Located inside one of the most opulent palace hotels in Paris, Le Cinq has always been a popular restaurant especially among wealthy foreign businessmen and tourists staying inside the Four Seasons hotel. Despite its popularity, even during Philippe Legendre's period as the executive chef and his replacements after, Le Cinq never received the "respect" at the level of Pierre Gagnaire or Guy Savoy. It has always been the ambition of the hotel's owner to have its flagship restaurant to be the city's best with 3-star Michelin (and 5-toque of Gault-Millau). Things changed for the better when Christian Le Squer left Ledoyen and almost immediately recruited by the hotel to lead Le Cinq. He 'only' had to focus his role as the head chef of the V restaurant. About 2 yeas later, all of the dreams above were attained. Given Chef Le Squer's tremendous talent and vast experiences, the achievements were kind of expected. He probably had 30-40 people in his kitchen at his disposal. This actually was my 2nd meal at Le Cinq and was even better than the 1st dinner (Le Cinq Spring 2017). It was remarkable as Christian was not around on that evening and the kitchen was entrusted to Romain Mauduit, chef de cuisine who has been working under Le Squer since 2006. Yet, I did not notice any drop in (food) quality.
The meal took place on a Sunday night when I just arrived in Paris earlier in the evening. After having check-in to the hotel and done a few errands, I reached FS George V hotel nearly 9 o'clock and certainly was the last guest showing up at the restaurant. Given its reputation and top service, the staffs encouraged me to relax, settle down and not too worry about the time. They said I could still order an Epicurean escape (8-course menu) if I wanted to but I declined the kind offer since I did not want to stay until after midnight. Additionally, most of the dishes I loved to try were not available in that current Winter tasting menu. My dinner started with some snacks such as warm & pleasant comte and black truffle 'millefeuille', truffle ball with egg yolk as well as pear with fennel. The amuse-bouche was poached egg with spinach and bechamel sauce, tasted like a healthy food but nothing too special. My order of a la carte dishes of the night were the following,
Concentré iodé ; extrait de Litchi / Saint Jacques à cru ; tarama givré d’oursins (Iodized flavors of slightly marinated Scallops with lychee and frosted Sea urchins) - Before my 1st official dish arrived, the maitre d' kindly gave this complimentary dish. I often saw this 'cold appetizzer' on the menu. Chilled and tasty scallops with tropical & sweet lychee 'sauce' as well as briny & rather creamy uni. Refreshing and very pleasant ... there were a few crunchy items for the texture contrast. Summer might be a more ideal time to enjoy this dish, but of course I gladly finish these seafood.
Grillade de Noix de Saint-Jacques a l'eau de parmesan / ecorces de racines (Grilled Scallops scented with Parmesan and root vegetables) - 2 remarkably plump and juicy scallops with their inherent sweet flavors were perfectly cooked. The scallops were served with crispy roasted wood of salsify while the tasty sauce containing olive tapenade. The addition of earthy black truffles elevated the already delicious dish to even higher level. Brittany seafood has always been the specialty of Christian Le Squer ...
Accompanied by wine: 2015 Saint-Aubin 1er cru, forgot the domaine (liquorice nose, elegant palate, little oak note .. young wine but already good to drink)
Pièce de Turbot contise à la Truffe macération de cresson / nashi (Grilled fillet of Turbot and Black truffle with watercress and Japanese pear) - The Turbot was actually cooked a la plancha. The quality was superb and it's fatty ... the fish white flesh was tender and flavorful. The smoked mustard and pear generated some interesting contrast. In the Winter, the earthy black truffle certainly improved the aroma of the dish. Simpler than Le Squer's classic turbot with ratte potatoes, but they're equally fantastic - the dinner was so far so (very) good.
Truffe Noire en gros Morceaux en feuilleté brioche (Black Truffle in puff pastry brioche) - The fragrant and buttery brioche was relatively thin. It's prepared flawlessly to wrap the thick & cooked aromatic black truffle as well as delicate 'steamed' foie gras. The Perigord truffle sauce added luxury feeling and extra flavors without being overwhelming. It's outstanding; it's delicious; it's remarkable. Even after having consumed Scallop and Turbot dishes earlier, I managed to clean this up without any difficulties - consistent explosion of flavors from start to finish!
This brioche was the closest to the perfection of Pacaud's truffle puff pastry ... after having missed it during Christian's days at Ledoyen, eventually I got to savor it at Four seasons. Thankful that he decided to still serve this superb dish at Le Cinq.
Salade d'Hiver truffee (Winter truffle salad) - It was the side dish for the above brioche. The salad was simple, having some vegetables with slightly acidic vinaigrette dressing but ... the truffles were amazing! A mountain of black truffles - never did I served these much shaved truffles - of course, I did not complain. Each byte (almost) guaranteed to have some taste of these black diamonds. Compared to the puff pastry, the truffle here was not as intense. The greens balanced the 'garlicky' mushrooms; it could act as a dish on its own.
Accompanied by wine: 2015 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape (medium body and acidity, rich and fruity, cherries aroma, kinda dry; CNDP often paired well with any black truffle dish)
Before the dessert, the kitchen prepared a palate cleanser consisted of verbena, fresh & not so-sweet ice cream, bitter grapefruit, somewhat sour green apple, milk cream and pop corn.
Baies rouges a la pulpe de vegetal rafraichie, chessecake meringue (Refreshed Berries with cheesecake meringue and fresh herbs) - Light cheesecake with parsley powder on top and fresh cream. For a dessert, this one had minimal sweetness with the berries generated most of the flavors. It's interesting but slightly underwhelming - the risk of trying a new sweet rather than ordering one of Le Squer's classics.
Accompanied by wine: Calvados Pays d'Auge (might be by Boulard; quite smooth with rather long finish, subtle caramel & mint, some apple and honey flavors).
The dinner concluded with some petit four, chocolate trolley and kouign-amann (Breton traditional pastry) with caramelized almonds. It was my first meal during this trip to Paris and it was fabulous. When Christian Le Squer left Ledoyen, at first I thought that his superb cooking would be just a distant memory. I was glad that I was mistaken and I could once again savor his flavorful dishes executed at such high level - near perfection. The wine selection did not disappoint. Since I just reached Paris, I just wanted to drink moderately and the (assistant) sommelier's picks were generally spot on.
The dining room at Le Cinq has always been grandiose. Some of the most striking features were lofty ceiling, extravagant oil paintings / tapestries and of course, the stunning flower displays by Jeff Leatham. Furthermore, there were thick carpets, palm trees, and lavish chandeliers. The dining room, in which many tables faced the hotel's big and often decorated terrace, was dominated by gold color tone. In short, the magnificent decor was very French / Parisian. The level of service was not inferior to its interiors. Staffs performed the right balance of being professional and convivial. Many have been around for several years and were empowered by the hotel to always please the guests. Under the leadership of Christian Le Squer, not few French diners would flock and enjoy the chef's haute cuisine creations. I noticed a couple of big tables occupied by local guests: the first one was a table of 6 young Parisian and the second one was a group of more than a dozen of French middle aged people filled in the farthest end of the dining room, hidden behind several huge vases and their bright flowers (the private room, perhaps?).
This Winter foodie trip was nothing short of amazing. I was blessed
with five meals in Paris performing at the "absolute" 3-star level and
it was one of them. With both Le Cinq and Epicure operating for both lunch and dinner on
Sunday, people should not worry of not having an option to enjoy top French
cooking. Unless something dramatically changed, Le Cinq is in very good hands for the next 1-2 decades. Readers could find the pictures of this meal here Le Cinq Jan '19
Food (and Wine): 97 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 95 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
Showing posts with label black truffle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black truffle. Show all posts
Monday, August 12, 2019
Saturday, July 27, 2019
L'Hotel de Ville Franck Giovannini - 2nd visit
For positive reason(s) or not, Restaurant Hotel de Ville Crissier has become more and more popular - not that it's relatively unknown before. To be the "best" restaurant according to La Liste 2016 and the ability to retain 3-star Michelin + 19/20 of Gault & Millau under 4 different chefs until now are impressive accomplishments. The latest award this place received was the 'best' restaurant from Elite Traveller. A few years after the sudden death of Benoit Violier, finally the full transition to the new owner has been completed. Consistent to the past experiences, the Executive chef of l'Hotel de ville would be the owner as well. Circa the 2nd half of 2018, Franck Giovannini, who has been working under here for about 25 years, officially became the chef-patron of this legendary restaurant after he had bought out the shares of Brigitte Violier. It meant that his wife, Stephanie would soon join and be more involved in the restaurant ... to give some feminine touch perhaps.
Unlike my last visit in 2017, this time I was staying overnight at Lausanne. Thus, I was able to order the (adapted) full tasting menu. Close to 8 PM when I reached the restaurant, apparently I was the last diner to arrive - in Spain / Paris, I would be considered an 'early-bird'. My meal took place on Wednesday, several weeks after the New Year, yet the restaurant was full. As far as I'm concerned, I was definitely the only Asian and possibly the sole customer speaking English ... so yes, most of the guests were locals. I also noticed young children eating during this dinner - a good sign that I could bring my son here in the future. The restaurant has been doing very well, and did not seem to be dependent on the support of foreign tourists. Bravo! I began my meals with some good quality bread - pumpkin, corn and rye. Then the full show of the evening executed with good pacing began,
MENU GASTRONOMIQUE (Gastronomic Menu)
Rafraîchissante effilochée de Dormeur de casier cuisinée aux trois citrons réduction au Dézaley et perles acidulées (Refreshing frayed Crab cooked with three lemons, Dézaley wine sauce with sour pearls) - The Atlantic crab 'white' meat did not have much taste, instead the flavor was derived more from the delicate wine sauce and acidic lemon. There was crunchy carrot surrounded the crab. Overall, it was kinda refreshing but rather ordinary
Huîtres No 3 d’Oléron tièdes au Champagne et caviar Osciètre (Lukewarm Oysters No 3 from Oleron with Champagne and Oscietra caviar) - The high quality Brittany oyster was fresh and juicy with refined taste. It was accompanied by crisp leeks and celery, and enhanced by buttery champagne sauce as well as smooth & almost nutty caviar - very good. It was one of the "famous" dishes at l'Hotel de ville
Accompanied by wine: Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Blanc de Blancs (an in-house label with good flavor, crisp with fine mineral, good pairing with the oyster and scallop)
Noix de Saint-Jacques poêlée aux petits coquillages jus gourmand au Chasselas et caviar Osciètre (Sautéed Sea Scallop served with small shells tasty juice, Chasselas wine and Osciètra caviar) - Carefully seared plump scallop having natural sweetness was outstanding. It was beautifully accompanied by the delicious sauce made from the shell juice and 'white' wine. The caviar nicely provided luxurious yet essential accent to the dish. Another winning dish; each byte was filled with bursting of flavors
Elégant fuseau de Cardons de Crissier aux truffes noires crème légère déglacée au vieux Madère (Elegant cylinder of Cardoons from Crissier with black truffle and a light cream de-glazed with vintage Madeira wine) - The (boiled) cardoons, my first experience eating them, were soft and rather sweet in contrast to the crunchy celery underneath. The cardoons were alright, but the creamy sauce and aromatic / earthy black truffles improved the quality of this elegant dish - one of the specialties at this restaurant
Dos de Turbot sauvage caramélisé au four salsifis du canton aromatisés à l’orange sanguine (Caramelized wild Turbot fish served with local salsify flavored with blood orange) - Beautiful piece of Turbot's back. It was superb and somewhat fatty. The glistening and well-seasoned flesh perfectly absorbed the delicious (a bit salty & tart) sauce. The salsify had an enjoyable firm texture - a fantastic dish!
