lizziee

Bastide is a restaurant "in the making" as it has only been open for three days. We were there for dinner on their 4th night being open to the public. The décor is serene with brown linen monogrammed tablecloths, monogrammed silver, parquet and stone floors, wicker armchairs and designer Andree Putman's Tressage dinnerware. Set in a space that once was a small house, there are three small dining areas separated by white glass bead strands - a somewhat jarring note in this surrounding. There is a lovely outside patio for al fresco dining. The servers are dressed Ralph Lauren prep school style with starched shirts, ties, but no jackets. Bussers have these same starched shirts with butcher aprons to identify them as bussers. The sommelier and Maitre d' are dressed formally and service is definitely attempting to be fine dining. Other than us, patrons were dressed casually with no ties and no jackets. Herein lies some of the problem with Bastide; you can't decide if the style is California casual or fine dining haute cuisine. It seems as if the restaurant hasn't found its identity just yet. One reason for this, I think, is the tension between the owner, Joe Pytka, the GM Donnato and the Chef, Giraud. It is as if there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. A word about the chef, Alain Giraud. Born in Paris to a family of chef-restaurateurs, Giraud moved to Nimes as a child where his father had a restaurant, La Sartan. He received his degree in culinary arts at Nimes Culinary School and then spent a total of eight years at three of France's two-star Michelin restaurants - L'Ermitage Meissonnier in Avignon, Hotel de Crillon and Le Grand Vefour. He then joined Michel Richard at Citrus Restaurant as chef de cuisine. When Michel closed Citrus to move to Washington, Giraud created Lavande in the Lowe's hotel. Giraud tends to recreate meals from his childhood memories of Nimes; he is definitely tied to his South of France background and his cuisine reflects French Provencal fare using California ingredients. There are three prix-fixe menus: a traditional five-course menu for $60, a five-course fig menu for $70, and the seven-course Bastide menu for $90. A vegetarian menu is available upon request. We decided on the seven course tasting menu. With our champagne aperitif (be careful when ordering this as Billecart Salmon was $28.00 per glass!), we were served an amuse of potato/cod brandade with toasted brioche. This was fair, under- seasoned and bland. 1st course - Lobster Salad with Vegetable Nicoise. This was a spectacular dish of cold poached lobster with nicoise olives, tomatoes, haricot vertes with chive/basil oil with a "kick" coming from the Spanish pepper (this is a guess as I wasn't getting full descriptions from our server) 2nd course - Loup de Mer (Bass) with asparagus, chanterelles and tomato confit. The sauce was a rich meat reduction that highlighted the "meatiness" of the fish. 3rd course - Foie Gras sautéed with fig Banyuls on a toasted brioche round. The Foie Gras was overcooked and the brioche very yeasty tasting. 4th course - a palate cleanser of Grapefruit sorbet in Noilly Prat. To be honest, I wasn't even half full at this time and didn't need a cleanser or break in the action. A word on the service. It was fast - 5 minutes after finishing one dish, we were presented with the next. They are doing a very soft opening and as there were only 22 covers last night, we were outnumbered 3 to 1 by the service staff. 5th course - Rack of lamb with Panisse, garlic Confit and a Black Olive sauce. Panisse is a thick fried pancake of chickpea flour that Alain cuts to resemble French fries. The sauce was rich, not overwhelming, but a definite nod to the South of France. 6th course - A composed cheese plate of 3 types of cheese - my note-taking was waning at this point and I didn't write down what kind. 7th course - Your choice of dessert. My son had the chocolate trio and ate every bite. I had the Vacherin - a signature dessert of Alain's. Wine List - I was particularly nervous about this as it is an all French list and I know Joe Pytka was very involved in forming it. It is divided into two sections - under $100 and over $100. It is definitely possible to have good wine in the $80 to $100 category. Of course, he also has wine for $10,000. Needless to say, we were in the former category and had a Dagenau Pouilly Fume "Silex" 2000 and Marc Sorel Hermitage 1998. This is not an inexpensive restaurant and there are still a lot of "bugs" to be worked out. They are in the beginning stages of defining who they are and what they want to be. Alain is a fine chef and if Joe Pytka lets the staff alone, Bastide can become a fine dining option in LA.

