One Last Chance to Eat Rob Marzinsky's Food

Last month, word got out that chef Rob Marzinsky was leaving his post at Fitler Dining Room, and the loss was keenly felt. At the time, there were few details about where he was headed, though he did say he had "something planned" here before heading off to do some traveling.

Now, we hear, Marzinsky is about ready to take off to stage in Bangkok, Singapore, and Australia, and we have all the details on that "something" he's involved with before saying goodbye.

Along with friends Ian Chapin (who designed FDR's lovely dining room) and Steva Casey (a bartender from Birmingham, Alabama who puts on pop-ups under the name SwingShift), Marzinsky will host DemoTapes, a series of dinners upstairs at Barbuzzo for three nights next week, on February 25, 26, and 27. Casey and Chapin will contribute some of what they know best (cocktails and music, respectively) to pair with Marzinsky's cooking.

The family-style dinner includes five courses plus a handful of snacks to start, for $65 per person with an optional $40 cocktail pairing. Seatings are available at 6:45 and 8:45 p.m. all three nights; see the full menu below and email tapesdemo@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

While we've got our fingers crossed that he'll eventually return to Philly, Marzinsky's post-travel plans have yet to be decided. So for now, consider this your last best shot to get a taste of the chef's skills.

DemoTapes Menu

(All courses will be served family-style to be shared)

Soundcheck (Snacks)

"Lobster Roll" - lobster roe gougére, shrimp salad

Celery Root - black walnut, Birchrun Blue, apple butter

Fried Oyster - chicken salad, Rick Nichols' pepper hash

Crispy Parsnip - "escargot butter," parsley, black garlic

Cocktail: Spending Warm Summer Days Indoors
(house-made rose vermouth, brandy and rosemary Demarara syrup)

Track 1 (First Course)

Pierogi - "Soupe à  L'oignon" - caramelized onions, raclette, onion and soy broth

Track 2 (Second Course)

Albacore Tuna with fried broccoli, tonnato sauce, peanut and celery leaf

and

Warm Day Boat Scallops with browned butter, celery root and apple rémoulade, sea urchin and jalapeño

Cocktail: Let the Broken-hearted Love Again (Sherry Darlin')
(Bowmore scotch, sherry, Cynar and Byrrh)

Track 3 (Third Course)

Roasted Sunchokes: with glazed La Ratte potatoes, chive, smoked trout roe, potato skins and sunchoke chips

and

Fried Buttermilk Chicken: with liver mousse, pickled carrot and mushrooms, sesame, buttermilk biscuit, jalapeño vinaigrette

Track 4 (Main)

"Curry" - Massaman Thai curry with North Carolina shrimp, sweet potato, lemongrass, served with Carolina Gold Rice, and cabbage "som tum thai"

Cocktail: A Jumped Up Pantry Boy
(pisco, lemon carrot/turmeric shrub, Galliano, sparkling wine and Peychaud's)

Outro (Dessert)

Vietnamese Coffee: bitter coffee pots de crème with soymilk dulce de leche and Carolina Gold Rice pudding