In the past several years, a visit to Paris usually would include having a meal at L'Ambroisie for me. 2017 was special because somehow I had opportunities to go to Europe more than once and I went to this Paris' longest running three-star restaurant (since 1988) twice! The first one was in the middle of Spring, followed by another visit in early Fall. I think it's official that L'Ambroisie has become my favorite restaurant in Europe, usurping L'Arpege. Prior to 2017, my last two visits here were dinner where the restaurant was full house and busy. Nowadays, whenever possible, I prefer to go for lunch in which the restaurant was quieter and hence I could have better interaction with the staffs. A visit to this temple of haute cuisine was generally predictable but not boring. It was a timeless institution in many aspects such as the (traditional) food served by Bernard Pacaud and his team would be flawless, authentic and pure. The interior of the dining room inside the 17th century townhouse has always been elegant and palace-like. Lastly, the service was friendly and impeccable ... this part actually changed a bit; the staffs were more relaxed and less old-fashioned. They have adapted to the needs of more and more 'casual' foreigners dining at L'Ambroisie.
Spring lunch in May '17
My meal began with kugelhopf which was flavored by paprika and comte cheese - very good. It was warm, fragrant, tasty, kind of crunchy outside and soft in the middle. There were also traditional baguette and brown bread served with high quality butter.
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce curry (Langoustine tail, covered by thin & crispy sesame tuile, served with spinach and curry sauce) - The restaurant kindly served the small portion of its signature dish as my amuse-bouche. It was as terrific as I could remember eating it for the first time. The plump and sweet langoustine was "partially cooked" (mi-cuit). It was accompanied / contrasted by the bitter and vegetal flavor of the spinach as well as the creamy and somewhat acidic curry sauce. All ingredients worked together in harmony (no produce was overly dominant) - balance of flavors and textures. 'Simple' and delicious!
Chaud-froid d'oeuf mollet au cresson, asperges vertes et caviar golden ("Hot-cold" soft boiled egg coated with watercress and served with green asparagus and golden caviar) - The egg was meticulously cooked where the yolk was perfect (creamy and delicious). The fresh watercress beautifully covered the egg and the green sabayon was mild & distinct. The in-season asparagus delivered pleasant sweetness to accompany the egg. Above all, the refined and pure golden caviar from China tied things together and at the same time elevated the dish's flavors + overall experience. The caviar, generously served, was perfectly round, shiny, delicate, and creamy with the right saltiness. It's not just any random egg dish, but an outstanding one.
Escalopines de bar à l'émincé d'artichaut, nage réduite au caviar golden ("Thinly" sliced Sea bass served with minced artichoke hearts on a bed of 'swimming' caviar sauce) - It was a half-portion and the 2nd time I ate this glorious dish (I hardly ordered an a la carte dish to be repeated anywhere).
The Escalopes de bar was gently cooked until pearlescent; the flesh was glistening and the fish kept its oils generating moist, buttery and flavorful taste. The texture was still flaky while the skin gave some texture contrast. Below the Sea bass, there were the firm & 'crunchy' artichokes, having a bit mixture of sweet and acidic flavors in them - worked in harmony with the fish. Ultimately, the traditional white butter sauce (with fish reduction) below 'seasoned' with the umami golden caviar brought this dish altogether into perfection. The caviar was critical in that they lubricated the produce above them and offered polished and slippery / briny feel in the mouth.
Similar to the earlier appetizer, the caviar was not just an expensive garnish to elevate the dish's price instead it's an integral part with culinary purpose to lift the dish overall experience. Another heavenly dish and very likely to be the best Sea bass dish I've ever had.
Accompanied by: 2004 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs (A mature & refreshing champagne with smoky aroma, creamy texture and deep on the palate - a bit of almond and spice flavors)
Côte de veau glacée au jus, fricassée d'asperges vertes et morilles (Milk-fed Veal fillet glazed by its jus and served with green asparagus fricassee, garlics and morels) - Normally, this dish was for 2 people but Mr. Pascal kindly allowed to have it for one person. The pink fillet meat was uniformly tender, moist and flavorful; it was coated by its thin layer of tasty fat. The jus was savory and intense.
The green asparagus had good taste and texture while the cooked garlic was more essential than expected - it was delicate, a bit sweet with pleasant nutty flavor to balance the veal and its jus. Then, there were numerous in-seasoned and fresh morel mushrooms with incredible flavors (woody, succulent and rather rich). Even after I finished up all the veal, I still had plenty of morels to 'devour' by itself - that's how much morels the kitchen gave, love it!
I didn't know that veal could taste this good - my finest one. Bernard Pacaud never stopped to amaze me and I think I should try other dishes at L'Ambroisie that previously I might have overlooked. Spring is indeed the perfect season for veal, asparagus and morel.