Accompanied by wine: 2017 Cru de l'hopital Pinot gris de fichillien (white wine from Vully region, aromatic and precise with a little touch of lemon, matched well with the turbot and lobster)
Médaillons de Homard bleu marinés aux pistils du Jorat céleris croquants et pousses d’épinards coraline (Blue Lobster medallions marinated with saffron from Jorat, served with crunchy celery and young spinachs with a coral sauce) - A well-executed and 'safe' lobster dish - tender and sweet, accompanied by rich sauce and Winter vegetables whose textures were in contrast to the lobster's .. satisfying
Filet d’Agneau de lait frotté au poivre vert croustillants d’épaule aux jeunes poireaux vaudois (Green peppered Suckling Lamb fillet served with crispy shoulder and young leeks from canton de Vaud) - The young lamb was pale pink and covered by the pepper - quite tender with flavorful sauce and hardly cloying. Even better was the crispy "money bag" fritters containing the lamb's delicious shoulder confit. The green side dish was a mixture of cauliflower and leeks to balance the lamb - solid but the next item was even better ...
Accompanied by wine: 2015 Swiss pinot noir, I forgot to write down the name (deep color, decent acidity and tannin, the red wine for my meat courses)
Pieds de Porc glacés au Porto et Madère, petits oignons caramélisés aux truffes (Pigs Trotters glazed with Porto and Madeira wine, served with caramelized young onions and truffle) - It was a half portion of Philippe Rochat's signature dish. The dish was shaped like an egg with the 'pulled' trotter meat and sweetbread inside (wrapped by crepine?). The sauce of glazed wines with black truffles wonderfully complemented the tender meat. The leeks would reduce any intense taste while the fragrant potato enhanced the dish. Mixed everything together and it was truly delicious - a perfectly executed French classic; the kitchen brigade was highly skilled indeed. A full portion might be too much for me
Fromages frais et affinés (Selection of fine Cheeses) - I had a mountain Gruyere cheese (like a comte) and locals version of blue cheese and mont d'or; good quality and pleasant. The rustic bread was not bad
Sorbet désaltérant aux Fruits de la Passion neige de coco flambée au Rhum Charrette (Passion fruits Sherbet, coconut snow flambé with Charrette rum) - A very refreshing dessert filled with pleasing sweet and sour flavors. This felt good after having savored lots of savory dishes earlier ...
Accompanied by wine: 2016 Jurancon les copains (soft palate, delicate, and exotic fruit nose)
Tuiles Chocolatées aux zestes de clémentines compotée parfumée à la Liqueur Impériale (Chocolate tile flavored with clementine zests, served with compote perfumed with imperial liquor) - It was more of clementine-based dessert with some chocolate as the supporting element - a nice combination; did not disappoint
The full menu allowed the kitchen to display an array of carefully crafted dishes with different kind of flavors, textures, temperatures and their combinations. Winter is a special time to savor French cuisine in particular here as it had plenty of dishes created by utilizing Perigord black truffle. The consistent performance of creating memorable dining experience with fine and fresh ingredients, meticulous and precise execution, perfect sauce, artistic presentation, and right wine pairing was the hallmark of this temple of haute cuisine. It was done even when Franck Giovannini could not be present in the kitchen such as tonight. Many service staffs, including my maitre d'hotels, were relatively young but they're capable of orchestrating remarkable service. They moved with ease and confident; ensured guests' needs were fulfilled. The hostess and senior manager, Mr. Villeneuve greeted each table at least once - the latter preferred / was more confident to talk with French-speaking clients. Restaurant Hotel de Ville Crissier always took pride in what they're doing in all aspects. I think this was the finest meal I've ever had at Switzerland and I don't know whether I like this place more or Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl. The pictures of my dinner can be found: L'Hotel de Ville Jan '19
Service (and Ambiance): 95 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
Unlike my last visit in 2017, this time I was staying overnight at Lausanne. Thus, I was able to order the (adapted) full tasting menu. Close to 8 PM when I reached the restaurant, apparently I was the last diner to arrive - in Spain / Paris, I would be considered an 'early-bird'. My meal took place on Wednesday, several weeks after the New Year, yet the restaurant was full. As far as I'm concerned, I was definitely the only Asian and possibly the sole customer speaking English ... so yes, most of the guests were locals. I also noticed young children eating during this dinner - a good sign that I could bring my son here in the future. The restaurant has been doing very well, and did not seem to be dependent on the support of foreign tourists. Bravo! I began my meals with some good quality bread - pumpkin, corn and rye. Then the full show of the evening executed with good pacing began,
MENU GASTRONOMIQUE (Gastronomic Menu)
Rafraîchissante effilochée de Dormeur de casier cuisinée aux trois citrons réduction au Dézaley et perles acidulées (Refreshing frayed Crab cooked with three lemons, Dézaley wine sauce with sour pearls) - The Atlantic crab 'white' meat did not have much taste, instead the flavor was derived more from the delicate wine sauce and acidic lemon. There was crunchy carrot surrounded the crab. Overall, it was kinda refreshing but rather ordinary
Huîtres No 3 d’Oléron tièdes au Champagne et caviar Osciètre (Lukewarm Oysters No 3 from Oleron with Champagne and Oscietra caviar) - The high quality Brittany oyster was fresh and juicy with refined taste. It was accompanied by crisp leeks and celery, and enhanced by buttery champagne sauce as well as smooth & almost nutty caviar - very good. It was one of the "famous" dishes at l'Hotel de ville
Accompanied by wine: Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne Blanc de Blancs (an in-house label with good flavor, crisp with fine mineral, good pairing with the oyster and scallop)
Noix de Saint-Jacques poêlée aux petits coquillages jus gourmand au Chasselas et caviar Osciètre (Sautéed Sea Scallop served with small shells tasty juice, Chasselas wine and Osciètra caviar) - Carefully seared plump scallop having natural sweetness was outstanding. It was beautifully accompanied by the delicious sauce made from the shell juice and 'white' wine. The caviar nicely provided luxurious yet essential accent to the dish. Another winning dish; each byte was filled with bursting of flavors
Elégant fuseau de Cardons de Crissier aux truffes noires crème légère déglacée au vieux Madère (Elegant cylinder of Cardoons from Crissier with black truffle and a light cream de-glazed with vintage Madeira wine) - The (boiled) cardoons, my first experience eating them, were soft and rather sweet in contrast to the crunchy celery underneath. The cardoons were alright, but the creamy sauce and aromatic / earthy black truffles improved the quality of this elegant dish - one of the specialties at this restaurant
Dos de Turbot sauvage caramélisé au four salsifis du canton aromatisés à l’orange sanguine (Caramelized wild Turbot fish served with local salsify flavored with blood orange) - Beautiful piece of Turbot's back. It was superb and somewhat fatty. The glistening and well-seasoned flesh perfectly absorbed the delicious (a bit salty & tart) sauce. The salsify had an enjoyable firm texture - a fantastic dish!
Accompanied by wine: 2017 Cru de l'hopital Pinot gris de fichillien (white wine from Vully region, aromatic and precise with a little touch of lemon, matched well with the turbot and lobster)
Médaillons de Homard bleu marinés aux pistils du Jorat céleris croquants et pousses d’épinards coraline (Blue Lobster medallions marinated with saffron from Jorat, served with crunchy celery and young spinachs with a coral sauce) - A well-executed and 'safe' lobster dish - tender and sweet, accompanied by rich sauce and Winter vegetables whose textures were in contrast to the lobster's .. satisfying
Filet d’Agneau de lait frotté au poivre vert croustillants d’épaule aux jeunes poireaux vaudois (Green peppered Suckling Lamb fillet served with crispy shoulder and young leeks from canton de Vaud) - The young lamb was pale pink and covered by the pepper - quite tender with flavorful sauce and hardly cloying. Even better was the crispy "money bag" fritters containing the lamb's delicious shoulder confit. The green side dish was a mixture of cauliflower and leeks to balance the lamb - solid but the next item was even better ...
Accompanied by wine: 2015 Swiss pinot noir, I forgot to write down the name (deep color, decent acidity and tannin, the red wine for my meat courses)
Pieds de Porc glacés au Porto et Madère, petits oignons caramélisés aux truffes (Pigs Trotters glazed with Porto and Madeira wine, served with caramelized young onions and truffle) - It was a half portion of Philippe Rochat's signature dish. The dish was shaped like an egg with the 'pulled' trotter meat and sweetbread inside (wrapped by crepine?). The sauce of glazed wines with black truffles wonderfully complemented the tender meat. The leeks would reduce any intense taste while the fragrant potato enhanced the dish. Mixed everything together and it was truly delicious - a perfectly executed French classic; the kitchen brigade was highly skilled indeed. A full portion might be too much for me
Fromages frais et affinés (Selection of fine Cheeses) - I had a mountain Gruyere cheese (like a comte) and locals version of blue cheese and mont d'or; good quality and pleasant. The rustic bread was not bad
Sorbet désaltérant aux Fruits de la Passion neige de coco flambée au Rhum Charrette (Passion fruits Sherbet, coconut snow flambé with Charrette rum) - A very refreshing dessert filled with pleasing sweet and sour flavors. This felt good after having savored lots of savory dishes earlier ...
Accompanied by wine: 2016 Jurancon les copains (soft palate, delicate, and exotic fruit nose)
Tuiles Chocolatées aux zestes de clémentines compotée parfumée à la Liqueur Impériale (Chocolate tile flavored with clementine zests, served with compote perfumed with imperial liquor) - It was more of clementine-based dessert with some chocolate as the supporting element - a nice combination; did not disappoint
The full menu allowed the kitchen to display an array of carefully crafted dishes with different kind of flavors, textures, temperatures and their combinations. Winter is a special time to savor French cuisine in particular here as it had plenty of dishes created by utilizing Perigord black truffle. The consistent performance of creating memorable dining experience with fine and fresh ingredients, meticulous and precise execution, perfect sauce, artistic presentation, and right wine pairing was the hallmark of this temple of haute cuisine. It was done even when Franck Giovannini could not be present in the kitchen such as tonight. Many service staffs, including my maitre d'hotels, were relatively young but they're capable of orchestrating remarkable service. They moved with ease and confident; ensured guests' needs were fulfilled. The hostess and senior manager, Mr. Villeneuve greeted each table at least once - the latter preferred / was more confident to talk with French-speaking clients. Restaurant Hotel de Ville Crissier always took pride in what they're doing in all aspects. I think this was the finest meal I've ever had at Switzerland and I don't know whether I like this place more or Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl. The pictures of my dinner can be found: L'Hotel de Ville Jan '19
Food (and Wine): 97 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 95 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
Friday, May 3, 2019
Pierre Gagnaire Paris - 6th visit
As a foodie, ideally, I should go and visit as many new restaurants
as possible. Probably either I often choose the easy way out or I simply
love Paris. As it has always been, at least half of my top 10 favorite
restaurants in the world are located in the city of lights. The yellow
vest acts did not deter me to return to Paris in January this year - in
fact, I was blessed as somehow my short stay there excluded the weekend.
I have never been to Pierre Gagnaire au hotel Balzac in Winter,
so it was a no-brainer that I would re-visit this place especially after
a spectacular meal I ate in the early Autumn of 2017 (Gagnaire Paris 5th meal). Unlike my previous visit, the Picasso of cuisine was not present during my dinner. Instead, his most trusted man - chef Michel Nave, who has been working with him for more than 30 years, was leading the kitchen. I knew I was in good hands.
Having a meal at Pierre Gagnaire restaurants could be overwhelmed for some people. Not long was I seated at my favorite spot, I was already 'bombarded' with welcome canapes consisting of more than half-dozen of different nibbles. For instance, Tomatillo pulp with tarragon; Large crab nolpi; Sardine rilettes with oyster leaf; Smoked haddock bouchee etc. They were good, fun and rather unique. Except for my maiden visit in 2007, I never ordered any tasting menu anymore at this place. The a la carte dishes were too good to resist. However, this time I decided to sample numerous Gagnaire seasonal creations focusing on the prized ingredients of French black truffle from Perigord. There were lots of food and they were remarkable. My 2019 best meal would actually occur in the first month of the year? Very likely ...
