize the amount of logistics work/ email exchange, please edit the third post (the post after the menu) to add your name (forum or real), and the number of “adults or big kids”/ “small kids”.

We’ll use the RSVP count to ask the chef to cook the right amount of food, and you’ll also use this count as a basis to split the bill among your tablemates.

ETA: A reply to this thread is not an RSVP. Only your response on the third post is.

ETA: The menu is in the second post. None of the dishes are on their normal menu.

I am checking with the chef to understand whether we need to source the mushrooms ourselves for the banquet. If so, the mushroom (at cost) will be added to the price of the $299/ table (seats about 10 people). Expect to pay about $40-45/pp after tax, tips, drinks, etc. Please note that the exact cost depends on the exact number of people at your table.

Please bring cash to settle the bill with your tablemates. I want to finalize our headcount (i.e. number of tables) with the chef at least 48 hours before the meal, so if you have a change of RSVP, please be courteous and do so by EOD Wednesday 7/11. Edit your RSVP in post 2, and then reply to ‘doubly-confirm’ that you really mean to change your RSVP.

ETA: Please note that the chef prepares this one-off banquet as a special request, and may need to source ingredients that are not normally used on the menu. Please, as a courtesy to the chef and your fellow diners, don’t back out after the RSVP deadline unless its absolutely necessary.

The restaurant is super casual. For those who don’t know, the restaurant has a separate seating area from the food court’s. Please feel free to bring friends, family, kids, everyone.

Original discussion of the restaurant is here:

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Here’s the menu: $299 for a table of about ten. I am making this a wiki post so if any of you google what the dishes are, please edit the post so you can link the info about the dishes for your fellow diners.

海哥精致出品云南私房菜：

精致套餐$299

凉菜：
1）云南大薄片 yunnan large thin slices of pig scalp
2）鬼火怒
3）绿豆粉 mung bean starch noodles

1）什锦凉米线 assorted cold Mixian noodles
2）云南汽锅鸡 Yunnan steam pot chicken
3）香煎乳饼 fragrant pan fried goat cheese rubing, dish from Lijiang
4）傣味巧拌牛肉 Dai (ethnic group) style savory beef, dish from Xishuangbanna
5）瑞丽酸辣鱼 Ruili (in western Yunnan) hot and sour fish, dish from Xishuangbanna
6）火腿烩松茸 ham braised with matsutake
7）红三剁 red three- red tomatoes, red pork, red pepper
8）普洱茶香美极虾 pu’er tea shrimp
9）五谷丰收 five grain bumper crop
10）老奶洋芋 Yunnan mashed potatoes
11）主食：大救驾
12）豆面汤圆

To edit this post, click the SNAG-0009 button below.

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To edit this post, click the SNAG-0009 button below.

RSVP to the banquet:

Name, Number of Adult/ Big kids, Number of small kids

sck, 1, 0
jiaozi (Greyson), 2, 0
hyperbowler, 2, 0
Therese, 1, 0
Yimster, 1, 0
charliemyboy, 1, 0
psb: 1
maoliu (Vicky), 4,0
Matt, 1,0

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@hyperbowler @yimster, I’ve moved your RSVP here. Please check to ensure accuracy. All, I’ve removed your original replies to avoid confusion.

1 Like
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Updated wiki with myself and all of those who have posted responses up to this point. Thanks for organizing!

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An interesting article about Yunnan food. Here we talk like Yunnan is one cuisine. There they have so many ethnic minority groups that there is a large diversity of food. Note the chef was born in Kunming.

More:

1 Like
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Sorry sck, I am double booked. I have to pass. I am going to be master of the grill that night.

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sck, I was able to find a replacement for the grill and should be able to attend so put me back on.

Thanks looking forward to joining you.

yimster

2 Likes
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I spoke with the chef today, and he said the menu covers 3 types of Yunnan food: Lijiang (3), Xishuangbanna (4, 5) and Kunming (pretty much the other ones). He’d take care of sourcing the mushroom for the 6th dish. He showed me a picture of a mushroom that his Yunnan friend said they have seen at Whole Foods. I don’t know the name of that mushroom (and was surprised that WF has something non-mainstream) and I am asking him to send the picture over. He said if we have that mushroom or a similar one, he can whip something up.

He also said that friend goes to the mountains to forage for mushrooms every year. Now that’s Yunnan spirit. :slight_smile:

1 Like
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Thanks for figuring out the system for the rest of us!!

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So the chef’s pal told him that another mushroom- porcini- is currently on sale at $19.99/ lb at WF San Mateo, and works well with Yunnan dishes. I ask him what he can do with it. He said he’s going to check it out and get back to us.

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So wish I could partake but I have a paintball tournament that I’m required to attend (Hubby is a professional paintball player). Thank you so much for organizing this experience.

1 Like
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Thanks for organizing. Adding to save my seat.

I notice that we have ten diners, including myself, already. Is there any capacity to take more? I may have 2-3 friends joining (Will know by Wednesday early afternoon).

Have been a lurker in recent years on both CH and here. Can’t wait to reconnect.

3 Likes
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sck – this sounds great and a unique opportunity, really wish I could make it but am already booked for 7/14. I traveled once to Kunming and Lijiang. Really look forward to your HO summaries afterwards!

1 Like
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I will ask the chef. From my perspective we can just ask him to cook more and we pay more. either we sit closer at one table, or we divide into two tables. Either way I don’t see why not. I will let you know.

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The chef says it’s fine so your friends are more than welcome to join.

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For customized meals like this one where the chef has to invest in effort and finance ahead of time to make the meal happen, we ask that the attendees pay a deposit in advance to mitigate the impact of potential no-shows (unfortunately, it has happened before). This is usual practice for such meals so I hope you will understand. The deposit will be applied to the final bill paid to the restaurant.

I will send the details separately. Thanks for understanding.

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sck - awesome. Updated the RSVP to total of 4, including myself.

1 Like
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thank you for organizing. Just added myself to the RSVP list. Please let me know if I replied too late to be added to the group.

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It should be fine. I will just tell the chef. Please see my separate message about the deposit. thanks.