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Lovers of haute cuisine are in luck, and doubly so. CuliAir Sky Dining is a gastronomic experience in a hot air balloon that also serves haute cuisine. It is the world’s first restaurant in a hot air balloon. So if you are one of those who like to eat with good views, high flights and want to literally travel through the palate, this peculiar restaurant in the Netherlands will be your next stop.
CuliAis Sky Dining has been flying in the Dutch sky for 20 years now. In 2003, chef Angélique Schmeinck, a benchmark in Dutch cuisine, decided to carry out an ambitious project: to prepare delicious dishes during a hot air balloon ride. The premise was to use the balloon as a huge convection oven. To carry out this eye-catching experiment, she created an ingenious pulley construction, through which the dishes are transported to the crown of the balloon envelope in special steel oven baskets, where they are cooked. After cooking, the dishes are hoisted into the kitchen, where they receive a live cooking finish.
What does this high-altitude gastro experience include?
This exclusive experience can be enjoyed by 5 to 10 people each way. The total price is about 475 euros and, in total, lasts about 4 or 5 hours. The package includes the balloon ride (lasting about an hour and a half), an aperitif on arrival plus dinner during the trip, as well as a champagne baptism and dessert on landing, among other things.
For such a special occasion, Angélique Schmeinck has prepared a menu to match. With seasonal ingredients, flavors and aromas of the highest quality, the Dutch chef has designed a series of dishes specially developed for low temperature hot air balloon cooking, and all come paired with sublime wines.
Among the delicacies you can taste in heaven, the menu includes lobster with roasted red bell pepper, salicornia, avocado, lettuce hearts and lime mousse; wild sea bass with wild asparagus, carrot cream with clams, fennel and tarragon with saffron and cardamom sauce; or country guinea fowl prepared with Vadouvan spices, summer harvest mushrooms, white asparagus, watercress mayonnaise and pistachio. The sweet touch is provided by the white chocolate and passion fruit mousse with crunchy rainbow meringue, raspberry and basil syrup.
Would you dare to try a hot air balloon dinner with this restaurant?