Degustation Menu - LA TRUFFE NOIRE / TUBER MELANOSPORUM
1st appetizer
Damier de Saint-Jacques d’Erquy, bouillon de boeuf au tapioca (Damier of scallop from Erquy, beef bouillon with tapioca) - Erquy is known as French scallop capital. The kitchen arranged the pristine scallop carpaccio and thick slices of black truffles in alternating colors like a checkerboard. The scallops were delightfully fresh with soft texture and mildly sweet flavors, in contrast to the firmer and more intense Tuber melanosporum. The beef broth & tapioca were lightly umami, gave additional delicate taste in the background. This scallop dish was served with 2 different side dishes ...
Corolle de haddock : encornets, morue, artichaut poivrades (Smoked haddock corolla : squids, cod, small artichokes) - On the contrary to the clean scallop, the broth here was creamy, more flavorful yet not overly rich. The haddock was slightly sweet and smoky, in harmony with the black truffle aroma. The addition of squid, cod and artichokes delivered texture and flavor contrasts; these ingredients beautifully absorbed the yellow sauce as well. This bowl and the earlier damier scallop were both excellent
Mousseline de choucroute, radicchio (Sauerkraut mousseline, radicchio salad) - The last part of the first course was slightly acidic mousse of sauerkraut mixed with rather bitter radicchio and pungent truffle. It gave an interesting accent for the other 2 items
2nd appetizer
FiFine – crosnes, mange-tout, pamplemousse thaï (FiFine – chinese artichokes, butter beans, thaï grapefruit) - (Fried) Crosnes was a bit juicy, having pleasant & earthy flavor + crunchy texture. The 'artichokes' were accompanied by grainy butter bean, sour grapefruit and unique truffle flavor ... this dish was light, a bit sweet and really enjoyable + easy to eat
Crépinette Sarladaise, velouté d’épinard, ail noir Aomori (Crépinette Sarladaise, spinach velvety soup, black garlic from the Aomori region) - Quite the opposite to the crosnes ... here, some kind of pork internal organ was cooked with goose fat resulting in intense rich taste. It was served with tender aged garlic that somehow tasted like plum with subtle balsamic aromas and creamy spinach. A solid & classical French flavor to balance the more modern & Asian-influenced chinese artichoke item
Accompanied by wine: Lanson extra age brut (Full body & fresh, delicate color, red fruit notes, and smooth with good balance)
3rd appetizer
Une tourtière de légumes (A vegetable pie) - The freshly cooked soup was boiling. It had some characters and flavors of the Japanese food - delicious and full of umami taste. Some of the vegetables were: cooked sweet yet savory & juicy turnips (appear golden) as well as sweet and nutty parsnips. Last but not least, the earthy black Winter truffles with its distinct aroma and flavors elevate this excellent vegetarian soup!
Gelée de coing, glace poire | gorgonzola (Quince jelly, ice cream pear | gorgonzola cheese) - To "support" the soup above, the kitchen prepared 2 dishes. Here, I had soft and tarte quince jelly that (surprisingly) went well with sharp and salty gorgonzola. The pear ice cream with small amount of pecorino provided a good bridge for the jelly & cheese while the chopped Perigord truffle gave some crunchy texture to this dish
Rémoulade de céleri-rave (Shredded celeriac in a remoulade sauce) - The pie crust was not wasted as the kitchen used it along with the traditional preparation of Celeriac remoulade. The celeriac was fresh and crisp, combined with airy pie and black truffle-infused remoulade sauce. The umami soup was in harmony with soft quince jelly and crunchy (raw) celeric - overall, what an amazing 3rd course!
Main course - fish
Fine escalope de féra du lac Léman à la nage ; voile de Savagnin, Paris boutons, panais, feuilles de capucine (Thin escalope of whitefish from the Geneva Lake ; veil of Savagnin wine, Paris mushrooms, parsnips, nasturtium leaves) - The quality of prized "fera" was superb. The thinly sliced and perfectly cooked whitefish fillet was moist and delicate without any fishiness. To develop more flavors, Chef Nave put Winter-inspired sauce of Paris mushrooms and black truffle. The versatile parsnips would reduce any strong taste and fresh nasturtium gave light accent - very good
Gagnaire prefers to prepare the side dish on a separate plate. For the whitefish, the kitchen provided clean vegetable bouillon with soft Corsican cheese and some Perigord truffle - this chilled soup assisted the parsnips to balance the whitefish's rich sauce
Accompanied by wine: 2016 Blanc de Chasse-spleen (Medium body & acidity, smooth with citrus nose, long and rounded finish; a solid pairing for the vegetarian pie and lean fish)
Main course - 1st meat
Blanquette de veau fermier – grande feuille de romaine, endive et red meat (Blanquette of farm veal – large romaine salad leaf, chicory and red meat radish) - Despite known for his innovation and (often) complicated technique in cooking, Pierre Gagnaire respects tradition and possesses technical mastery of classical French cuisine. For my 1st meat main course, the chef interpreted an iconic and timeless mild stew of poached veal. At 3-star level kitchen, as I expected, the chunks of veal were tender and tasty, enriched by velvety and refined sauce having deep flavor. To make it even "better", the cooking team added slightly sweet radish, mildly bitter and spicy taste from romaine and chicory as well as aromatic fungi. It was wonderful and I never felt overwhelmed with any intense flavor here - a comforting and elegant veal stew
Galette de polenta blanche, oignons grelots (Galette of white polenta, small onions) - The flat pastry with creamy & oaky Winter truffle sauce and crisp & sweet small bulb onions became a pleasant and ideal supportive side dish for the veal blanquette
Main course - 2nd meat
Blanc de poularde de la ferme de Culoiseau en vessie (Fattened hen breast from the Culoiseau farm cooked in a bladder) - Inside the hot water, the (pig) bladder swelled up ... then it was punctured in front of me and following that, the fattened hen was carved by the table side. The idea of using a baldder was to retain and integrate the flavors of the poularde during cooking. It was a "half-portion", so the kitchen picked a smaller hen for me. A beautiful homage to Mere Brazier?
Blanc de poularde avec petit épeautre du pays de Sault, puntarella et Sauce Albufera (The poularde breast was served with spelt from the Sault region, puntarella salad and Sauce Albufera) - Voila .. the dish was presented with all of its glory. The en vessie cooking resulted the breast meat to be tender and moist with lovely and subtle tastes of lardons and black truffles (if consumed without the sauce)
Foie gras poché, gnocchi de parmesan et pignons de pin (Poached foie gras, gnocchi of parmesan cheese and pine nuts) - The classic albufera sauce and duck liver enhanced the poularde's flavors; some spelt and light gnocchi beautifully absorbed the creamy sauce while the nuts gave solid accent and texture contrast. Ultimately, the Tuber melanosporum (slipped beneath the bird's skin when cooking as well as from generous slicing) elevated this traditional dish to even a higher level. C'est parfait!
Friselli d’agria, fondue d’oignons doux | lard de colonnata (Friselli of agria potatoes, slow-simmered sweet onions | colonnata lard) - The thin & crisp potatoes in deep yellow color + simmered onions + fragrant Perigord truffles delivered some moderate sweet flavors to perfectly complement the savory taste of the chicken from Culoiseau farm
Accompanied by wine: 2015 Vincent girardin Volnay (Nose of ripe cherries & plum, lovely but rather young, good tannin and acidic as well as medium body)
Grand desserts
Mont Ventoux - A mont-blanc with the addition of mushroom galette and Perigord truffles. It had different layers of texture and flavor variations. Unlike the classic version, the chestnut, meringue and cream filling at Mont Ventoux were less sweet ... the earthy and firm mushrooms added additional dimensions. I liked it a lot
Royale Richerenches - It might not look too appetizing but it was some kind of cream cheese with good balance of sweet and a little sour taste plus musky & tasty truffle - better than expected
Cassate citron de Menton, oranges sanguines liées d’un sirop de clémentine (Cassate flavoured with lemon from Menton, blood oranges thickened with a clementine syrup) - A creative take from the traditional Cassata. The firm and cold cake was moistened with lemon & blood oranges and layered by some cheese (ricotta?). The use of blood orange generated more sour / acidic taste which was very useful in the grand scheme of the other desserts altogether. This one would reduce any sweetness but the truffle did not make any big impact here
Un trait d’huile d’olive de votre choix (A hint of olive oil of your choice) - The extra virgin olive oil with passion fruit cream and Winter truffles contributed some bitter taste in a gentle way
Sablé de mâche (Lamb’s lettuce salad shortbread) - A smart combo of rich & sweet sable pie with raw & tangy lamb's lettuce successfully highlighted the unique aroma and flavor of chopped Tuber melanosporum on top - awesome!
To fully appreciate the dessert creations of Gagnaire was by eat a little bit of everything continuously in random orders or according to your palate preferences - I truly enjoy this many desserts showcasing the use of black truffle; well done!
The dinner food was exceptional, but what made the overall meal extraordinary was that the front of the house team also performed at (very) high level in particular from the "middle level" staffs. Herve Parmentier, the restaurant director, did not work on that Monday night. I was mostly taken care of by the assistant manager, who helped the opening of Gagnaire Bordeaux and a junior maitre d' lady, who used to work in Ireland. Whoever served you, the younger staffs at this place mainly were patient, spoke fluent English, had good knowledge about Gagnaire's (complex) dishes, and amiable. In the last 2 visits, I noticed things that I only encountered at Pierre Gagnaire Balzac. Any meal here usually would last 3+ hours, so before I actually completed my lunch / dinner ... if my maitre d'hotels had to leave first, they would come to my table and politely excuse themselves - apologizing that they're unable to stay until my meal finish, thanking me to have come and the opportunity to serve, and lastly introduce another staff who would attend my table until the end. I thought it was a very kind and professional gesture. Strangely, the memorable hospitality I received at Gagnaire Balzac was generally rendered by staffs whom I would never see them again when returning here a couple of years later whereas the service from long-service staffs at the manager / director level was somehow just ordinary.
Having visited and dined at Pierre Gagnaire's flagship restaurant for more than a decade, what more needs to be said? I was still blown away by his innovative, artistic and 'experimental' cooking. The master's ability to cleverly juxtapose flavors, textures and produce to bring dishes to the next level never ceased. Each dish preparation, execution and presentation was, as always, excellent. With the open mind and adventurous spirit, it's hard not to like this place. The menu kept evolving; there's no specific signature dishes. Even the Parfum de terre's content usually changed every season & annually. Guest could have a fantastic langoustine a la carte, come again 1-2 years later for the "same" dish ... to his / her surprise, the smaller and large plates combinations of the langoustine would be different. The mineral water at Gagnaire was often free; the restaurant had pretty good selections of wines at reasonable prices and the sommelier could adjust to the diners' need accordingly.
The only "downside" was perhaps the dining room begged for upgrading given the great status of this institution. Lastly, a few words about the passionate and accomplished Executive Chef Michel Nave. Michel Nave to Pierre Gagnaire is Eric Bouchenoire to Joel Robuchon; they were simply inseparable. As a MOF recipient, Michel's ability in classical French cuisine was unquestionable. Similar to his boss, Michel loved challenge and progress. How Gagnaire's attitude to never stay on his laurels happened to be suitable to Chef Nave's personality and ambition. Michel Nave was crucial when Gagnaire managed to recover his 3rd Michelin star after having moved to Paris. Then, Chef Nave has safeguarded the main restaurant's quality and operation as Pierre expanded his empire. Now, with nearly 20 restaurants to oversee under Gagnaire's brands ... well, the humble and talented Michel Nave has to get used to travelling overseas as well. Sometimes, Gagnaire and Nave even got to travel separately to ensure their restaurants perform at their desire levels. The pictures of this meal can be found: Pierre Gagnaire Jan '19. This is one of the "4-star" (the better ones among Michelin's best) restaurants in my notes and I can come here again and again without being bored.
