Sitting down for dinner!

Appetizers are long gone and it is time to sit down for dinner.

The table setting is really fabulous and it is extra special with the red balloons floating on top.  I have the impression we are at a special Chinese wedding dinner.

Waiting for everyone to take a seat...

Okay so you have seen Iron chef Huyen in action in the Kitchen now it is time to show the final presentation of her fantastic dish!

Cucumber/tomato/Mix green salad served with Cua Rang Mui (Vietnamese Salt Toasted Crab) and sautéed spot shrimp.

For those of you who do not cook the dish look might look simple but it took Huyen 3 days to complete it.

Day 1- going shopping- she had to go to the store numerous trips time because she keeps forgetting to buy a few ingredients (shopping for ingredients is a full time job)

Day 2- Cooking the crabs ( total of 8 crabs) and then removing the shells which took  at least a few hours.

Day 3- Preparing the salad, marinating the spot prawns, cooking and serving.

This is not counting 2 weekend of dry runs to try out the recipe,  having input from Spencer and Phuc, and making adjustment to the final presentation!

Kudos for Huyen for a fantastic dish!

VOTED: BEST DISH FOR ASPIRING IRON CHEF! + A FOR EFFORT!

Mui's Vang long bat Buu dish (10 hours of simmering)-Abalone, mushrooms-with salted dried pork meat, chicken feet and shredded dried scallops sauce.

VOTED: LONGEST PREPARATION DISH FOR AN ASPIRING IRON CHEF!

Here we are raising our glass for aspiring chef Huyen and Chef Mui after savoring their dishes.

Hanh is already a chef so she does not qualify to be an aspiring Iron chef!  Tonight she is serving her tasty Bistro Jeanty's Cream of Tomato Soup in Puff Pastry.

This tomato soup is fantastic, it has a creamy and smooth texture, covered with a classic golden Brown puff pastry, and is perfect for gatherings on cold evenings!

Cheers to great food, great company and great wine!

Now it is Chef Tuan turn to serve his dishes!

Oven roasted Pork Loin-Amazingly tender and juicy.

Tuan ordered 60 Macaroons (2 per person) from a friend makes macaroons as a side business.  They are gorgeous and she did a very good job packaging them.

She charged $2 a pop so what you see here cost $60 bucks!

Pretty steep you might say but this is a special occasion and we deserve the best of the best!

As dinner was over and plates were cleared out... I gather the shiny little hearts, Happy birthday word, red ribbons, heart lollipops that was part of the decoration.

Next.. Cake/opening the gifts