Taillevent Alain Soliveres

Taillevent is a Paris icon and one of the most important landmarks in the history of French haute cuisine. The restaurant was found by Andre Vrinat in 1946 and named after the nickname of a legendary chef from the 14th century called Guillaume Tirel. Taillevent was identical with 3-star michelin especially when Claude Deligne was leading the kitchen while Jean-Claude Vrinat (Andre's son) was often perceived as the finest maitre d'hotel in France, if not the whole Europe. However, things changed fast when in 2007, Taillevent lost its third star and Mr. Vrinat passed away in early 2008 due to lung cancer. In spite of these challenges, Taillevent has been doing relatively well. Under Alain Soliveres (the current chef de cuisine since 2002), it comfortably keeps the 2-star status though everyone here certainly works very hard to reclaim Michelin's highest honor. After more than a decade of indulging and appreciating various gastronomy food around the world (mainly in Europe and Asia), I eventually decided to visit this famous dining institution last month. As I was looking at the menu, the staffs brought in a small plate of Gougeres (Comte cheese-flavored choux pastry). It was a very good nibble, served warmed with light choux and containing pleasant cheese flavor. In less than 10 minutes, I made up my mind and ordered the seasonal tasting menu - it was supposed to be the last week of Morel mushrooms.

Menu Asperges & Morilles

Crispy Langoustine with sweet and sour sauce - The amuse-bouche at Taillevent displayed some Asian influence. It was a tasty Dublin bay prawn with delicate & sweet 'meat'. The sauce, having a hint of spiciness, was fine

Asperges Vertes d'Anjou, Gelée de Verjus et Caviar Osciètre (Green Asparagus from Anjou, served with Verjus jelly and Oscietra Caviar) - The asparagus was crisp yet tender; it's delectable without any bitter flavor. The acidic verjus jelly (acted like a refined vinegar 'sauce') and briny caviar enhanced the overall flavor of the dish. The kitchen truly thoughtfully prepared all elements here and the presentation was exquisite

Accompanied by wine: 2014 Domaine Didier Dagueneau, Blanc Fumé de Pouilly - a dry white wine from Loire Valley. It was fresh, medium-bodied with distinctive smell and a bit complex texture-wise. A good pairing with my vegetable dishes

Asperges Blanches Angevines aux Saveurs Printanières (White Asparagus from Angevine farm, served in Spring seasonal flavors) - The cooked white asparagus was a bit mild and slightly sweet; texture-wise, it was delicate (thus, I like using a meat knife to cut through and eat it). The overall flavor of this dish was intensified by watercress 'sauce', parmesan and some seasonal vegetables

Homard Bleu Sauté a Cru, Morilles Blondes et Coquillages (Blue Lobster in "browned" jus served with yellow Morel mushrooms and Shellfishes) - The lobster and morels were carefully executed resulting in delicious dish. I really liked the meaty and tender lobster's claw. The shellfishes were alright while the mushrooms were 'nutty', meaty and tasty. The sauce, mainly derived from the lobster jus, was stronger than I expected but balanced by fresh herbs juice on the side; very satisfying

Accompanied by wine: 2008 Domaine Didier Dagueneau, Pouilly Fume - more complex than the one I drank above, but balanced & buttery. It's full bodied, dry, mineral with acidity

Turbot Sauvage en Tronçon, Asperges Vertes et Morilles Blondes Asperges Vertes et Morilles Blondes à Peine Crèmes (Wild Turbot cooked on the bone served with Green Asparagus and Yellow Morels in a slice of 'cream') - The turbot was perfectly cooked and simply marvelous. Keeping the 'middle' bone and the fat added unique & delicious flavor to the already wonderful fish. The delectable sauce was made of white wine + the fish bone. The morels and asparagus were good but "the king of fish" here just outshone all other ingredients. My favorite dish from the tasting menu!

