By the way, these are not only good, they're a snap to make if you don't have to turn out hundreds, google Dorie Greenspan's recipe and enjoy!
Our hosts are pathologically camera-shy, so I had to stow the Trusty iPhone With Blogging App. When they arrived, we learned they'd already ordered the tasting menu for the table. We didn't mind this either, and, interspersed with oblique hints about where one might perceive changes (or perhaps not) in the world (or perhaps not), the following wonderful things came to the table:
item, crabmeat in light bisque topped with a royale of same and then a flavorful citron-shellfish foam;
item, generous helping of goose foie gras (I'm always struck by how parsimonious US servings of foie gras are!);
item, wonderful salad of chicken quenelles, lobster medallions, mushrooms;
item, roast spring lamb, perfectly cooked;
item, selection of 4 cheeses, each accompanied by a different house-made condiment, example, mousse of mushrooms;
item, dessert: the most gorgeous raspberries on an almond and white chocolate lozenge-shaped pastry, with raspberry coulis.
Coffee, goodies, at a neighboring table they had ordered infusions of fresh herbs to finish the meal rather than just plain old tea or coffee, and a cart of thriving herb pots
(mint, lemon balm, basil - basil?) was wheeled over and a server was madly snipping the leaves into a glass teapot... There's always something just a little OTT at a Ducasse restaurant, but you have to love the enthusiasm.
As we left we were handed a box of orange brioches for our breakfast. We couldn't imagine ever being hungry again, at least not so soon, but -- you guessed it.
I'm not at all a foodie but every time I've eaten in his restaurants I have gushed like a crazy Valley Girl!
ReplyDeleteOoh, yes, because what's important is not the excess of presentation or the occasionally absurd decor (that bubble thingy in Las Vegas? The ill-conceived pen selection in NY?) -- no, it's that everything tastes so good!
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