Accompanied by: 2007 Frederic Magnien Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (Supple tannin, delicious with good density on the palate, berries and floral aroma, deep and smooth - a good time to drink it)
Blanc-manger au citron, melba fraises des bois (Lemon blanc-manger served with wild strawberries and melba sauce) - The traditional 'blancmange' was milky and smooth but here, Bernard Pacaud utilized the meringue for firmer texture and flavor it with lemon at the bottom for some acidic flavor. It might not be as light and creamy as the normal one but still a delightful interpretation. The strawberries were fresh and sweet; the melba sauce was balanced in its flavor. There were fresh cream and strawberries sorbet inside. Overall, it's an enjoyable fruity dessert in Spring - glad that I could try a new dessert here.
Tarte sablée au cacao amer, glace à la vanille Bourbon (Dark chocolate tart with bitter cocoa powder served with Bourbon vanilla ice cream) - I was grateful and appreciated that in so many occasions, the restaurant gave me this legendary dessert for free (albeit in smaller portion). It was a timeless one indeed ... The top layer was very light in which I could discover 'shades' of flavors such as coffee, bitter cocoa, nutty etc. On the contrary to the soft layers, the kitchen provided thicker and firmer base to steadily hold the sabayon filling. The vanilla ice cream was also superb in that it was more concentrated and perfumed than the normal one yet it's also light. Still, the best dessert at L'Ambroisie and one of the best in Paris.
The food was consistently good and taken seriously even until the end. For the petit-four, the kitchen served chocolate truffles, canele, strawberry tartelette, and doughnut-like madeleine; they were of high quality and really tasty. A great way to end the mea.
Accompanied by: Rhum Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva (A Venezuelan rum that was smooth & creamy, rich having caramel & toffee flavors, long finish with a little bit of spice - thank you Christophe for the complimentary digestive)
Autumn lunch in October '17
I was pleasantly surprised that as soon as we're seated in the middle dining room, the staff brought a plate filled with gougeres - a light and hollow 'puff' served warm and filled with flavorful comte cheese. These gougeres have been missing from L'Ambroisie for quite some times.
Foie gras de canard landais aux épices, poires Curé en condiment (Duck foie gras from Landais served with spices, pears and condiment) - Similar to the last visit, the amuse-bouche was taken from the a la carte menu and this was great since I was unlikely to order duck liver dish in general. The foie gras was quite rich, not cloying but not as buttery as I had expected. The crunchy 'spices' on the side provided some texture contrast while the pear 'puree' would balance the liver's intense flavor. There were also 2 slices of toast on which we could spread this terrine.
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce au curry (Langoustines in curry sauce served with spinach and thin sesame wafers) - My wife tried this signature dish for the first time and she ordered a small portion. As one could imagine, she loved it - very delicious and tender langoustine tails accompanied by flavorful yet light curry sauce (made of cream, curry and hazelnut butter) and a bed of delicate spinach. I've said much about this legendary dish and enough for now.
Grenobloise de noix de Saint-Jacques aux cèpes, truffe blanche d'Alba (Scallop, from Grenoble, served with cepes [raw, cooked & as sauce], white Alba truffle and chopped walnut) - A new and exquisite dish! 3 plump and lightly cooked scallops were sweet, nutty and firm. These superb shellfishes were integrated and in harmony with the earthy & meaty 'Porcini' mushrooms prepared in many different forms and crunchy walnut. In addition, the already intense and delicious dish was still elevated by the top quality & aromatic Alba truffles (with a hint of garlic aroma) ... ethereal indeed An outstanding dish with plenty of magnificent ingredients that worked in unison to deliver an outstanding experience: creamy and delicate sauce; rather rich and earthy cooked ceps; fragrant and crunchy porcini & walnut; tasty and succulent scallop as well as delightful bytes of the white truffle. This dish with all of its seasonal ingredients were certainly the best representative of what the Fall season could offer.
Sole drapée de truffe blanche d'Alba, braisée au savagnin et melba de céleri-rave (Sole, covered with white Alba truffle, was braised with white wine sauce and served with celery roots and leaves) - Mr. Pascal, the maitre d', allowed me to split this fish with my spouse - so in the picture, it was the half portion of the dish. The high quality Sole was thick, tender and juicy (without any flan in between). The sauce, made of wine, butter and fresh cream, was divine - piquant but delicious. Furthermore, the Sole was enhanced by the pungent & earthy white truffle as well as fresh & dense celeriac. An outstanding piece of fish!