Food (and Wine) : 98 pts
Service (and Ambiance) : 96 pts
Overall : 97.5 / 100
Having a meal at Pierre Gagnaire restaurants could be overwhelmed for some people. Not long was I seated at my favorite spot, I was already 'bombarded' with welcome canapes consisting of more than half-dozen of different nibbles. For instance, Tomatillo pulp with tarragon; Large crab nolpi; Sardine rilettes with oyster leaf; Smoked haddock bouchee etc. They were good, fun and rather unique. Except for my maiden visit in 2007, I never ordered any tasting menu anymore at this place. The a la carte dishes were too good to resist. However, this time I decided to sample numerous Gagnaire seasonal creations focusing on the prized ingredients of French black truffle from Perigord. There were lots of food and they were remarkable. My 2019 best meal would actually occur in the first month of the year? Very likely ...
Degustation Menu - LA TRUFFE NOIRE / TUBER MELANOSPORUM
1st appetizer
Damier de Saint-Jacques d’Erquy, bouillon de boeuf au tapioca (Damier of scallop from Erquy, beef bouillon with tapioca) - Erquy is known as French scallop capital. The kitchen arranged the pristine scallop carpaccio and thick slices of black truffles in alternating colors like a checkerboard. The scallops were delightfully fresh with soft texture and mildly sweet flavors, in contrast to the firmer and more intense Tuber melanosporum. The beef broth & tapioca were lightly umami, gave additional delicate taste in the background. This scallop dish was served with 2 different side dishes ...
Corolle de haddock : encornets, morue, artichaut poivrades (Smoked haddock corolla : squids, cod, small artichokes) - On the contrary to the clean scallop, the broth here was creamy, more flavorful yet not overly rich. The haddock was slightly sweet and smoky, in harmony with the black truffle aroma. The addition of squid, cod and artichokes delivered texture and flavor contrasts; these ingredients beautifully absorbed the yellow sauce as well. This bowl and the earlier damier scallop were both excellent
Mousseline de choucroute, radicchio (Sauerkraut mousseline, radicchio salad) - The last part of the first course was slightly acidic mousse of sauerkraut mixed with rather bitter radicchio and pungent truffle. It gave an interesting accent for the other 2 items
2nd appetizer
FiFine – crosnes, mange-tout, pamplemousse thaï (FiFine – chinese artichokes, butter beans, thaï grapefruit) - (Fried) Crosnes was a bit juicy, having pleasant & earthy flavor + crunchy texture. The 'artichokes' were accompanied by grainy butter bean, sour grapefruit and unique truffle flavor ... this dish was light, a bit sweet and really enjoyable + easy to eat
Crépinette Sarladaise, velouté d’épinard, ail noir Aomori (Crépinette Sarladaise, spinach velvety soup, black garlic from the Aomori region) - Quite the opposite to the crosnes ... here, some kind of pork internal organ was cooked with goose fat resulting in intense rich taste. It was served with tender aged garlic that somehow tasted like plum with subtle balsamic aromas and creamy spinach. A solid & classical French flavor to balance the more modern & Asian-influenced chinese artichoke item
Accompanied by wine: Lanson extra age brut (Full body & fresh, delicate color, red fruit notes, and smooth with good balance)
3rd appetizer
Une tourtière de légumes (A vegetable pie) - The freshly cooked soup was boiling. It had some characters and flavors of the Japanese food - delicious and full of umami taste. Some of the vegetables were: cooked sweet yet savory & juicy turnips (appear golden) as well as sweet and nutty parsnips. Last but not least, the earthy black Winter truffles with its distinct aroma and flavors elevate this excellent vegetarian soup!
Gelée de coing, glace poire | gorgonzola (Quince jelly, ice cream pear | gorgonzola cheese) - To "support" the soup above, the kitchen prepared 2 dishes. Here, I had soft and tarte quince jelly that (surprisingly) went well with sharp and salty gorgonzola. The pear ice cream with small amount of pecorino provided a good bridge for the jelly & cheese while the chopped Perigord truffle gave some crunchy texture to this dish
Rémoulade de céleri-rave (Shredded celeriac in a remoulade sauce) - The pie crust was not wasted as the kitchen used it along with the traditional preparation of Celeriac remoulade. The celeriac was fresh and crisp, combined with airy pie and black truffle-infused remoulade sauce. The umami soup was in harmony with soft quince jelly and crunchy (raw) celeric - overall, what an amazing 3rd course!
Main course - fish
Fine escalope de féra du lac Léman à la nage ; voile de Savagnin, Paris boutons, panais, feuilles de capucine (Thin escalope of whitefish from the Geneva Lake ; veil of Savagnin wine, Paris mushrooms, parsnips, nasturtium leaves) - The quality of prized "fera" was superb. The thinly sliced and perfectly cooked whitefish fillet was moist and delicate without any fishiness. To develop more flavors, Chef Nave put Winter-inspired sauce of Paris mushrooms and black truffle. The versatile parsnips would reduce any strong taste and fresh nasturtium gave light accent - very good
Gagnaire prefers to prepare the side dish on a separate plate. For the whitefish, the kitchen provided clean vegetable bouillon with soft Corsican cheese and some Perigord truffle - this chilled soup assisted the parsnips to balance the whitefish's rich sauce
Accompanied by wine: 2016 Blanc de Chasse-spleen (Medium body & acidity, smooth with citrus nose, long and rounded finish; a solid pairing for the vegetarian pie and lean fish)
Main course - 1st meat
Blanquette de veau fermier – grande feuille de romaine, endive et red meat (Blanquette of farm veal – large romaine salad leaf, chicory and red meat radish) - Despite known for his innovation and (often) complicated technique in cooking, Pierre Gagnaire respects tradition and possesses technical mastery of classical French cuisine. For my 1st meat main course, the chef interpreted an iconic and timeless mild stew of poached veal. At 3-star level kitchen, as I expected, the chunks of veal were tender and tasty, enriched by velvety and refined sauce having deep flavor. To make it even "better", the cooking team added slightly sweet radish, mildly bitter and spicy taste from romaine and chicory as well as aromatic fungi. It was wonderful and I never felt overwhelmed with any intense flavor here - a comforting and elegant veal stew
Galette de polenta blanche, oignons grelots (Galette of white polenta, small onions) - The flat pastry with creamy & oaky Winter truffle sauce and crisp & sweet small bulb onions became a pleasant and ideal supportive side dish for the veal blanquette
Main course - 2nd meat
Blanc de poularde de la ferme de Culoiseau en vessie (Fattened hen breast from the Culoiseau farm cooked in a bladder) - Inside the hot water, the (pig) bladder swelled up ... then it was punctured in front of me and following that, the fattened hen was carved by the table side. The idea of using a baldder was to retain and integrate the flavors of the poularde during cooking. It was a "half-portion", so the kitchen picked a smaller hen for me. A beautiful homage to Mere Brazier?
Blanc de poularde avec petit épeautre du pays de Sault, puntarella et Sauce Albufera (The poularde breast was served with spelt from the Sault region, puntarella salad and Sauce Albufera) - Voila .. the dish was presented with all of its glory. The en vessie cooking resulted the breast meat to be tender and moist with lovely and subtle tastes of lardons and black truffles (if consumed without the sauce)
Foie gras poché, gnocchi de parmesan et pignons de pin (Poached foie gras, gnocchi of parmesan cheese and pine nuts) - The classic albufera sauce and duck liver enhanced the poularde's flavors; some spelt and light gnocchi beautifully absorbed the creamy sauce while the nuts gave solid accent and texture contrast. Ultimately, the Tuber melanosporum (slipped beneath the bird's skin when cooking as well as from generous slicing) elevated this traditional dish to even a higher level. C'est parfait!
Friselli d’agria, fondue d’oignons doux | lard de colonnata (Friselli of agria potatoes, slow-simmered sweet onions | colonnata lard) - The thin & crisp potatoes in deep yellow color + simmered onions + fragrant Perigord truffles delivered some moderate sweet flavors to perfectly complement the savory taste of the chicken from Culoiseau farm
Accompanied by wine: 2015 Vincent girardin Volnay (Nose of ripe cherries & plum, lovely but rather young, good tannin and acidic as well as medium body)
Grand desserts
Mont Ventoux - A mont-blanc with the addition of mushroom galette and Perigord truffles. It had different layers of texture and flavor variations. Unlike the classic version, the chestnut, meringue and cream filling at Mont Ventoux were less sweet ... the earthy and firm mushrooms added additional dimensions. I liked it a lot
Royale Richerenches - It might not look too appetizing but it was some kind of cream cheese with good balance of sweet and a little sour taste plus musky & tasty truffle - better than expected
Cassate citron de Menton, oranges sanguines liées d’un sirop de clémentine (Cassate flavoured with lemon from Menton, blood oranges thickened with a clementine syrup) - A creative take from the traditional Cassata. The firm and cold cake was moistened with lemon & blood oranges and layered by some cheese (ricotta?). The use of blood orange generated more sour / acidic taste which was very useful in the grand scheme of the other desserts altogether. This one would reduce any sweetness but the truffle did not make any big impact here
Un trait d’huile d’olive de votre choix (A hint of olive oil of your choice) - The extra virgin olive oil with passion fruit cream and Winter truffles contributed some bitter taste in a gentle way
Sablé de mâche (Lamb’s lettuce salad shortbread) - A smart combo of rich & sweet sable pie with raw & tangy lamb's lettuce successfully highlighted the unique aroma and flavor of chopped Tuber melanosporum on top - awesome!
To fully appreciate the dessert creations of Gagnaire was by eat a little bit of everything continuously in random orders or according to your palate preferences - I truly enjoy this many desserts showcasing the use of black truffle; well done!
The dinner food was exceptional, but what made the overall meal extraordinary was that the front of the house team also performed at (very) high level in particular from the "middle level" staffs. Herve Parmentier, the restaurant director, did not work on that Monday night. I was mostly taken care of by the assistant manager, who helped the opening of Gagnaire Bordeaux and a junior maitre d' lady, who used to work in Ireland. Whoever served you, the younger staffs at this place mainly were patient, spoke fluent English, had good knowledge about Gagnaire's (complex) dishes, and amiable. In the last 2 visits, I noticed things that I only encountered at Pierre Gagnaire Balzac. Any meal here usually would last 3+ hours, so before I actually completed my lunch / dinner ... if my maitre d'hotels had to leave first, they would come to my table and politely excuse themselves - apologizing that they're unable to stay until my meal finish, thanking me to have come and the opportunity to serve, and lastly introduce another staff who would attend my table until the end. I thought it was a very kind and professional gesture. Strangely, the memorable hospitality I received at Gagnaire Balzac was generally rendered by staffs whom I would never see them again when returning here a couple of years later whereas the service from long-service staffs at the manager / director level was somehow just ordinary.
Having visited and dined at Pierre Gagnaire's flagship restaurant for more than a decade, what more needs to be said? I was still blown away by his innovative, artistic and 'experimental' cooking. The master's ability to cleverly juxtapose flavors, textures and produce to bring dishes to the next level never ceased. Each dish preparation, execution and presentation was, as always, excellent. With the open mind and adventurous spirit, it's hard not to like this place. The menu kept evolving; there's no specific signature dishes. Even the Parfum de terre's content usually changed every season & annually. Guest could have a fantastic langoustine a la carte, come again 1-2 years later for the "same" dish ... to his / her surprise, the smaller and large plates combinations of the langoustine would be different. The mineral water at Gagnaire was often free; the restaurant had pretty good selections of wines at reasonable prices and the sommelier could adjust to the diners' need accordingly.
