The Sunday before Smoke’s Tim Byres began his Rogue Sessions, he wanted to try out the new grill he’d be using all week. So, he threw a BYOM – Bring Your Own Meat – party in Blagden Alley outside the restaurant. The concept was simple: anyone could stop by with some steak, chicken, shrimp, baby back pork, ribs, whatever, and the Dallas-based chef would throw it on the burners. The BBQ was a success – a few dozen people showed up with an impressive selection of carne, Byres gave impromptu cooking demos while people contentedly demolished whatever he made. And the stainless steel grill from Grillworks was smoke-stained and battle-hardened by the end.

But how would this rustic, Texas-sized cuisine translate into the refined and restrained Rogue 24 format? And how would Byres’ dishes stand alongside Cooper’s creations?

I’m still wondering about this as I walk down the brick-lined alley for my second week hanging out at Rogue 24 for Rogue Sessions. As I approach the entrance, I catch a whiff of smoke from the wood-fired grill. It’s bucolic and beckoning, a warm reminder of the campfire cooking my father and I used to do on childhood fishing trips. It’s not what you expect at a limited edition tasting menu dinner, but I immediately feel at home.

1^st course

House fried rice/duck/vegetables/soy/sesame

The evening begins with a minibar-sized bottle of housemade hickory smoked cola that is gone all-too-quickly. This is followed by RJ’s take on Chinese carryout, a crispy crunchy mix that recalls the multitude of textures in Indian chivda.

2^nd course

Kimchi “pork” rinds/smoked trout remoulade

This three-bite delight is equally crackly, poppy and salty. The flash-fried kimchi is truly delightful and would certainly lessen the pain if I ever went over to the Dark Side (i.e., became a vegetarian).

 

3^rd course

Pizza paper/ricotta/basil/tomato

I enjoyed this deconstructed za at last week’s dinner and I’m equally impressed this time around. The sun-dried tomato base, olive oil powder, ricotta salata and micro basil now tastes less Neapolitan and more like a square slice of upstate New York pizza, which prides itself on its thick, tomato paste-y sauce.

 

4^th course

Yogurt/eggplant/benne/sumac

Another favorite from last week appears again. Now it’s paired with a 2009 Gilbert Picq Chablis with crisp anise notes and a tingly mineral finish, a great Mediterranean-styled complement to the dish.

 

***5^th course

Oyster/scampi butter/ash salsa

Finally, our first taste of Tim Byres’ cooking. A single Rappahannock oyster is grilled open, then topped with delightfully smoky ash salsa and a chorizo breadcrumb that has a tingly black pepper finish. It’s gone in a gulp, but I could eat them all day. I look down at my watch to see how long we’ve been eating; we’re only 20 minutes into the meal.

6^th course

Urchin/lava/coral/seaweed/brackish water

Served on a square glass trivet, this course has been slightly reimagined from the previous week’s presentation. There is no brackish water in evidence, which allows the sweetness of the uni to shine. An excellent decision.

 

7^th course

Swordfish/mortared scales/cara cara orange/samphire

Whereas last week’s swordfish was meaty and hearty, this preparation transforms it into a dainty and delicate bite. The tempura-fried sprig of sea-kissed samphire on top is a fun touch, too.

 

***8^th course

Mackerel/fennel sausage/lemon anchovy butter

It’s just after 7 PM when this course from Tim Byres’ recipe file appears. The smoky mackerel is well crisped outside, but tender inside. The homemade chorizo from Chef’s personal stock back in Texas adds a flash of heat, while the acidity of the lemon lingers pleasantly after the last bite.

 

9^th course

Green cabbage/clam/turnips/ham

Chef Byres stops by the table to introduce this dish and chat. He remarks that Rogue 24 reminds him of cooking at home, because everyone sits around the kitchen waiting for the food to be served. This surf-meets-turf concoction features the ham upfront, much to the chagrin of this clam lover.

 

10^th course

Pickled beet/crudités/horseradish vinegar

Though this is a Byres creation, it feels like he’s trying to pull an RJ. It’s essentially a salad with a lot of small parts that never add up to create the kind of flavorful wow that the Dallas chef’s earlier successes exhibited.

 

11^th course

Fermented cucumber/pork jowl/chilies

We’re only an hour into dinner when we’re presented with this Byres standard. “How can you not love pork?” my dining companion asks. I can’t answer, because my mouth is full of pig. How indeed?