Faisselle aux Fruits Exotiques, Parfait a la Passion et Citron Vert (Kind of 'strained' Fresh cheese and Exotic fruits served with Passion fruit mousse and caviar Lime) - This dessert has everything and it's a good option especially for the Spring season. Sweet. sour, & fresh flavors; creamy & crisp texture. For maximum enjoyment, consumed a few things together and I had no problem to wipe clean this dessert in a very short time

Petit four - It's often an after-thought as served towards the end, but I had to admit the pastry team took them seriously. Canele, chou cream, mango tart and the chocolate were delicious. They're accompanied by the complimentary Cognac petite champagne from the house. A nice way to end a very good meal

The wine list was very extensive and somewhat daunting, but a few of them was reasonably priced. If you're bored or wine lover, flipping trough the Taillevent's 'carte du vin' was an enjoyable activity by itself. The restaurant's building was apparently a former private mansion of the Duc de Morny. It had a classy entrance. The interior design of the dining room was elegant yet discreet and the ambiance was both restrained and comforting. I was seated at the Lamennais dining room with wooden panels, lush carpets and modern artworks; the natural light was minimal here. Taillevent's 2 main dining rooms were relatively big (they could comfortably accommodate 60+ people). However, since it's pretty quiet during my lunch time, I was seated in the sofa booth that normally would be used for 4 diners. The service, led by Jean-Marie Ancher (a former right hand man of Mr. Vrinat), was polished and smooth in the old school fashion way. Napkins were replaced whenever you left your table and water was constantly refilled. All the front staffs delivering the hospitality were gentlemen. They're competent, respectful and helpful but don't expect to have much engaging conversation. The clientele was diverse; in my dining room, more than half of them did not speak French. Similar to other Parisian top restaurants, wearing a tie was no longer mandatory and a jacket was only encouraged during lunch but required for dinner. Overall, it was a very good meal in many aspects and I wish Taillevent's team all the best in the pursue of regaining the 3rd "macaron". I think they have a chance ... Here are the dishes' photos: Taillevent May '17  

Food: 94 pts

Service: 94 pts

Overall: 94/100

L'Ambroisie Bernard Pacaud - 4th visit

Time flies. Summer of 2007 marked my inaugural visit to the temple of haute cuisine named L'Ambroisie, situated in the middle of appealing Marais district. This classic restaurant was a splendid 17th century townhouse and it's currently the longest running dining place in Paris with a 3-star Michelin (Chef-patron Bernard Pacaud attained the red guide's highest rating in 1988 and has kept it since). While some think the old-fashioned food at L'Ambroisie is boring, I thought whatever dishes serve here represent one of the highest level of cooking in the world. Bernard Pacaud has perfected his culinary skills of French traditional gastronomy. There was no non-sense; the dishes have consistently been flawlessly executed using seasonal and fresh produce. The result was delicious and intense classical dishes that were neither heavy nor cloying. Forget about deconstructed or molecular stuffs, also do not expect any dish to be split into 3-4 bowls; the masterpiece on the plate was deceptively simple and people should have no issue recognizing the 3 to 5 ingredients used. Yet, in this "minimalist" approach, it's nearly impossible to improve further upon any dishes served to guests. I heard that similar to the case of Michel Bras, Bernard Pacaud is probably semi-retired these days as his son Mathieu Pacaud has become more active in the kitchen and public. Mathieu's name also appears at the bottom of the menu. 

It's widely known that L'Ambroisie is probably the only 3-star restaurant offering no degustation menu option. The a-la carte was nicely divided to about 5 items each in appetizers, fish/seafood, meat/poultry and desserts. It's always good to follow the guidance of Monsieur Pascal, the loyal and professional maitre d'hotel of L'Ambroisie. Unfortunately, I 'rebelled' this time - I did not follow his idea of ordering the famous scallop dish with broccoli and Italian truffle. The reason was simple: I was on a mission to savor all of Pacaud's seasonal lobster dishes. Unlike my previous visit, I was not eating alone this time (finally). Moreover, this fabulous meal was for dinner instead of the usual lunch. Here are the dishes we savored in the middle of November 2014.