The only "downside" was perhaps the dining room begged for upgrading given the great status of this institution. Lastly, a few words about the passionate and accomplished Executive Chef Michel Nave. Michel Nave to Pierre Gagnaire is Eric Bouchenoire to Joel Robuchon; they were simply inseparable. As a MOF recipient, Michel's ability in classical French cuisine was unquestionable. Similar to his boss, Michel loved challenge and progress. How Gagnaire's attitude to never stay on his laurels happened to be suitable to Chef Nave's personality and ambition. Michel Nave was crucial when Gagnaire managed to recover his 3rd Michelin star after having moved to Paris. Then, Chef Nave has safeguarded the main restaurant's quality and operation as Pierre expanded his empire. Now, with nearly 20 restaurants to oversee under Gagnaire's brands ... well, the humble and talented Michel Nave has to get used to travelling overseas as well. Sometimes, Gagnaire and Nave even got to travel separately to ensure their restaurants perform at their desire levels. The pictures of this meal can be found: Pierre Gagnaire Jan '19. This is one of the "4-star" (the better ones among Michelin's best) restaurants in my notes and I can come here again and again without being bored.
Food (and Wine) : 98 pts
Service (and Ambiance) : 96 pts
Overall : 97.5 / 100
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Épicure Éric Fréchon - 2nd 'visit'
2019 is a special year for restaurant Epicure and its illustrious chef Éric Fréchon. This year, he is celebrating his 20th anniversary as the Executive Chef of Hotel Le Bristol. Chef Fréchon rapidly led the restaurant to attain the 2-star Michelin in just 2 years after arriving here, however the elusive 3rd star did not come until 2009. Clearly, he has cherished the passion, hard work and sense of his achievement at Epicure and it's truly well-deserved. There was a time when I came to this restaurant only because most of the other elite dining places were closed (such as Easter Monday and Sunday lunch). Despite that, the "2nd team" of restaurant Epicure did perform at a high level during those public holidays. At the end, slowly but surely ... I really like this top palace-hotel restaurant. Early this year, I made a conscious effort to reserve a meal here for dinner on the weekdays when the best staffs (both in the kitchen and front of the house) are likely to work.
Épicure is a kind of restaurant that's quintessentially French. The execution of the food, carving / plating some dishes table side, a parade of cheese and petit fours with trolleys, charming service, an elegant dining room were some of the qualities that I'm glad they keep meanwhile more and more restaurants nowadays prefer preparing things less elaborate and 'too clean/healthy'. That being said, Eric Fréchon's sincere love towards his profession has pushed him to always strive for the best everyday. Compared to my last visit, I learnt that Epicure served a different bread, in fact only one kind - homemade country bread. This new bread was prepared fresh daily in the hotel and created from various natural & top quality wheats such as emmer, khorasan, barbu and so on. To achieve bread perfection, thanks to the hotel's unlimited support, Chef Eric installed a working stone flour mill (designed by Roland Feuillas, a bread master). Diners do not come to Epicure and pay for the bread, but Eric Frechon believes that a good bread at the beginning is crucial and could set the positive tone for the rest of the meal experience. Salute for the continuous improvement!
As soon as I was seated, the staff brought in some nibbles and kougelhopf. Then come the new wheat bread served with creamy butter. Since this would be my last dinner in Paris for this trip and due to a good experience the last time I encountered with the sommelier, I decided to go for the wine pairing. All of Benjamin's recommendations were pretty much spot on. Let's dive to more details below regarding my dinner on the last day of January this year ...
LANGOUSTINES ROYALES juste cuites au thym-citron, condiment « oignon-mangue », bouillon des pinces aux agrumes et coriandre (Large Langoustine slightly cooked with lemon-thyme, served with « onion-mango » condiment, broth of the claws with citrus fruit and coriander) - The fresh langoustine (from Le Guilvinec) was lightly cooked and succulent. It was beautifully served with the orange buttery sauce made of the prawn jus, yuzu and coriander. An elegant dish with the 'sweet' broth that was balanced by the onion-mango; it was particularly refreshing & light given that we were in the deep Winter season. I ordered a half-portion for the opening
Accompanied by wine: Alsace Riesling Grand Cru 'Pfingstberg', Domaine Valentin Zusslin 2014 - aromatic and concentrated with smooth texture; rich on the palate with long finish. An elegant riesling (dry & crisp) was a good match for this scampi course
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 1er service: Royale de moëlle, purée de céleri-rave et truffe noire (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 1: “Royale” of marrow, celeriac mousseline and black truffle) - The creative work of Chef Frechon interpreting a traditional home-made French dish. It came in 3 parts and the 1st one was soft and savory marrow with celeriac mousse ... they're contrasted to the crispy croutons and earthy truffle cubes. The kitchen added poultry jus to make this dish more flavorful
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 2eme service: Pot-au-feu de boeuf, légumes, truffe noire et foie gras de canard (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 2: Beef pot-au-feu served with vegetables, black truffle and duck foie gras) - I thought it was the best part of the dish. The delicate and nutty marrow on top was again paired with pungent Winter truffle; they're accompanied by the "millefeuille" of beef, duck liver and vegetables (carrot, turnip and cabbage). The superb produce was harmoniously tied together by the aromatic and delectable beef consomme. Each byte was a pure bliss!
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 3eme service: Bouillon infusé à la truffe noire et au shiitaké en montgolfière (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 3: Broth infused with black truffle and shiitake) - The last part of the "pot on fire" trio was a clear soup covered by puff pastry. As I pierced the pastry, there was a pleasant fragrance coming out of the broth. The pastry would soak many flavors of the delicate soup - it was really divine when the celery, Perigord truffle, foie gras, shiitake etc. were integrated altogether.
Dividing this course into 3 small dishes and savored them one by one was indeed the "best" way to serve and enjoy this unique pot-au-feu dish ... stunning, filled with plenty of texture and taste variations. Glad to have ordered it
Accompanied by wine: Rioja Reserva Vina Tondonia, Lopez de Heredia 2004 - cherries & berries aroma yet savory, round & crisp with subtle acidity, medium concentration and complex finish. The finest Spanish wine I've ever tasted and it could be even better in the next couple of years. A hearty red that went long well with my beef stew
TRUFFE NOIRE DU PERIGORD cuite entière au gros sel et senteurs de sous-bois, mousseline de topinambour, croûtons dorés à la moelle (Whole Black Truffle from Perigord cooked with coarse salt and underbrush aromas, served with Jerusalem artichoke mousseline and croutons cooked with bone marrow) - Out of curiosity and the fact that it's one of Eric Frechon's Winter-only specialties, I decided to order this deluxe dish. It would be my maiden experience to eat the whole cooked black diamond 'naked' as opposed to the more common truffle shaving / cut into small pieces or covered by pastry. It's only possible with Perigord version as the Italian and Australian summer truffle do not have the same aroma and flavor strength when compared to the French counterpart.
As I cut the truffle (like a steak) and put it in the mouth, there was a perfect combination of firm & rather crunchy texture, strong & sensual? perfume as well as rich & intensive taste occupying my palate - truly ecstasy for the fans of Perigord truffle. The kitchen brought the dish to the next level by preparing light yet deep sauce made from truffle jus and chicken consomme. For the side dish that actually also elevated the experience, Chef Frechon and his team provided naturally sweet & tasteful artichoke mousse combined with egg white, croutons, egg yolk and bacon on top. An extra portion of the mousse served in the small cup was available too on the table and I 'devoured' it together with the cooked truffle. A unique and sublime dish ... the presentation (or my picture) might not look that inspiring, but it's certainly a masterpiece
Accompanied by wine: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Charvin 2013 - elegant nose of red & black fruits, rich but silky with good finish, and nice minerality. Given the proximity of Perigord and Rhone valley, perhaps it should not be surprising that a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape and a cooked truffle dish (having more intense flavor) were an excellent pairing
TRUFFE NOIRE émulsion de noisettes torréfiées aux éclats de cazettes, glace à la truffe noire, sauce au chocolat « gianduja » (Black Truffle dessert served with Roasted hazelnuts foam with “cazette” and Black truffle ice cream with “gianduja” chocolate sauce) - The cute dessert mimicked the real black truffle shape. The black truffle amount was just sufficient and the ice cream was pretty delicate in both aroma and flavor. With sweet chocolate sauce + fresh hazelnut in liquid form, crunch hazelnut + cookie underneath, it still tasted like a normal (choc-based) dessert. Don't worry ... you would not be overwhelmed by the Perigord truffle. I really liked the texture (crisp vs soft) and flavor (sweet vs earthy) contrast here. The portion was quite generous, but it was pretty easy to clean it up
Accompanied by wine: Niepoort, Porto 20 Year Old Tawny N.V. - creamy, sweet & delicate on the palate with some intense fruitness, smooth with pure finish ... a relatively easy port to drink. A good match indeed with any chocolate-based dessert
Prior to the main dessert, the kitchen delivered yoghurt sorbet with blueberry jelly as the pre-dessert. I skipped the cheese course. At the end, I had the petit fours for take away to be consumed with the coffee. There were 8 different flavors of fresh and fine macarons (as far as I could remember them, they were salted caramel, dark chocolate, coconut, lemon, chocolate with hazelnut, pistachio, cassis, and raspberry); a good balance of right chewiness and sweetness - one of the world's best macarons at the moment. From start to finish, my dinner was a haute cuisine experience at a very high level: innovative and meticulous cooking with top-quality ingredients and combinations resulting in dishes with superb flavors and perfect textures. Excellent food was balanced by flawless service under the leadership of Remi Segui, Director of restaurant Epicure. Whenever engaged in a conversation, in genuine smile and with full attention, he would try to make it meaningful - not simply a lip service. Remi was assisted by his capable right hand man, Thomas Pfeiffer who was in charge of my section. Thomas would not be afraid of giving his insights about the food in particular and restaurant industry in general. For example, he warned me about some similarities between beef pot-au-feu and whole black truffle dish. I appreciated this kind of opinion though I still decided to go ahead and loved my choices. In addition, most of the staffs at Epicure were outgoing, spoke fluent English, and cordial with good sense of humor. For example, when Mathieu de Matteis, the junior maitre d', approached me ... I congratulated him that he's no longer in the beige uniform. He happily smiled and (on purpose) spoke rather loudly towards Remi and Thomas that soon / next he would get the same suit as them; read "take over their positions" :-) From the past experience, the staffs were also good in creating some dramas (a little fight or mock one another) among themselves for the sake of entertaining guests. That being said, the service, gesture and explanation were always performed consistently at the 3-star level.
If I had to be picky, the only 'downside' of the meal was that I prefer the lunch atmosphere to the dinner ambiance. The dining room with marble floors, red & thick curtains and plush upholstery was as opulent and elegant as ever. However, it lacked views and natural lights from the big glass window during the night, thus guests could hardly see the hotel's lovely inner French garden. Anyway, it was a minor thing. Épicure par Éric Fréchon quickly rose to the top 5 among my favorite restaurant in Paris and this meal ranked as the most memorable I've ever had here. Could you do better in the future Epicure? I hope so. Only a handful restaurants in Europe that I had the privilege to visit at least 5 times and now Chef Fréchon's temple of gastronomy joined that "exclusive" group. If you want to see the pictures, check the following link: Epicure Jan '19
Food (and Wine): 97 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 96 pts
Overall: 97/100
Épicure is a kind of restaurant that's quintessentially French. The execution of the food, carving / plating some dishes table side, a parade of cheese and petit fours with trolleys, charming service, an elegant dining room were some of the qualities that I'm glad they keep meanwhile more and more restaurants nowadays prefer preparing things less elaborate and 'too clean/healthy'. That being said, Eric Fréchon's sincere love towards his profession has pushed him to always strive for the best everyday. Compared to my last visit, I learnt that Epicure served a different bread, in fact only one kind - homemade country bread. This new bread was prepared fresh daily in the hotel and created from various natural & top quality wheats such as emmer, khorasan, barbu and so on. To achieve bread perfection, thanks to the hotel's unlimited support, Chef Eric installed a working stone flour mill (designed by Roland Feuillas, a bread master). Diners do not come to Epicure and pay for the bread, but Eric Frechon believes that a good bread at the beginning is crucial and could set the positive tone for the rest of the meal experience. Salute for the continuous improvement!