Marcus, Why do you think you wouldn't like the dishes at French laundry? Do you think they are precious "little nothings?" From my posts here is a small sampling of some of Keller's best dishes that are anything but "witty" bits of nothing. Any wittiness is in the naming of the dishes, not the dish itself. Cauliflower panna cotta topped with osetra caviar Atlantic Salmon chop with russet potato gnocchi (in looks the salmon resembles a lamb chop and the gnocchi white beans) White truffle custard with ragout of Perigord truffles with veal stock presented in a hallowed out egg Coddled hen egg with Perigord truffle beurre noisette Turbot collar with fennel and Meyer lemon beurre blanc (had a flashback taste to the turbot with Hollandaise from La Caravelle in the 1960's) Seafood bouillabaisse over a puree of potatoes with olive oil. In a covered little bowl were the pureed potatoes. Our waiter then arrived with a cast iron casserole filled with the bouillabaisse. It was spooned table side over the potatoes. The fishes in the bouillabaisse were Atlantic monkfish, littleneck clams and squid. Jelly Belly - grilled cod belly with piquillo peppers and seaweed jelly What is extraordinary about this dish is that in one bite you are catapulted to a fine Japanese restaurant. Prime Kentucky Beef Ribeye with summer vegetables, crispy bone marrow and sauce Bordelaise Bellwether baby farm Lamb- one piece saddle-roasted , the other braised shank with saffron-infused risotto and California green almonds Marcus, is there anything in the above that you wouldn't enjoy? This is just a very, very brief sampling of some of the dishes I have had at French Laundry. Each one was extraordinary and on a par with how Robert described the Oysters and Pearls. Again, I don't doubt for a minute Robert's mediocre experience and have no credible explanation of why. But, I would hate to see someone totally dismiss French Laundry based on what I sincerely hope was an aberation.

It seems Beachfan and I were both at Spago last night! (As we don't know each other, we were dining without acknowledging each other. What a shame!!!!!) I am in complete agreement with Beachfan that it is the most reliable restaurant in Southern California. We had the tasting menu. We started with Spago's signature tuna tartar in sesame tuiles. 1st course - foie gras terrine on brioche and foie gras mousse with grappa soaked raisins in a tart shell 2nd course - Butternut squash soup cappuccino with white truffles, a sweet compote of raisins and cranberries in the bottom, drizzled with pumpkin seed oil. 3rd course - one of the best dishes of the night - lightly poached oyster served in the shell with a sauce of creme friache and chives, topped with uni and beluga caviar. 4th course - quickly seared albacore with pickled daikon and sprouts in a ponzu sauce (eaten with chopsticks) 5th course - a gratin of matzutaki (sp) mushrooms on one side of the long rectangular plate and on the other side a Maryland crab cake 6th course- turbot with parsnip puree, Brussel sprout leaves, Chanterelles topped with Mascarpone 7th course - Taglietelle with shaved white truffles (as Beachfan noted done in the kitchen) 8th course - Lacquered squab with a piece of seared foie gras, quince, and butternut squash puree 9th course - Venison, thinly sliced, with Fuji apple/quince puree served with Shepherd's pie 10th course - cheese We skipped dessert and had expresso. My husband brought the wines but as he is not home at the moment I don't have "his list." All in all, a wonderful, satisfying meal. One thing happened, however, that has never occurred in all my years of dining out. The people sitting next to us, who we did not know, didn't acknowledge or even speak to during our meal and who were having their first meal at Spago, motioned our server. They requested of our server that they get our check as they wanted to pay for our meal. We declined, of course. Has this ever happened to anyone? For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why the offer and why they would want to do this? Any ideas?