Viennoise de suprêmes de pigeon au pain d'épice, salmigondis de carottes à l'anis (Breaded supreme pigeon [from Burgundy] served with gingerbread, carrots and star anise) - The pigeon was perfectly cooked (still pink); it was tender, lean and flavorful. The leg was prepared a la 'wonton' - crunchy outside but tender inside. The jus, mixed with some colorful vegetables such as orange honey & lemongrass, was flavorful and a bit sweet in a pleasant way. It was an underrated dish that happened to be really delicious + beautiful. It had textures contrast in both the pigeon and veggies and plenty of flavor variations.
Throughout this lunch, my wife and I shared a half-bottle of: 2003 Frédéric Magnien Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru. It was delicate & light, supple, soft tannin, spice & herbal finish; 2017 was just about the right time (perfect?) to savor this red Burgundy.
Fromages frais et affinés (Fresh and refined cheese, accompanied by some bread). After some discussion with Laurent, I picked the following:
1. Roquefort - rich, creamy, tangy and sharp
2. Saint Nectaire fermier - grassy smell, fruity, rich in texture
3. Comté (24-month) - deep nutty taste, a bit spicy, subtle sweetness
4. Rocamadour - velvety goat cheese, nutty, and mild
Both the roquefort and st. nectaire were remarkable. It was the first time I ate cheese here and L'Ambroisie actually procured some high quality cheese.
To accompany the cheese, the sommelier gave me a glass of: Madeira Henriques & Henriques 10 years old Sercial (Clean aroma, a bit dry and acidic, long finish, a mix of nuts, wood & vanilla - decent wine pairing)
Tatin de pommes Reinette, sabayon aux noix (Apple 'tart' from the Fall variant served with walnut sabayon and caramel ice cream) - Bernard Pacaud always had a way to interpret and produce any classic dish. The apples were carefully caramelized with a balanced of soft and hard texture. There were a bit tartness derived from the apples, not-so-sweet ice cream, and any "excess" flavor would be absorbed by the pastry. It was good but not exceptional, especially when compared to L'Ambroisie's legendary chocolate cake yet both of us still quite liked it.
Finally, for the mignardise we enjoyed the figs, chocolate raspberry cake, choux with cream & chocolate truffles.
Perfection seemed to be the norm at L'Ambroisie. In both occasions, Bernard Pacaud was in the kitchen. In May, I saw him coming out of the business meeting held in the restaurant's private room at around noon time; Chef Pacaud meant business when he had to lead his brigade. On the way to the kitchen, he recognized my face, then nodded and acknowledged my presence. Given Bernard's shy personality, the busy period and my poor French, a short conversation was not easy sometimes. On the contrary, I was familiar and comfortable with the front staffs such as Mr. Pascal Vetaux (Restaurant director who has been here for about 30 years), Mdm. Danielle Pacaud (the co-owner & hostess), Christophe (the sommelier), Laurent and Joseph. I recalled in my earlier visits, having a meal at L'Ambroisie was like visiting someone's house where the guests had to behave as well. But now, it was like coming to the home of good friends in which I could be myself and felt very comfortable as I pretty much recognized most of the 'old' faces. I used to have the same feeling for L'Arpege, however except for Helene, I barely know any of the front staffs these days. Besides the extraordinary food and top service a la Parisienne, I very much concurred with the chef-patron's philosophy to have only one restaurant, be there daily and not even doing any outside consulting. No wonder, my experiences here have always been consistently awesome. Hope to return here again and again ... Readers are welcome to see the pictures: L'Ambroisie May '17 and L'Ambroisie Oct '17
Food (and Wine): 98.5 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 96.5 pts
Overall: 98/100
The main purpose for this blog (so far) will be my reviews and opinions of some of the best restaurants in the world that I've visited, in particular Michelin 2-star and 3-star establishments.
Showing posts with label caviar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label caviar. Show all posts
Friday, January 19, 2018
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 nte
au beurre salé et aux lamelles de truffe (Crispy arlette with salted
butter and truffle shavings) - The warm arlette (more like waffle here)
on the left was crunchy and flaky with a piece of black truffle
sandwiched in between. An even better amuse was the one on the right
side: it consisted of a layer of light parmesan on top, aromatic black
truffle and tasty foie gras at the bottom - enjoy it by 'fishing' the
glass
Le Caviar Impérial sur un velouté de chou-fleur glacé tremblotan t (Imperial caviar on a shivering cauliflowe r velouté with golden croutons) - The velvety cauliflowe r was mixed well with the fresh shellfish jelly and the burst of caviar's saltiness. The airy cheese stick was nice by itself
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 n of delicate Kamchatka/ Royal crab and fine French spider crab (displayin g
texture and flavor contrast). The crab's succulent taste matched
perfectly with caviar's brininess as well as the sweet and creamy flavor
coming from Hokkaido uni. A luxurious and delicious dish!