As soon as I was seated, the staff brought in some nibbles and kougelhopf. Then come the new wheat bread served with creamy butter. Since this would be my last dinner in Paris for this trip and due to a good experience the last time I encountered with the sommelier, I decided to go for the wine pairing. All of Benjamin's recommendations were pretty much spot on. Let's dive to more details below regarding my dinner on the last day of January this year ...
LANGOUSTINES ROYALES juste cuites au thym-citron, condiment « oignon-mangue », bouillon des pinces aux agrumes et coriandre (Large Langoustine slightly cooked with lemon-thyme, served with « onion-mango » condiment, broth of the claws with citrus fruit and coriander) - The fresh langoustine (from Le Guilvinec) was lightly cooked and succulent. It was beautifully served with the orange buttery sauce made of the prawn jus, yuzu and coriander. An elegant dish with the 'sweet' broth that was balanced by the onion-mango; it was particularly refreshing & light given that we were in the deep Winter season. I ordered a half-portion for the opening
Accompanied by wine: Alsace Riesling Grand Cru 'Pfingstberg', Domaine Valentin Zusslin 2014 - aromatic and concentrated with smooth texture; rich on the palate with long finish. An elegant riesling (dry & crisp) was a good match for this scampi course
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 1er service: Royale de moëlle, purée de céleri-rave et truffe noire (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 1: “Royale” of marrow, celeriac mousseline and black truffle) - The creative work of Chef Frechon interpreting a traditional home-made French dish. It came in 3 parts and the 1st one was soft and savory marrow with celeriac mousse ... they're contrasted to the crispy croutons and earthy truffle cubes. The kitchen added poultry jus to make this dish more flavorful
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 2eme service: Pot-au-feu de boeuf, légumes, truffe noire et foie gras de canard (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 2: Beef pot-au-feu served with vegetables, black truffle and duck foie gras) - I thought it was the best part of the dish. The delicate and nutty marrow on top was again paired with pungent Winter truffle; they're accompanied by the "millefeuille" of beef, duck liver and vegetables (carrot, turnip and cabbage). The superb produce was harmoniously tied together by the aromatic and delectable beef consomme. Each byte was a pure bliss!
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 3eme service: Bouillon infusé à la truffe noire et au shiitaké en montgolfière (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 3: Broth infused with black truffle and shiitake) - The last part of the "pot on fire" trio was a clear soup covered by puff pastry. As I pierced the pastry, there was a pleasant fragrance coming out of the broth. The pastry would soak many flavors of the delicate soup - it was really divine when the celery, Perigord truffle, foie gras, shiitake etc. were integrated altogether.
Dividing this course into 3 small dishes and savored them one by one was indeed the "best" way to serve and enjoy this unique pot-au-feu dish ... stunning, filled with plenty of texture and taste variations. Glad to have ordered it
Accompanied by wine: Rioja Reserva Vina Tondonia, Lopez de Heredia 2004 - cherries & berries aroma yet savory, round & crisp with subtle acidity, medium concentration and complex finish. The finest Spanish wine I've ever tasted and it could be even better in the next couple of years. A hearty red that went long well with my beef stew
TRUFFE NOIRE DU PERIGORD cuite entière au gros sel et senteurs de sous-bois, mousseline de topinambour, croûtons dorés à la moelle (Whole Black Truffle from Perigord cooked with coarse salt and underbrush aromas, served with Jerusalem artichoke mousseline and croutons cooked with bone marrow) - Out of curiosity and the fact that it's one of Eric Frechon's Winter-only specialties, I decided to order this deluxe dish. It would be my maiden experience to eat the whole cooked black diamond 'naked' as opposed to the more common truffle shaving / cut into small pieces or covered by pastry. It's only possible with Perigord version as the Italian and Australian summer truffle do not have the same aroma and flavor strength when compared to the French counterpart.
As I cut the truffle (like a steak) and put it in the mouth, there was a perfect combination of firm & rather crunchy texture, strong & sensual? perfume as well as rich & intensive taste occupying my palate - truly ecstasy for the fans of Perigord truffle. The kitchen brought the dish to the next level by preparing light yet deep sauce made from truffle jus and chicken consomme. For the side dish that actually also elevated the experience, Chef Frechon and his team provided naturally sweet & tasteful artichoke mousse combined with egg white, croutons, egg yolk and bacon on top. An extra portion of the mousse served in the small cup was available too on the table and I 'devoured' it together with the cooked truffle. A unique and sublime dish ... the presentation (or my picture) might not look that inspiring, but it's certainly a masterpiece
Accompanied by wine: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Charvin 2013 - elegant nose of red & black fruits, rich but silky with good finish, and nice minerality. Given the proximity of Perigord and Rhone valley, perhaps it should not be surprising that a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape and a cooked truffle dish (having more intense flavor) were an excellent pairing
TRUFFE NOIRE émulsion de noisettes torréfiées aux éclats de cazettes, glace à la truffe noire, sauce au chocolat « gianduja » (Black Truffle dessert served with Roasted hazelnuts foam with “cazette” and Black truffle ice cream with “gianduja” chocolate sauce) - The cute dessert mimicked the real black truffle shape. The black truffle amount was just sufficient and the ice cream was pretty delicate in both aroma and flavor. With sweet chocolate sauce + fresh hazelnut in liquid form, crunch hazelnut + cookie underneath, it still tasted like a normal (choc-based) dessert. Don't worry ... you would not be overwhelmed by the Perigord truffle. I really liked the texture (crisp vs soft) and flavor (sweet vs earthy) contrast here. The portion was quite generous, but it was pretty easy to clean it up
Accompanied by wine: Niepoort, Porto 20 Year Old Tawny N.V. - creamy, sweet & delicate on the palate with some intense fruitness, smooth with pure finish ... a relatively easy port to drink. A good match indeed with any chocolate-based dessert
Prior to the main dessert, the kitchen delivered yoghurt sorbet with blueberry jelly as the pre-dessert. I skipped the cheese course. At the end, I had the petit fours for take away to be consumed with the coffee. There were 8 different flavors of fresh and fine macarons (as far as I could remember them, they were salted caramel, dark chocolate, coconut, lemon, chocolate with hazelnut, pistachio, cassis, and raspberry); a good balance of right chewiness and sweetness - one of the world's best macarons at the moment. From start to finish, my dinner was a haute cuisine experience at a very high level: innovative and meticulous cooking with top-quality ingredients and combinations resulting in dishes with superb flavors and perfect textures. Excellent food was balanced by flawless service under the leadership of Remi Segui, Director of restaurant Epicure. Whenever engaged in a conversation, in genuine smile and with full attention, he would try to make it meaningful - not simply a lip service. Remi was assisted by his capable right hand man, Thomas Pfeiffer who was in charge of my section. Thomas would not be afraid of giving his insights about the food in particular and restaurant industry in general. For example, he warned me about some similarities between beef pot-au-feu and whole black truffle dish. I appreciated this kind of opinion though I still decided to go ahead and loved my choices. In addition, most of the staffs at Epicure were outgoing, spoke fluent English, and cordial with good sense of humor. For example, when Mathieu de Matteis, the junior maitre d', approached me ... I congratulated him that he's no longer in the beige uniform. He happily smiled and (on purpose) spoke rather loudly towards Remi and Thomas that soon / next he would get the same suit as them; read "take over their positions" :-) From the past experience, the staffs were also good in creating some dramas (a little fight or mock one another) among themselves for the sake of entertaining guests. That being said, the service, gesture and explanation were always performed consistently at the 3-star level.
If I had to be picky, the only 'downside' of the meal was that I prefer the lunch atmosphere to the dinner ambiance. The dining room with marble floors, red & thick curtains and plush upholstery was as opulent and elegant as ever. However, it lacked views and natural lights from the big glass window during the night, thus guests could hardly see the hotel's lovely inner French garden. Anyway, it was a minor thing. Épicure par Éric Fréchon quickly rose to the top 5 among my favorite restaurant in Paris and this meal ranked as the most memorable I've ever had here. Could you do better in the future Epicure? I hope so. Only a handful restaurants in Europe that I had the privilege to visit at least 5 times and now Chef Fréchon's temple of gastronomy joined that "exclusive" group. If you want to see the pictures, check the following link: Epicure Jan '19
Food (and Wine): 97 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 96 pts
Overall: 97/100
Sunday, August 19, 2018
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong
While I might not be old enough to eat at Jamin, Joël Robuchon's legendary restaurant prior to his early retirement in 1995, I have been fortunate to have visited several of his formal gastronomy restaurants in particular the ones in Asia. On the contrary, I rarely ate at his more casual restaurant - the L'Atelier - a concept Robuchon created upon his "comeback" in 2003, inspired by the sushi counter / tapas bar. In this 'workshop', the setting was more relaxed with an open kitchen, emphasizing more direct interaction between the staffs (including the chefs) and the customers. The food was generally still serious but the atmosphere was more convivial. The tradition of gold and white in classical and luxurious French gastronomy was replaced by the bold colors of red and black. One of the main reasons I eventually came this place was because L'Atelier JR Hong Kong has been in operation for more than a decade and somehow managed to gain and keep the 3-star Michelin for 10 years or so albeit HK Michelin is 'very generous'. I thought perhaps there's something special here, therefore I decided to have a meal here in March this year.