Manière de rouget (Prized rock-fish) – The red mullet and its inherently sweet flesh & crispy skin was served with light veal juice and velvety puree of celery, apple and squash; a generous amuse

Blanc-manger d'œuf mollet à la truffe blanche d'Alba, émulsion de cèpes (Half-cooked / simmered egg served with Alba truffle and emulsified of cep) – The perfectly soft-boiled egg had soft but firm white and orange runny yolk; delicious. It's enhanced by the nutty flavor from the mushroom's emulsion. The fragrant cep (both cooked and raw ones) and intoxicating white truffle added some complexity and beautifully complemented the overall flavor. Possibly, I have found an egg dish that's actually better than "L'Arpege egg"

Fricassée de homard au potimarron et châtaignes, sauce à la diable (Mixture of stewed Brittany lobster served with pumpkin puree, chestnuts and 'peppery' sauce) – Finally, Pacaud got the right texture of the tasty blue lobster (quite tender for the tail and rather firm for the claw). The dish in "glowing" color was rich, intense (but not heavy) and complex but balanced. I could taste the variation of sweet, nutty, & slightly spicy flavors altogether. Excellent .. along with lobster + star anise sauce, this was my favorite homard dish at L'Ambroisie

Tourte de canard au foie gras (Pie of wild duck and its liver served with salad and veal juice) – An ethereal game-season pie; the duck (breast, thigh & buttery liver) and veal 'stuffing' were perfectly executed; as expected, they're succulent and flavorful. The salad was essential to reduce the meat's intensity. Last but not least, the airy pie with its crust were flawless and very pleasant. It will be a tall order for someone to improve upon this remarkable "pithivier" 

Reine des reinettes en boule nacrée, sabayon au calvados du Domfrontais (Spherical of 'pearl' sugar served with apple variations, pistachio and apple brandy sabayon) – The latest dessert creation of the restaurant. The sphere was light in both texture and taste; the sweet flowery sorbet was not too heavy and good nutty pistachio taste. Not too bad, but unlikely to be considered among L'Ambroisie's classic in the future

Soufflé chaud au pralin, coulis de mangue au kirsch de Fougerolles (Hot praline souffle served with mango coulis and wild "cherries brandy") – A traditional French dessert with some harmonious sweet flavor variations. This fluffy souffle was light and airy with partly gooey in the center; the taste was just right. The only drawback was probably the lack of ice cream on the side, otherwise this old-fashion dessert was really good 

Tarte fine sablée au cacao amer, crème glacée au moka (Chocolate cake served with mocha ice cream) – A simple yet profound dessert made with only chocolate and sabayon. Bernard Pacaud was truly a genius. His thin crust/ganache and creamy chocolate in the middle were meticulously prepared; as a result, it's wonderful. The mocha ice cream would intensify and add an extra layer of bitter or dark flavor. Personally, I prefer to combine this timeless tart with the rich vanilla ice cream 

I had a half-bottle of red wine - 2010 Domaine Alain Michelot nuits St. Georges 1er cru (pure and full-bodied in the palate with deep nose) and my spouse drank a glass of Billecart-Salmon brut rose. Different from the quiet lunch, L'Ambroise during dinner was very busy, in fact it was surprisingly a bit noisy. It was a full-house, even the third/private room was occupied by a big group. In spite of this situation, the hospitality shown to us was somehow the best one I've ever experienced. Mr. Pascal was, as always, professional, elegant and focused. However, unlike my previous visits, he's more relaxed and much warmer this time. He smiled more often and chat with us in a few occasions; at the end of our meal, he even encouraged us to re-visit during Winter to savor the legendary roasted Bresse chicken with black truffles butter. There was also a younger staff who still recognized me, even though my last visit was more than 4 years ago, and his English has improved tremendously. Perhaps, it's true after all that, L'Ambroisie is the kind of restaurant where diners eat better and feel more comfortable after several visits. The chocolate dessert was actually the complimentary of the house and each of us received a portion. I'm very satisfied with this meal in terms of both food and service; it was without doubt my best experience at L'Ambroisie. This unique French institution, in my not-so humble opinion, is among the greatest restaurant in the world and deserved more than just the 'normal' Michelin 3-star. I will definitely would love to return here in my next visit to Paris as long as the humble and genius Bernard Pacaud is still in the kitchen. For the dishes' pictures, please visit this link: L'Ambroisie in Autumn '14   