 

12^th course

Seafood posole/hominy/aromatics

The server whisks off the lid to reveal a bowl of deconstructed Mexican posole soup. Usually, the stock is thicker, but this version opts for a lighter touch. The chewy kernels of ruby red and yellowy hominy bring a refreshing flash of color to the proceedings.

 

***13^th course

Foie gras/onion marmalade/dill toast

Though Bryan Voltaggio’s foie gras was impeccable, this may trump it. The blackened charcoal on the grilled toast perfectly offsets the sweetness of the foie mixed with the briny ham jelly and sweet onion marmalade that top it off. Genius!

 

14^th course

Sweetbread/oxtail/kale

There’s a scattering of Tim Byres’ coffee salt on this course, which is a highlight element. Like last week’s bacon powder, I want a can full of this spice rack standout. Dear Rogue 24, please open a gourmet market, so I can take all this goodness home!

 

15^th course

Gumbo/andouille/smoked chicken/okra

A single circle of pepper-spiked andouille sausage steals the show. It’s just one of the many meats that Byres brought with him from Dallas. He and his sous chef packed up a pair of refrigerated crates to carry on the plane instead of luggage. That’s dedication right there.

 

16^th course

Snails/ham/potato/trumpets

The 2004 Beronia Rioja cuts right through the richness of the snails and the brininess of the ham consommé cubes. A thoughtful match-up.

 

17^th course

Guinea fowl dumpling/duck fat/parsley

We are approaching the two-hour mark when this Asian-inspired dish arrives. The dumpling sits in a pool of garlic puree, accompanied by a translucent shard of chicken skin. Cilantro helps lift up the guinea fowl’s flavor, which could use the boost.

 

***18^th course

Cabrito/masa/goat’s milk/salsa verde

This is the perfect marriage of Byres’ flavors and Rogue’s style. Chef personally introduces this course: masa-wrapped shredded goat that sits in a pool of dulce de leche-like reduced goat’s milk scattered with tiny cubes of tart apple. These accoutrements slice through the gaminess of the mutton, while adding an unexpected sweetness and acidity. I’m floored. Hello, favorite dish of the evening.

 

19^th course

Ox tongue/sour dough/mostarda/bitter herbs

The liquid bread adds yeastiness, while the cherry mostarda brings a sweet ‘n’ tart bite to the tender tongue. It was a winner week one and I scrape the plate clean for the second week, too.

 

20^th course

Pig/cabbage/juniper/apple vinegar

It’s a little before 9 and I’m starting to slow down. I’m not full, but I’m almost there. My friend seems even fuller as he remarks, “I have no idea how you do what you do.” When this course arrives though, it’s hard for either of us to say no.

 

***21^st course

Pimento/cheddar/red pepper

This deep fried pimento cheese croquette in a puddle of tomatillo sauce ain’t fancy, but it’s damn good. Perfect as an hors d’oeuvre at a Southern cocktail party, a game day snack or a hangover cure.

 

22^nd course

Coconut/green mango/cilantro/peanut butter

Thai-inspired and barely sweet, this first dessert course wows with its simplicity. There’s not much talking for the next couple of minutes as my companion and I scrape the bottom of our bowls to make sure that we get every element into every spoonful.

 

23^rd course

Peanut butter/chocolate/jelly/milk

A special piña colada is interjected into the dessert course. An encapsulated cherry sits in a snowy field of coconut flakes, shattered pineapple and shards of lime. I fish out the cherry sphere to let it dissolve on my tongue into a flood of tart juice. Then I pour a shooter full of boozy ginger over the white fields of the reimagined cruise ship classic. Alternately sipping and scooping, I polish off the cocktail quickly, so I can move on to RJ’s PB&J, which was delivered in the interim. I loved this dessert the first time I had it and my respect has only grown. The toast powder on the plate recalls the salted corn flakes at Momofuku Milk Bar in the best way possible.

 

24^th course

Happy endings/little things/small bites

Three tiny goodbyes complete the meal. This week’s favorite is a mousse-cookie combo that tastes like Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Festivities conclude at 10 PM, a full hour shorter than last week’s proceedings. Putting on my jacket, I head out into the cold. A block away, I get a scent of a grill working overtime. This time, it’s me that smells like smoke.

 

Get tickets now for next week’s Rogue Session with Spike Gjerde of Baltimore’s Woodberry Kitchen.

To give live updates about my Rogue Sessions tastings, please follow me on Twitter @nevinmartell.

Read my play-by-play post on Bryan Voltaggio’s Rogue Session.