It has been a while for me to dine and be seated in a counter for eating non-Japanese food. I already made up my mind that I would order the tasting menu (I often "study" the menu a few days before visiting any gastronomy restaurant) as I have not tried more than half of the dishes there. The meal began with the staff brought a bread basket, freshly baked daily in the premise. The variety and quality were actually about on par with the ones found in JR restaurant served in the trolley. To ensure I could fully enjoy my degustation menu, I only tried a few of the bread such as cheese, tomato, spinach and bacon baguette. Following that, the kitchen delivered an amuse-bouche. That night, it was a bowl of white asparagus espuma served with chorizo, bell peppers, croutons, asparagus, and basil. It was refreshing, light yet full of (early Spring) flavors. Then come the 'real' dishes below,
Menu Découverte (Discovery Menu)
Le Caviar Imperial de Sologne servi en surprise (A surprise of Sologne Imperial caviar) - A meal at any Robuchon's restaurant would almost always start with a caviar dish. It was a familiar plating of Sologne caviar served in a tin; underneath the salty roes was predominantly lobster jelly. There were also some cauliflower cream and a little Alaskan crab. It was good though I found the ratio of the jelly vs crab meat was not balanced (too much gelee) and I slightly preferred the one in the past when served with (plenty of) fennel cream and perfumed by star anise
La Saint-Jacques la noix juste poêlée au coulis chaud de truffe et ses graines de potiron en cristalline (Pan-seared scallop with black truffle coulis and crispy pumpkin seeds) - The Hokkaido scallop was perfectly cooked, sweet and a bit raw inside. It was beautifully complimented by slices of the earthy Perigord truffle, musky and rather intense truffle coulis, as well as creamy + savory pumpkin sauce. It was an elegant dish displaying 'late' Winter specialty - the black truffle
La Truffe Noire sur un œuf coque sans coque doré et nacré aux copeaux de parmesan (Soft boiled egg on golden pearl rice with black truffle and parmesan shavings) - Another and more serious Perigord truffle dish. The egg was perfectly cook and its runny yolk was in harmony with earthy and pungent shavings of Tuber melanosporum and crisp sticky rice cake. The parmesan, a little lemon juice and spinach provided accents to this delicious dish. To let the black truffles shine, a simple course was often better
Accompanied by wine: Ruinart brut Rose NV (tasty and round champagne with fine structure, soft & creamy; fruity, fresh and vibrant with pretty pink color)
Le Homard cardinalisé au beurre salé, petits pois princesse et baby bok choy, escorté d’une bisque épicée (Grilled Maine lobster with green peas and baby bak choy) - My picture of the dish was probably not as good as its taste. The beautifully salted grilled lobster was firm and savory; even better when you put the lobster with the rich, piquant and creamy bisque (+ saffron taste). The flavorful dish was balanced by the fresh & sweet peas, thick & mild bak choy and cabbage + squid ink tuile. Meticulously cooked lobster with wonderful sauce ... that's all you need for a very comforting dish
Le Black Cod ravigoté au poivre noir de Malabar et son émulsion au lait de coco (Black cod with Malabar black pepper sauce and coconut emulsion) - The cod, previously marinated in miso, was succulent and flaky. It was the kind of fish that people easily fell in love with. The pepper sauce and coconut emulsion made this dish to be even more flavorful and rounded. Delicate fish served in the right size - an a la carte portion would be too much for me
Accompanied by wine: 2016 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Clos de L'Oratoire (relatively young white, full body, delicate, apple and pear aroma, good minerality, nice pairing with the black cod)
Le Bœuf japonais tranché, mitonnée d’asperges vertes et oignons nouveaux (Pan seared Japanese A3 Wagyu beef with green asparagus and baby onions) - A3 was sufficient for me and I thought it's more ideal for a steak. The beef (sirloin) was still tender and a bit burnt on the outside. By itself, the meat was alright - would be better when combined with the sauce made of black pepper and the beef jus. Good and safe main course though not necessarily memorable ... perhaps, I should opt for the La Caille in the future
Accompanied by wine: 2013 Chianti Classico, Il Grigio Gran Selezione (refined red fruit & intensity, smooth and elegant in the palate, balanced in tannin & acidity; an awesome Italian red wine and it's even enjoyable to drink by itself as it's already 'mature')
Coco des Iles gelée de citron vert, croustillant de riz soufflé, sorbet noix de coco (Exotic-fruits with coconut mousse and sorbet) - The fruits (jelly) were mango and passion fruit; both were a little acidic on the contrary to the sweet coconut stuffs. A light creation that could act as either a dessert or a palate cleanser
Le Chocolat en bavarois à la Williamine et chocolat “JR~10~HK” crispy de Peta-Zeta (Pear compotes with Williamine, “JR~10~HK” chocolate shell and Peta Zeta) - I enjoyed the dark chocolate part - good flavor and texture. The pear was delicately sweet and a bit crisp, good by itself. The combination of the two ... more of interesting rather than a 'match in heaven'. I expected a better / more sophisticated dessert creation by Chef Robuchon
The meal would include mignardises and non-alcohol digestive in the end. The petit fours were nice; I had vanilla macaron, banana chocolate, chocolate tart and madeleine cake. It was accompanied by an intense and good quality hot chocolate. The wine list was remarkable as the restaurant also owned by the Lisboa group whose collection in Robuchon Macau receiving Grand Award from the wine spectator's - of course matched by high price tag. The wine by the glass also showed an array of choices; as per above info, I drank 3 glasses. The food was overall well executed, flavorful, and presented in an elegant way. The simple but still felt opulent ambiance created a sense of comfort. The front of the house staffs were warmed, discreet and helpful, these made the experience even better. Adriano Cattaneo, chef de cuisine, as well as Anthony Au Yeung, the restaurant manager also made efforts to entertain me. I think I was one of the customers who left the latest. I may have preferred the Joel Robuchon fine dining food, but all aspects considered, I truly enjoyed my meal in this chic restaurant. I hope the L'Atelier and all other Robuchon restaurants would still be able to perform at the high level even after the master himself passed away earlier this month. Picture of the dishes: Robuchon HK Mar '18
Food (and Wine): 94 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 95 pts
Overall: 94/100
It has been a while for me to dine and be seated in a counter for eating non-Japanese food. I already made up my mind that I would order the tasting menu (I often "study" the menu a few days before visiting any gastronomy restaurant) as I have not tried more than half of the dishes there. The meal began with the staff brought a bread basket, freshly baked daily in the premise. The variety and quality were actually about on par with the ones found in JR restaurant served in the trolley. To ensure I could fully enjoy my degustation menu, I only tried a few of the bread such as cheese, tomato, spinach and bacon baguette. Following that, the kitchen delivered an amuse-bouche. That night, it was a bowl of white asparagus espuma served with chorizo, bell peppers, croutons, asparagus, and basil. It was refreshing, light yet full of (early Spring) flavors. Then come the 'real' dishes below,
Menu Découverte (Discovery Menu)
Le Caviar Imperial de Sologne servi en surprise (A surprise of Sologne Imperial caviar) - A meal at any Robuchon's restaurant would almost always start with a caviar dish. It was a familiar plating of Sologne caviar served in a tin; underneath the salty roes was predominantly lobster jelly. There were also some cauliflower cream and a little Alaskan crab. It was good though I found the ratio of the jelly vs crab meat was not balanced (too much gelee) and I slightly preferred the one in the past when served with (plenty of) fennel cream and perfumed by star anise
La Saint-Jacques la noix juste poêlée au coulis chaud de truffe et ses graines de potiron en cristalline (Pan-seared scallop with black truffle coulis and crispy pumpkin seeds) - The Hokkaido scallop was perfectly cooked, sweet and a bit raw inside. It was beautifully complimented by slices of the earthy Perigord truffle, musky and rather intense truffle coulis, as well as creamy + savory pumpkin sauce. It was an elegant dish displaying 'late' Winter specialty - the black truffle
La Truffe Noire sur un œuf coque sans coque doré et nacré aux copeaux de parmesan (Soft boiled egg on golden pearl rice with black truffle and parmesan shavings) - Another and more serious Perigord truffle dish. The egg was perfectly cook and its runny yolk was in harmony with earthy and pungent shavings of Tuber melanosporum and crisp sticky rice cake. The parmesan, a little lemon juice and spinach provided accents to this delicious dish. To let the black truffles shine, a simple course was often better
Accompanied by wine: Ruinart brut Rose NV (tasty and round champagne with fine structure, soft & creamy; fruity, fresh and vibrant with pretty pink color)
Le Homard cardinalisé au beurre salé, petits pois princesse et baby bok choy, escorté d’une bisque épicée (Grilled Maine lobster with green peas and baby bak choy) - My picture of the dish was probably not as good as its taste. The beautifully salted grilled lobster was firm and savory; even better when you put the lobster with the rich, piquant and creamy bisque (+ saffron taste). The flavorful dish was balanced by the fresh & sweet peas, thick & mild bak choy and cabbage + squid ink tuile. Meticulously cooked lobster with wonderful sauce ... that's all you need for a very comforting dish
Le Black Cod ravigoté au poivre noir de Malabar et son émulsion au lait de coco (Black cod with Malabar black pepper sauce and coconut emulsion) - The cod, previously marinated in miso, was succulent and flaky. It was the kind of fish that people easily fell in love with. The pepper sauce and coconut emulsion made this dish to be even more flavorful and rounded. Delicate fish served in the right size - an a la carte portion would be too much for me
Accompanied by wine: 2016 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Clos de L'Oratoire (relatively young white, full body, delicate, apple and pear aroma, good minerality, nice pairing with the black cod)
Le Bœuf japonais tranché, mitonnée d’asperges vertes et oignons nouveaux (Pan seared Japanese A3 Wagyu beef with green asparagus and baby onions) - A3 was sufficient for me and I thought it's more ideal for a steak. The beef (sirloin) was still tender and a bit burnt on the outside. By itself, the meat was alright - would be better when combined with the sauce made of black pepper and the beef jus. Good and safe main course though not necessarily memorable ... perhaps, I should opt for the La Caille in the future
Accompanied by wine: 2013 Chianti Classico, Il Grigio Gran Selezione (refined red fruit & intensity, smooth and elegant in the palate, balanced in tannin & acidity; an awesome Italian red wine and it's even enjoyable to drink by itself as it's already 'mature')
Coco des Iles gelée de citron vert, croustillant de riz soufflé, sorbet noix de coco (Exotic-fruits with coconut mousse and sorbet) - The fruits (jelly) were mango and passion fruit; both were a little acidic on the contrary to the sweet coconut stuffs. A light creation that could act as either a dessert or a palate cleanser
Le Chocolat en bavarois à la Williamine et chocolat “JR~10~HK” crispy de Peta-Zeta (Pear compotes with Williamine, “JR~10~HK” chocolate shell and Peta Zeta) - I enjoyed the dark chocolate part - good flavor and texture. The pear was delicately sweet and a bit crisp, good by itself. The combination of the two ... more of interesting rather than a 'match in heaven'. I expected a better / more sophisticated dessert creation by Chef Robuchon
The meal would include mignardises and non-alcohol digestive in the end. The petit fours were nice; I had vanilla macaron, banana chocolate, chocolate tart and madeleine cake. It was accompanied by an intense and good quality hot chocolate. The wine list was remarkable as the restaurant also owned by the Lisboa group whose collection in Robuchon Macau receiving Grand Award from the wine spectator's - of course matched by high price tag. The wine by the glass also showed an array of choices; as per above info, I drank 3 glasses. The food was overall well executed, flavorful, and presented in an elegant way. The simple but still felt opulent ambiance created a sense of comfort. The front of the house staffs were warmed, discreet and helpful, these made the experience even better. Adriano Cattaneo, chef de cuisine, as well as Anthony Au Yeung, the restaurant manager also made efforts to entertain me. I think I was one of the customers who left the latest. I may have preferred the Joel Robuchon fine dining food, but all aspects considered, I truly enjoyed my meal in this chic restaurant. I hope the L'Atelier and all other Robuchon restaurants would still be able to perform at the high level even after the master himself passed away earlier this month. Picture of the dishes: Robuchon HK Mar '18
Food (and Wine): 94 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 95 pts
Overall: 94/100
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Joel Robuchon Singapore - 2nd visit
A few years has passed ... having dined in several different places in Singapore, I find there is (still) no better place to savor French haute (nouveau) cuisine at the island than Joel Robuchon restaurant. After my first visit in late 2011, I tried to come here once every two years; it didn't happen last year since I had a chance to have lunch at Robuchon au Dome. The Macau establishment was nice but I still prefer my experience at RWS. Similar to my previous visit, I designed my own menu a couple of weeks prior to my dinner. Jasmine, the restaurant's hostess since the opening, efficiently assisted my communication with Executive Chef Tomonori Danzaki. I noticed that the usual degustation menu's price had been decreased by about SGD 50 - Robuchon is known to be adaptable to the global economy and domestic market situation. On paper, I was very pleased with the arrangement but I miscalculated small things. Unlike my first visit, this time my menu contained some "trio" dishes, to be exact 3 of them - I counted them as 3 courses instead of 9 as I thought they would come in small size requiring 1-2 bites each. Actually, this time the portions were larger than my experience at the other Robuchon's restaurants (of course, I did not complain) in particular the salmon tartar with caviar as well as the black truffle tart with onion confit. Therefore, in total I ate 19 courses (4-5 more items than the 'normal' long tasting menu) during dinner that lasted until near midnight. Honestly, this is probably the "biggest" meal I've ever had in my life. However, the quality didn't disappoint at all. As a matter of fact, it unexpectedly went down to be my best dining experience in the whole Asia (& America) excluding Japan.