Food (and Wine): 98 pts

Service (and Ambiance): 96 pts

Overall: 97.5/100 

Dal Pescatore Nadia Santini

As one of the most legendary restaurants in Italy, dal Pescatore was founded in 1925 as a simple trattoria by the (great) grandparents of Antonio Santini. Located in the village of Runate at Mantova province, the dal Pescatore did not take off until the talented lady named Nadia Santini took over the kitchen and ultimately received 3 Michelin star 1996 and managed to keep it until now. Amazingly, Nadia never cooked professionally or worked in any famous restaurants before. Since the late 90's, Nadia Santini, along with Bruna Santini - her mother in law, received an extra hand from her son, Giovanni who was generally in charge of the appetizers. Essentially, dal Pescatore is a family restaurant serving mainly traditional Italian cuisine (with some modern influence) using fresh, seasonal and top quality ingredients that were cooked with care and executed in high precision; of course, the food tasted delectable as well. The Santini family even grew some of the vegetables and herbs to be used at the restaurant on their own premises. Given the restaurant's remote location, literally in the middle of nowhere, reaching here could be quite a challenge if you don't drive. The nearby stations - Canneto sull'oglio and Piadena - were small and both even closed on the day we're having lunch. Thus, we had to call the restaurant for a taxi. It was a cold and windy Saturday; eventually after 15 minutes waiting - perhaps they had difficulties to find any taxi, Giovanni stopped by and gave us a ride to the restaurant after he finished running his errant in the town. It was not a short trip from Modena, but we were glad to finally reach dal Pescatore and be able to savor its authentic and classic dishes. Having tasting menu was a must and we opted to skip the cheese course and had it replaced with an additional appetizer.   

Terrina di Astice con Caviale Oscietra Royal e zenzero marinato (Lobster terrine in champagne gelatin served with Oscietra caviar, pickled ginger and spinach) - The dish had the most attractive presentation for our lunch and it was solid. The lobster was tender & tasty, the caviar was in good quality & briny and the jelly was refreshing; all elements worked quite well together

Insalata di Faraona in agrodolce con salsa all'uva fragola (Guinea fowl salad in sweet & sour sauce served with pomegranate and carrot) - The warm guinea fowl (both white and dark meat) was perfectly cooked. The 'chicken' was enhanced by sweet & sour dressing as well as some simple vegetables and fruits. Another pleasant starter

Tortelli di Zucca, Amaretti, Mostarda, e Parmigiano Reggiano (Tortelli of roasted pumpkin served with almond biscuit, watermelon mustard, nutmeg and Parmigiano cheese) - dal Pescatore's signature dish and deservedly so. It seemed simple, yet profound and very delicious; both rustic and savory. The pumpkin's sweetness balanced the cheese's saltiness; excellent texture and flavor contrast. Generally, I don't like pumpkin, but this dish by Nadia Santini converted me into pumpkin "fans". My favorite dish here

Risotto (Vialone Nano) con fonduta di Parmigiano Reggiano e Tartufo bianco d'Alba (Risotto using Vialone nano rice served with melted Parmesan cheese and shaved Alba white truffle) - A specialty of Piedmont delivered with superb ingredients. The risotto had a nice texture and was not too rich; the truffle added the necessary 'extra punch' in flavor and aroma. Surprisingly, this dish was similar to the one I had in l'Arpege - perhaps it's a classical dish after all