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 y
presented dish was incredibly exquisite. The luscious salmon tartare
was fresh, tasty and perfectly seasoned; it's enhanced by top quality of
shiny caviar (having sumptuous taste) and runny egg yolk wrapped in
gold leaf. Every element here was just right; I truly enjoyed every
single bite of this dish. My favorite one among the Imperial caviar trio
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 ss it's still awesome, nearly as amazing as Robuchon's famous poached egg dish with salmon and caviar
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 nte
aux oignons grelots et lard fume (Black truffle tart with onion confit
and smoked bacon) - A strong candidate for the best dish in this meal;
pleasing both to the eye and the palate. The pungent and earthy truffle
was in perfect harmony with the salty bacon, crispy tart and sweet onion
confit. Different flavors and textures but balanced; they're happily
dancing in my mouth as I slowly savored this exceptiona l dish - in leaps and bounds, it was just way better than a similar dish created by lepinoy at les amis
Truffe Noire avec le foie gras en millefeuil le croustilla nt d'anguille (Crusty eel mille-feui lle layered with smoked duck liver and black truffle) - The caramelize d
Japanese unagi was sweet and slightly firm while the foie gras was
delicate and rich, then the pungent truffle added an extra 'punch'. A
very intense dish; the "millefeui lle" held together nicely. Each bite was a revelation of extraordin ary "fattiness ". To balance any excessive flavor, there was bland whipped cream with black pepper as well as salad containing radish and onion
Langoustin e
truffée et cuite en raviolis, étuvée de chou vert (Scampi raviolis with
black truffle, chopped cabbage and foie gras sauce) - The meaty Alaskan langoustin e wrapped & cooked briefly in ravioli was tender and tasty. The truffle gave a pungent flavor and (thankfull y) the buttery and creamy foie gras sauce was somewhat lighter than usual. Perhaps Danzaki-sa n did it on purpose as the other 2 dishes in the truffle symphony were very luscious
La Noix de Saint-Jacq ues
en timbale de macaroni, aux courgettes et jus émulsionné truffée (Sea
scallops in macaroni with zucchini and truffled jus) - A pretty
presentati on. The scallop in the middle was delightful , but I wish they didn't cut it into smaller pieces. The most interestin g part was the other 'side items' such as citrusy shiso, truffle and its juice, asparagus, macaroni etc. They complement ed each other; a fine dish but not memorable
La langoustin e en fricassée aux courgettes et amandes (Langousti ne
fricassee with zucchini and almonds) - A very fresh, succulent and
sweet Alaskan big prawn was the best among the seafood trio. The sauce
from langoustin e own juice was tasty. There were contrast in texture and color as displayed by orecchiett e pasta, almond, zucchini, and some 'chips'. Excellent dish!
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 ted dish focusing on the good crab's quality (inherentl y
sweet); they're nicely wrap in cheesy and crisp kadaif. The curry sauce
was light, hence hardly brought any effect to the overall flavor of the
dish
Accompanied by wine: 2008 Domaine Alain Voge Saint-Peray Fleur de Crussol (Smooth texture with some minerality; deep, creamy with lingering aftertaste)
Les Champignon s variés
mitonnés dans un bouillon au jarret de veau à la truffe noire (Mushrooms
simmered in a veal broth with black truffle) - The veal broth was very
pleasant, flavorful and not cloying at all. The fragrant & 'clear'
broth was enhanced with the coveted truffle shavings, meaty button and
shiitake mushroom as well as salty bacon ravioli
L’Amadai en duo d’artichau ts
sautés aux saveurs épicées (Amadai with sauteed artichoke and saffron
ginger sauce) - The pan-seared Sea bream was great with its crispy scale
still intact and delicate flesh underneath . I loved the light
saffron sauce with some sour notes in it. After plenty of highly
flavored & 'heavy' dishes in the first half of tasting menu, this
kind of refreshing course could not arrive at a better time
Le Turbot rôti une étuvée de champignon s
des bois, oignons grelot au jus truffé (Roasted turbot with wild
mushrooms, pearl onions and black truffle jus) - Turbot was usually my
favorite fish in French cuisine. It's precisely executed producing flesh
that was firm yet supple; the light seasoning and pungent truffle
brought more flavor. Additional ly, the applicatio n of late Autumn mushrooms and truffle juice added interestin g complexity but still balanced
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 ng. Well done!
Le Dôme sur un lit de fruits noirs, chocolat coulant au Dulcey (Berries on a delicate chocolate fondant and dulcey smoothness ) - Another beautiful presentati on dish. Not a small portion for dessert. I found the chocolate fondant plus 'caramel' really sweet; fortunatel y
sour & tart (acai) berries at the bottom helped to 'cancel out' the
extreme sweetness. Another good chocolate dessert created by the French
master chef
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
Labels:
black truffle,
caviar,
joel robuchon,
resort world,
tomonori danzaki
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