Degustation Menu
Pour Commencer arlette croustilla
Le Caviar Impérial sur un velouté de chou-fleur glacé tremblotan
Le Caviar Impérial en jubilé de crabe royal dans une onctuosité de fenouil (Imperial caviar on duo of king crab with fennel lightness and sea urchin) - The crab was a combinatio
Le Caviar Impérial avec le saumon en tartare agrémenté de jeunes pousses de shiso (Salmon tartar flavored with shiso sprouts served with Imperial caviar) - This beautifull
L’OEuf de Poule mollet friand, légèreté au fin comté et “Iberico de Bellota’’ (Crispy soft boiled egg with black truffle, comté cheese mousseline and ‛‛Iberico de Bellota’’) - The crispy crust was pleasant, but the black truffle and Spanish ham, prepared in shredded form, were a bit muted compared to the harmony taste produced by wonderful egg yolk core with flavorful parmesan and truffle mousseline 'sauce'; neverthele
Accompanied by wine: Champagne Veuve Clicquot Yellow Brut Label (Bubbles with full body flavors, intense aromas and fine acidity)
Truffe Noire en fine tarte croustilla
Truffe Noire avec le foie gras en millefeuil
Langoustin
La Noix de Saint-Jacq
La langoustin
Le homard sur une royale crémeuse au “château chalon” (Lobster on a “chateau chalon” royale) - The tasty lobster (in small portion) was nicely firm in flavorful & rich foam; the asparagus and other vegetables were alright. I didn't really like the lobster flan at the bottom ...
Le king crabe kadaïf en fritto au curry vert (King crab kadaif, green curry sauce) - A uncomplica
Accompanied by wine: 2008 Domaine Alain Voge Saint-Peray Fleur de Crussol (Smooth texture with some minerality; deep, creamy with lingering aftertaste)
Les Champignon
L’Amadai en duo d’artichau
Le Turbot rôti une étuvée de champignon
Le Canard et son foie gras à l’aigre doux de cerises et aux amandes fraîches (Duck and seared foie gras with cherries and fresh almond) - For the first time that my main course at Robuchon's gastronomy places was not Japanese beef. The Challans duck breast was tender but a bit too dry to my likeness; the duck liver was, as expected, creamy and delicious. My favorite part happened to be the seasonal and fresh cherries that brought harmony to the dish. There was rich and buttery mashed potato on the side
Accompanied by wine: 2007 Chateau de Cazeneuve Pic Saint-Loup Le Roc des Mates (Sweet nose with plenty of dark ripe fruits, full body and vibrant due to high acidity)
Les Fromages frais et affinés (Your choice from the cheese trolley) - As far as I know, this place has the best cheese selection available in Singapore. I chose 4 kinds: goat cheese, 24-month old comte, camembert (smooth & buttery) and roquefort (sharp and tangy). It's been ages since the last time I consumed excellent French cheese
Le Mojito créme madame à la menthe, ganité au rhum ambré et nuage de citron vert (Mint lightness with dark rum granite and lime emulsion) - Robuchon's take on classic cocktail. It rarely happened I enjoyed the first dessert (often work as palate cleanser) more than the second one. It's bright and acidic with a good minty; sweet and sour flavor were noticeable but not overwhelmi
Le Dôme sur un lit de fruits noirs, chocolat coulant au Dulcey (Berries on a delicate chocolate fondant and dulcey smoothness
Le Moka – Le Thé escortés de mignardises (Coffee or tea served with seductive sweets) - This time I had raspberry fruit tart, canele, opera and dragee/sugar coated almonds. In addition, I savored 4 different crisp macarons flavors, named black currant, orange blossom, mint and chocolate; they're very good. I drank tea created from a mixture of thyme and mint
Accompanied by wine: 2011 Charles Hours Jurançon Uroulat (Clear in gold color, refreshing, fragrance and complex - would taste better in 3 years time)
I know I would eat very well at any Joel Robuchon fine dining restaurants, but I never imagined it could reach such high points. Every course, using the finest ingredients available, was very well executed; even some of them was near perfection. It's one thing to be creative, but another thing to have flawlessly implement it. Salute to Chef Tomonori Danzaki and his brigade for meticulously and consistently preparing delicious dishes after dishes. I was not afraid to declare that Danzaki-san was Robuchon's most capable chef; it means that he's better than Verzeroli, Le Tohic and Semblat (in order of abilities based on my visits to their restaurants). Every small detail mattered and we could see it from both the food as well as the decor. On top of the black lacquer table with dark linen, there were several well-arranged crystals. Black and beige color dominated the dining room's lavish ambiance. Grand opulent chandeliers, huge vases for flower arrangements, and several antiques/paintings etc.; all of the elements were in harmony. A memorable haute cuisine experience in luxurious setting.
The service was impeccable throughout although the fine dining restaurant was understaffed, there were only 7-8 people served more than 30 diners (Possibly one of its busiest night ever). The sommelier Duboueix was sick and the restaurant manager Raguzzi was busy helping the l'Atelier. This time the wonderful service was delivered by Asian staffs: Sherika, a Filipina maitre d' who used to work at Robuchon Macau for a couple of years, and Kohmalan, an easy going Indian gentleman. They were not only sincere and helpful, but also able to engage in meaningful conversations since both of them possessed good knowledge about the food, the restaurant and the chefs. When I finished my black truffle symphony courses, Chef Danzaki inquired whether the food had not been 'too much'. To be honest, I was half full already but the kitchen was willing to adjust/reduce my initial tasting menu - a nice gesture that I politely declined. Near 11 PM (around the cheese course), Chef Danzaki visited me to make sure that everything was fine. He was gracious and seemed happy & curious that I managed to finish up everything. We were chatting for about 15 minutes; his English has improved tremendously. He explained that his favorite food was still Japanese cuisine and sometimes still went to Tokyo for working purposes. The staffs were proud of their jobs and committed to keep getting better. More than one occasion they asked me about the food, the service, how they do (compared to their competitors or among Robuchon places) and how they could improve. I hardly remember the last time a top gastronomy restaurant brought such questions.
Please check out the link below for the dishes' pictures, https://picasaweb.google.com/118237905546308956881/JoelRobuchonSingapore2ndVisit
Food (and Wine): 97 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 96 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
Degustation Menu
Pour Commencer arlette croustilla
Le Caviar Impérial sur un velouté de chou-fleur glacé tremblotan
Le Caviar Impérial en jubilé de crabe royal dans une onctuosité de fenouil (Imperial caviar on duo of king crab with fennel lightness and sea urchin) - The crab was a combinatio
Le Caviar Impérial avec le saumon en tartare agrémenté de jeunes pousses de shiso (Salmon tartar flavored with shiso sprouts served with Imperial caviar) - This beautifull
L’OEuf de Poule mollet friand, légèreté au fin comté et “Iberico de Bellota’’ (Crispy soft boiled egg with black truffle, comté cheese mousseline and ‛‛Iberico de Bellota’’) - The crispy crust was pleasant, but the black truffle and Spanish ham, prepared in shredded form, were a bit muted compared to the harmony taste produced by wonderful egg yolk core with flavorful parmesan and truffle mousseline 'sauce'; neverthele
Accompanied by wine: Champagne Veuve Clicquot Yellow Brut Label (Bubbles with full body flavors, intense aromas and fine acidity)
Truffe Noire en fine tarte croustilla
Truffe Noire avec le foie gras en millefeuil
Langoustin
La Noix de Saint-Jacq
La langoustin
Le homard sur une royale crémeuse au “château chalon” (Lobster on a “chateau chalon” royale) - The tasty lobster (in small portion) was nicely firm in flavorful & rich foam; the asparagus and other vegetables were alright. I didn't really like the lobster flan at the bottom ...
Le king crabe kadaïf en fritto au curry vert (King crab kadaif, green curry sauce) - A uncomplica
Accompanied by wine: 2008 Domaine Alain Voge Saint-Peray Fleur de Crussol (Smooth texture with some minerality; deep, creamy with lingering aftertaste)
Les Champignon
L’Amadai en duo d’artichau
Le Turbot rôti une étuvée de champignon
Le Canard et son foie gras à l’aigre doux de cerises et aux amandes fraîches (Duck and seared foie gras with cherries and fresh almond) - For the first time that my main course at Robuchon's gastronomy places was not Japanese beef. The Challans duck breast was tender but a bit too dry to my likeness; the duck liver was, as expected, creamy and delicious. My favorite part happened to be the seasonal and fresh cherries that brought harmony to the dish. There was rich and buttery mashed potato on the side
Accompanied by wine: 2007 Chateau de Cazeneuve Pic Saint-Loup Le Roc des Mates (Sweet nose with plenty of dark ripe fruits, full body and vibrant due to high acidity)
Les Fromages frais et affinés (Your choice from the cheese trolley) - As far as I know, this place has the best cheese selection available in Singapore. I chose 4 kinds: goat cheese, 24-month old comte, camembert (smooth & buttery) and roquefort (sharp and tangy). It's been ages since the last time I consumed excellent French cheese
Le Mojito créme madame à la menthe, ganité au rhum ambré et nuage de citron vert (Mint lightness with dark rum granite and lime emulsion) - Robuchon's take on classic cocktail. It rarely happened I enjoyed the first dessert (often work as palate cleanser) more than the second one. It's bright and acidic with a good minty; sweet and sour flavor were noticeable but not overwhelmi
Le Dôme sur un lit de fruits noirs, chocolat coulant au Dulcey (Berries on a delicate chocolate fondant and dulcey smoothness
Le Moka – Le Thé escortés de mignardises (Coffee or tea served with seductive sweets) - This time I had raspberry fruit tart, canele, opera and dragee/sugar coated almonds. In addition, I savored 4 different crisp macarons flavors, named black currant, orange blossom, mint and chocolate; they're very good. I drank tea created from a mixture of thyme and mint
Accompanied by wine: 2011 Charles Hours Jurançon Uroulat (Clear in gold color, refreshing, fragrance and complex - would taste better in 3 years time)
I know I would eat very well at any Joel Robuchon fine dining restaurants, but I never imagined it could reach such high points. Every course, using the finest ingredients available, was very well executed; even some of them was near perfection. It's one thing to be creative, but another thing to have flawlessly implement it. Salute to Chef Tomonori Danzaki and his brigade for meticulously and consistently preparing delicious dishes after dishes. I was not afraid to declare that Danzaki-san was Robuchon's most capable chef; it means that he's better than Verzeroli, Le Tohic and Semblat (in order of abilities based on my visits to their restaurants). Every small detail mattered and we could see it from both the food as well as the decor. On top of the black lacquer table with dark linen, there were several well-arranged crystals. Black and beige color dominated the dining room's lavish ambiance. Grand opulent chandeliers, huge vases for flower arrangements, and several antiques/paintings etc.; all of the elements were in harmony. A memorable haute cuisine experience in luxurious setting.
The service was impeccable throughout although the fine dining restaurant was understaffed, there were only 7-8 people served more than 30 diners (Possibly one of its busiest night ever). The sommelier Duboueix was sick and the restaurant manager Raguzzi was busy helping the l'Atelier. This time the wonderful service was delivered by Asian staffs: Sherika, a Filipina maitre d' who used to work at Robuchon Macau for a couple of years, and Kohmalan, an easy going Indian gentleman. They were not only sincere and helpful, but also able to engage in meaningful conversations since both of them possessed good knowledge about the food, the restaurant and the chefs. When I finished my black truffle symphony courses, Chef Danzaki inquired whether the food had not been 'too much'. To be honest, I was half full already but the kitchen was willing to adjust/reduce my initial tasting menu - a nice gesture that I politely declined. Near 11 PM (around the cheese course), Chef Danzaki visited me to make sure that everything was fine. He was gracious and seemed happy & curious that I managed to finish up everything. We were chatting for about 15 minutes; his English has improved tremendously. He explained that his favorite food was still Japanese cuisine and sometimes still went to Tokyo for working purposes. The staffs were proud of their jobs and committed to keep getting better. More than one occasion they asked me about the food, the service, how they do (compared to their competitors or among Robuchon places) and how they could improve. I hardly remember the last time a top gastronomy restaurant brought such questions.
Please check out the link below for the dishes' pictures, https://picasaweb.google.com/118237905546308956881/JoelRobuchonSingapore2ndVisit
Food (and Wine): 97 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 96 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
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