Robert, To say I am surprised by your meal at The French Laundry is an understatement. I am shocked that every component of your meal was so poor from the greeting to the wine service and most importantly to the mediocrity of the food. Our experiences at FL are completely, 180 degrees, different from your recent one and I am at a loss to understand what and why it happened. It can't be that Thomas wasn't there as I have had extraordinary meals when Thomas has not been in the kitchen. I re-read my posts on our last three meals and if anything I found our dishes intensely flavored, always highlighting the principle ingredient, adroitly cooked with passion and never a mish mash of disparate ingredients. One of the things that Keller prides himself on is perfect execution. Also, having had long chats with him on the state of cuisine, I know he truly loves food and loves seeing others share his passion. I don't for a minute doubt your perceptions. I always trust your evaluations and know you never have an "ax to grind." I think your review is well-thought-out, perceptive, honest and impartial. I truly have to believe that this was an aberration. I have had so many meals at FL over the years and can't recall a one where I was disappointed. I hope you have the chance to give it another try and I sincerely hope that this is not a harbinger of things for the future.

I know I've defended what I consider the best of the ultra inventive chefs, but I fear the kind of cooking you are describing is going out of style in France. I will miss it if that happens. Bux, I am also a great defender of the "best" of the ultra inventive chefs. My latest post on Gagnaire will attest to that. But, I hate the thought that Pacard is passe. To have great food in a beautiful, historic room with exceptional service is what 3* means. But it takes a clientele who is willing to support it; a diner who doesn't just want the avant garde to be able to say, "I went there, too." I hope both the ultra-inventive and the true perfectionistic classicist can not only co-exist, but more importantly be supported. My own contradiction is that I support L'Ambrosie as much as Gagnaire. My problem is with the second string chefs who think they are avante garde and delivering nothing but a lot of absurdity on the plate. This is when I keep thinking of the Emperor's New Clothes.

I feel sorry for Alain Giraud. He really is a wonderful chef, but it seems as if Pytka is using Bastide as his private club. I am afraid to even think what they will charge for wine. Remember Pytka is the guy who is willing to spend $10,000 for a bottle of wine!!!!

I think someone asked where to go for Christmas and New Year's in Paris. At the Hotel Le Bristol, Chef Frechon will serve an 8 course menu on Dec. 24 and 25 for 300 euros which will include his potato/caviar waffle, his turbot with truffles and chestnuts, the Bresse chicken with foie gras ravioli and a selection of buches de Noel cakes. Three different programs are scheduled for New Year's Eve: an 8 course "Feather and Sequins" dinner with can-can dancers and a big band (550 euros), a traditional dinner including scallops and venison (300 euros) with a musical quartet and "upscale snacks (caviar, foie gras, salmon) in the Bar. There are also plans for a January 1 Jazz Brunch for 100 euros (adults) and 55 euros (children).

"In the end however, I am more convinced it is the food that succeeds and "the blending" of flavors is key. Somehow, in many other creative restaurants in France and in most American "fusion" restaurants, I can taste the separate flavors distinctly and in a way that reminds me they are an unusual combination. It's a distraction and I'm aware of a contradiction in my mouth." (Bux) Gagnaire's strength comes from his blending of seemingly dissimilar ingredients and ending up with a unified whole. For example, the rouget and bacon with the carrot sauce was a wonderful dish. You knew you were eating rouget and bacon with a carrot sauce; Gagnaire didn't transform a carrot into something else. He did not in Steve's words call "something a carrot when it doesn't taste like carrots." He put ingredients together in such a way that the whole was better than its parts. I have found that Gagnaire is one of the few chefs who is able to do this successfully. For example, at Bateau Ivre, there were so many ingredients in one dish, that you ended up with a mish mash. I also feel that it is vital to treat a Gagnaire dish as a unified whole - to mix the ingredients and not treat it as a composed salad. This was absolutely vital in his foie gras dish. If you ate it as first one ingredient, then another, you would lose the effect of the dish as a whole.

