somehow by luck and much help from someone who has connections we were able to get a table on a friday night. after watching the chef’s table episode i was very curious to taste and experience the dishes by alain passard.
April 12 2019
You have a choice of menus: an all vegetarian tasting menu or a land and sea tasting menu, both which are 11 courses. if you don’t feel like eating that much you can also order a la carte. we choose the land and sea tasting menu.
Amuse bouche of different vegetables creams on top of potato crisp
FIrst Course: Hot chilled of boiled egg in maple syrup with Saint Elzear vinegar from the 18th century. This dish was very intricate with the different temperatures and the layers of textures and flavors. the vinegar was really good as it had a lot of flavor and body and the maple syrup just added that bit of sweetness, so you had a good mix of sweet and sour. a good start to the meal.
Second Course: Trilogy of amber colored and flavored ravioli with colors and flavors from the garden in a herb broth. this one was not my favorite, the herb broth reminded me of chinese medicine or a traditional chinese soup. for me it was too strong in herbal flavor but some people might like the taste. the raviolis all had different herbs in each, i believe one was chives, the other thyme and we couldn’t figure out the third one.
our menu
Third course: Saint Jacques Scallops from Brittany with bay leaf oil and olive oil from Portugal. the scallops were delicious and very fresh, it had that sweetness that scallops normally have. however it could have used a bit more seasoning, there were large pieces of sea salt but not in every bite. a very simple dish but a very enjoyable dish.
fourth course: Sturon onion gratin grilled with parmigiano reggiano and spring sprouts. i think this had to be one of my favorites of the night. it had looked like a lot, but it was only one single thin layer that packed a lot of flavor. it tasted like the top of a french onion soup, it had the the SLIGHTLY burnt cheese and the CARAMELIZED onions taste. i was so good, i wish there was more of it.
Fifth course: Wild nettle with Grundbach farm smoked speck foam. it is unbelievable how much smoky speck flavor was in that foam. It was a bit intense to eat by itself but once eaten with the nettle soup, it helped balance out the intensity. i am still very curious on how they made that foam. we had asked what the green stuff was and they didn’t know the english name so they googled it and showed us a picture of the nettle.
sixth course: Fricassee of Spring with oyster foam from Saint-Coulomb, leeks and turnips. very fresh and light, the vegetables were cooked perfectly and the oyster foam added that bit of EXQUISITENESS.
Seventh course. Grilled Sole fish with cabbage from Milan, gnocchi in yellow wine sauce. the fish was slightly overcooked as it was a bit chewy and the portion was rather large. the sauce was delectable and the gnocchis were soft and delicious. it was a nice dish however they could have had half the portion of fish.
eighth course: tartare of beetroot with horseradish cream. Looks can be DECEIVING, i would have never guessed that it wasn’t beef or an egg on top, instead beetroot and carrot and some cream. obviously it didn’t taste like beef but i wouldn’t have wanted it to. the beetroot had a nice flavor and texture to it, it still had a bit of a bite. i would definitely choose to eat this version instead of the normal beef tartare.
Ninth course: Great inheritance rotisserie Louise passard with smoked hay. the chicken was super moist and had a lot of flavor. there were two pieces of chicken, one seemed to have more of a smoky and intense flavor. i thought it was a tasty dish.
tenth course: Roasted white asparagus with brown butter, wrapped in rhubarb and pepper from Nepal. i was SKEPTICAL about having ASPARAGUS as a dessert and the first bite i was still unsure, but after a couple more bites the dish finally made sense and i was able to really enjoy the last few bites. I was so surprised on how tasty and innovative this dish was. i might try to do something like this as white asparagus season has just started in germany.
eleventh course: Profiteroles with hay ice cream from our meadows harvested in 2018 with bursts of caramelized sugared almonds and caramel sauce. profiteroles with caramel, of course that would be delicious. it was a nice contrast to the dessert before it as it would be considered as a “normal dessert.”
Petit fours
it was truly an experience i will never forget. i think sometimes the problem with these established restaurants, your expectations are so high plus for the price you pay you want a once in a lifetime experience. however i felt that this was a once in a lifetime experience but not for the better. The quality of the food, the presentation and the innovative of the dishes were there however i felt that not all the dishes were that EXTRAORDINARY (for the price). and i am sorry to say that the service is not what i would expect from a three michelin star restaurant, yes it was a super busy friday night but i felt like there was no flow to the service. There was so much movement everywhere, it made it look and felt so chaotic. the waiters serving the dishes felt as if they were robots or machines, serving the plates, giving a brief explanation of the dish then quickly moving on to the next table. it felt like they wanted us to eat and get out. not all the waiters were so brisk, some were more friendly and attentive however for the amount of money you pay and the reputation of the restaurant, the service should have been more consistent among all the staff. Not all was bad with our experience, there were many dishes that surprised and intrigued us, the wine offerings were also very interesting. it is very impressive and i feel honored to have had the chance to taste the food from someone who is so good as his craft and for someone who made vegetables the star of the show at such as high standard. i just wish my entire experience was a bit more satisfying, it could have just been an off night. however with that price tag i don’t think i will come back to give them another shot.