JOURNAL SENTINEL
April 1, 2010

Dinners served with drama

By Carol Deptolla

Nothing says "Look at me!" like a leaping flame or a long, razor-sharp knife.

Bring on the flambé, I say. The only thing better than the whiff of rum used to ignite dessert is the whiff of danger that comes with it.

Usually at dinner, you expect to gaze at your companions, the surroundings in the restaurant - maybe a view, if you're lucky.

But sometimes a little something extra grabs your eye. It's dinner and a show, without the full-blown stage spectacle - a little tableside food preparation, maybe with some fire. Mmm, fire good.

Dishes that provide added interest - maybe even drama - to the meal are all around. Here are some to get you started.

Tableside guacamole and plantains Foster CHARRO

The makings for guacamole roll up to the table on a cart, along with the necessary implements: a molcajete, the Mexican mortar; a knife; wooden spoons.

The cook will ask how you like your guacamole - mild, medium or spicy - before getting to work, adding red onion, jalapeño, salt and ground black pepper to the mortar. He thoroughly squeezes the juice from a lime, then purposefully begins pulverizing the mixture.

Next, he perforates perfectly ripe avocados with a knife and squeezes the flesh into the mortar. Mashing the ingredients with two large wooden spoons, he quickly produces perfect guacamole: mostly light and creamy, but with some chunks of avocado for texture. A quick sprinkle of white onion, tomato and queso fresco, and the appetizer is ready to eat.

For dessert Monday through Thursday, Charro in Brookfield has a riff on the iconic New Orleans dessert of bananas Foster, made with plantains instead ($8). Blue flames reach 4 or 5 inches up from the cart's burner, heating a skillet and melting the butter within. In goes ripe plantain, sliced lengthwise, and brown sugar, the sugar melting and melding with the butter. The cook tips in the rum and lets a flame lick it - poof! - and lights it a second time.

The plantain is arranged in a starburst on a plate, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and lashed with caramel. Dessert is served.

Charro Tacos & Tequila, two locations: 729 N. Milwaukee St., (414) 431-5557; 17800 W. Blue Mound Road, Brookfield, (262) 782-7253. www.charrorestaurante.com.

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