Accompanied by wine: Anselmi San Vincenzo 2013 (dry white wine from the Veneto region; it was crisp, clean and medium body with round pear & lemon fruit - nicely matched the lobster dish)

Branzino alla piastra con guazzetto agrunato, pomodoro confit e olio extravergine toscano (Grilled Sea bass in simmered crushed citrus with Tuscany olive oil, tomato confit and artichoke) - The 'perfect white' sea bass was firm and mild. The aromatic 'sauce' and nicely done tomato & artichoke added enjoyable flavor and complexity. Like it

Sella di Capriolo, salsa al Cabernet e mirtilli neri (Saddle of Roe served in Cabernet sauce, mashed potatoes and blueberries) - Including this dish, I was lucky to have eaten a few excellent and satisfying venison dishes during this trip. This one was tender, delicious and profound with rich taste from the Cabernet sauce and the deer's juice. The side dishes were not bad at all. An excellent example of a well executed top quality game dish in the Autumn 

Accompanied by wine: Gillardi Langhe 2006 (a good full-bodied merlot from Piedmont in ruby color with ripe tannin. It had black cherries and red currants nose and flavors) 

Torta di Amaretti (caffe, panna, croccante, zabaione) - Almond cake served with coffee, cream and sabayon. An impeccable dessert! The torta was moist with superb flavor & aroma as well as having lovely texture. All elements were fine and every byte was a pure indulgence. I doubt I would consume a better version of Ameretti torta in the future

Meringa alle Mandorle con Pistacchio e Zabaione al Marsala (Meringue served with Pistachio cream, toasted Almonds and sabayon of marsala) - My spouse's dessert. The meringue was fine; the top notch one was the bright marsala sabayon with distinct wine and yolk flavor. The almond provided some texture variation. Overall, I enjoy it though not as good as my torta with Amaretti
 
Petit fours - My best mignardises outside Paris this year. The magnificent array of sweets consisted of dark chocolate, raspberry tart, coffee profiterole, cannoli, dried orange skin covered with chocolate and mini biscuit. A good way to end the meal

Unlike other Italian elite gastronomy restaurants I have been, dal Pescatore served dishes with less (parmesan) cheese and cream/butter, yet they were still flavorful & rich, but more importantly not heavy. The food was classic and deceptively simple like a home cooking - a kind of stuffs we can eat regularly without feeling overwhelmed; I truly enjoyed the delicious dishes having clear and harmonious flavors and were prepared using the best local produce. The service, while efficient, none of the servers really took interest to know the guests more. They never asked about the food; simply did their "minimal" tasks of bringing the dishes, explaining them and clearing the plates - no more communication beyond that. Even, our only conversation during the meal with Antonio Santini, the restaurant manager-owner, occurred after I had complained about the initial red wine by the glass (villa minelli 2008), served by the younger sommelier, contained a decent amount of sediment. Mr. Santini immediately apologized and replaced it with the red wine mentioned above. We experienced our warmest welcomed when we visited the kitchen and met with the Italian haute-cuisine living legend, Nadia Santini who's also accompanied by Bruna and Giovanni. Nadia genuinely greeted and thanked us for visiting the restaurant from afar. The dining room (and reading + waiting room) was very spacious, beautiful and elegant; it was quite a busy afternoon with more than 20 people coming here for lunch. In spite of its location, dal Pescatore has maintained  its status as a grand restaurant offering superb gourmet experience, in which any true gourmand should make a pilgrimage to visit once in his/her life time. It's certainly qualified as one of the very best Italian restaurants in the world. For my wife, without a doubt, it was her favorite dining place in Italy. Readers are welcome to see the dishes we had here: Ristorante dal Pescatore in Nov '14

Food (and Wine): 96 pts

Service (and Ambiance): 93 pts

Overall: 95/100