A Private Dinner Party by La Cuisine

Friday night, a few of us Sayulita locals got together to enjoy a meal. Rather than go out to a restaurant, we had Xander Hermans, a private chef at La Cuisine, cook for us in the privacy of one of our homes.

We gathered at a table in the garden, next to passion fruit vines, flowers, and tropical plants. The table was large and rectangular, with a fire pit down the center. When it was lit, flames could be seen above the rocks, adding a wonderful ambiance and warmth to the cool evening.  Music played softly in the background, adding to the relaxed vibe.

I had been looking forward to partaking in a meal made by Xander, as I’d heard rave reviews.  Xander first started his professional career in the food industry ten years ago, when he opened his first restaurant. As head chef at a trendy, Asian-inspired lounge in Belgium, he featured sushi and Thai-inspired dishes. Upon opening his second restaurant, his cooking evolved to Asian-fusion cuisine. Currently, his focus is European fusion with an oriental touch, using only local, fresh ingredients that can be found in Sayulita or the surrounding areas.

Xander served us a mouthwatering, seven course meal that almost makes me drool just thinking about it. The courses were as follows:

1. Breaded mushrooms with red wine onions
2. Soy ginger tuna tartare
3. Fettuccine  with fresh tuna, lemon zest and fresh basil oil
4. Pork, jalapeno and honey kabobs, as well as arrachera, bacon, and prune kabobs
5. Fresh tuna with butter soy sauce and basmati rice cooked in jamaica tea
6. Smoked rib eye with garlic chips and panko fries
7. Lavender panna cotta with raspberry coulis

The second course, the tuna tartare, made with sushi grade tuna caught fresh that morning, was one of my personal favorites. The tuna had a butter-like texture that melted in my mouth and the combination of tuna tartar on fried rice paper, topped with chips of nori was out of this world.

I also loved the pork kabobs, which were a nice twist on traditional kabobs, and were served with extra jalapeno dipping sauce, which I could have happily eaten with a spoon.

All of the courses were served on hand cut slate that looked both elegant, yet also contemporary.  Each presentation was impressive and I could tell that Xander took his time to carefully make each course a work of art. To him, it’s not just about serving a delicious meal; It’s also about creating beauty.

My only complaint is with myself: For eating too much. All of the food was so delicious that I gobbled it down. By the time dessert came around, which was absolutely delightful, my stomach couldn’t handle any more food. I teased that if I could, I’d shove the dessert in my pockets for later.

Xander is available for everything from upscale, high end dinner parties to casual, pool side barbeque parties. Both the gourmet menu and the barbecue menu look absolutely scrumptious.

He will also be cooking at Festival Sayulita in the VIP tent January 14^th through January 18^th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Stop by and try the tuna tartare!

If you would like to experience Xander’s cooking for yourself in Sayulita, contact Xander at La Cuisine.