"As for a lighter atmosphere, it might arguably be lighter than it was before, but I would not call it friendly." Cabrales, Pierre Lemoine, the GM/Maitre d', is anything but formal or stiff. He is the consummate professional with eyes in back of his head who truly makes you feel "at home." Even though we go to L'Ambrosie once a year, he greets us as if we were there once a month. "It's the complicated dishes that are usually easy. The simple ones require perfection. There's no room for error and no place to hide." Bux, I couldn't agree with you more. Pacard is of the school that less is more and that is one of the reasons why I find the cuisine at L'Ambrosie so extraordinary. There are no extraneous items on your plate or unnecessary embellishments. This is anything but simple cuisine; it is true haute cuisine done with infinite care. Take for example the duxelle of cepes in the mayonnaise sauce. The very simple idea of halting the mayonnaise prep, just before thickening, and then enrobing the cepes in this sauce was perfection - no foams, no mousse, no special instructions on how to eat it, no layering on of 8 different ingredients --- just a classic mayonnaise preparation altered in such a way as to elevate it to the best of French haute cuisine. Wilfrid, Try to go in the Spring when the eggs mollet are on the menu.

Bux, It was an anomaly. Go again. I only mentioned the smoking issue because it made service so difficult for the kitchen. They would be ready to serve a dish and half the table was in the lounge for a quick "puff." I agree with you that a tasting menu here is not the best way to go. Regis Marcon also carved our lamb dish and the lentil dish and sweetbread dish is a "must" on the a la carte menu.

Lesley, I can't find extensive notes on Grand Vefour. We went shortly after they received their 3rd star and they seemed overwhelmed. What I do remember clearly is that the room was jam packed with French couples for lunch which is unusual in Paris. The room is exquisite, but I did not find the food extraordinary. I would agree with Cabrales that over-all for food as well as historical ambiance, Ledoyen is a better choice. Lucas Carton also has a well-priced fix menu at lunch.

monkeymay, Will probably go to Bastide in the next couple of weeks. Does anyone know the reasoning behind closing the restaurant on Saturday nights?

The Los Angeles restaurant scene is heating up with some fine dining options just opening or about to open. Bastide, the elegant French restaurant, is scheduled to open this evening. The chef is Alain Giraud, formerly of Citrus and Lavande. It has not taken any reservations in advance, so there is no pre-existing waiting list. According to the LA Times," There will be three prix-fixe menus: a traditional five-course menu for $60, a five-course fig menu for $70, and the seven-course Bastide menu for $90. A vegetarian menu is also available upon request. The restaurant will be open for dinner Monday through Friday with two seatings a night, closed on Saturday and Sunday for private parties." Bringing your own wine will not be allowed. Bastide, 8475 Melrose Place, (323) 651-5950. Another restaurant set to open is Sona from the husband and wife team, David and Michelle Myers. David Myers was the chef at Jaan in Raffles' L'Ermitage Hotel and Michelle is former executive pastry chef at Patina. SONA - 401 La Cienga Blvd. David Rosoff, formerly GM at Michael's, is opening a new restaurant around November 12 called Opaline. Neil Fraser who was the chef at Boxer and Jimmy's is also expected to open a restaurant in this general area.

Lesley, We had gone to Grand Vefour the year before. If you like, I can search for my notes.

I haven't been back to Rostang in a number of years and unfortunately, the last time we were there, the food was only fair. But the time before last, we went and had the black truffle sandwich which was an amazing dish. Below is the link to make it at home: http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/vegetab...oom/rostang.htm

Steve, In 2000, Regis Marcon published a hardcover, beautiful cookbook with color plates, the whole works entitled "La Cuisine chez Regis Marcon." I purchased it at his restaurant.

jakubc, Excellent questions. Maybe, the great dish makes the meal more memorable, but I don't think I would avoid going back to a restaurant just because there wasn't that one extraordinary dish. So much of what makes a meal memorable is more than just food or that one extraordinary dish. For me, it is a whole package of service, atmosphere, ambiance, treatment and the "dance between the staff and the diner. This time, our 2 meals at Gagnaire, other than the one dish I mentioned, did not provide the ultimate "food experience." But I certainly would go back because I enjoy the exploration of Gagnaire's cuisine. (By the way, this is the first time, we have not been blown away which probably influences my opinion.) Another example, even though it wasn't on the menu this time at L'Ambrosie, I would go back to L'Ambrosie just for their eggs mollet. It is a dish that I think is one of the finest I have ever eaten. I loved the langoustine at ADP, but I didn't find it transcendent. It was excellent, well-prepared, using the finest ingredients, but it was not memorable in that "Oh my God, how does he do it, am I really eating this, this is just wonderful" way. Also, I ended up comparing one dish to another. For example, until I ate Boyer's version of the encased black truffle, I thought that Haeberlin's black truffle dish was wonderful. But tasting Boyer's, I realized just how much better Boyer's execution was. We had a number of lamb dishes, but Marcon's lamb was just that much better; it was more succulent and perfectly seasoned - we were full but ate the full two services. The same can be said of Blanc's Bresse chicken - no one did it better. Yet Blanc's frogs legs didn't compare to the ingenuity of the frogs legs at Ledoyen or the richness, wonderful "mouth feel" of Haeberlin's dish or the "give me more" feeling derived from Buerehiesel's frogs legs. Even though I loved the frogs leg dish at Buerehiesel, I would not go back as the total package was lacking. Also, the rest of the food we had was poor to ordinary. I would be interested in other members feelings regarding what makes a meal memorable for them. Is it a total package? Is it that one "must eat" dish? Are there dishes from different chefs where one preparation excites you and another just falls flat?

After 28 posts on 30 different restaurants, I thought it would be interesting to compile a list of the "best" 21 dishes of the trip. This is purely subjective and personal. It is not meant to mean anything more than those dishes that I thought were exceptional in taste, execution and the number one criteria "Something, I would eat again in a minute." They are presented in the order in which they were eaten i.e. they are not ranked. Also, as we ate at some restaurants three times and were able to sample many more dishes, there will be more dishes on the list from that particular restaurant. 1. Salpicon de rouget de roche and capres la wicchia, lard blanc colonnata, feuille de bar de linge mi-fume, deux variete de carottes -smoked bar underneath red mullet with bacon and carrot sauce (Gagnaire) 2. Oeuf coque a la puree de truffes - soft boiled egg topped by dark truffle mousse (Faugeron) 3. Frogs legs done beignet style on top of a parsley/garlic potato puree with garlic chips (Ledoyen) 4. Poularde de Bresse cuitre en croute de gros sel "selon Alexandre" - Bresse roasted chicken encased in a pastry shell (Georges Blanc) 5. Boeuf Charolaise Chateau au vin Fleurie et la moelle, pommes de terre a la forezienne- Charolais beef topped with beef marrow, red wine reduction sauce (Troisgros) 6. Canette de challans epicee et pickles d'eechalotes, pomme soufflees- Roast duckling, roasted shallots, "puffed" potatoes (Troisgros) 7. Lentil ragout with various vegetables with a slightly smoked poached egg surrounded by black truffles(Marcon) 8. La Brochette "Margaridou" - Croquette filled with lamb sweetbreads, morels and ham with black truffle sauce (Marcon) 9. Lamb cooked in bread dough with a small casserole of potatoes and cepes (Marcon) 10. Langoustine tempura with madras curry sauce and chutney (Rochat) 11. Rabbit cutlets served with haricot verts in a garden herb vinagrette (Rochat) 12. La Mousseline de Grenouilles - Mousse of pike filled with frogs leg meat, spinach, fine herbs in a butter cream sauce (Haeberlin) 13. Supreme of pigeon with truffles, foie gras, cabbage encased in pastry (Haeberlin) 14. Mille-feuille croquant de bricelets et d'oeuf poche sur un tartare de saumon mi-marine mi fume aux oeufs de harengs fume- a layered dish of salmon tartar, creme fraiche, a crisp, poached egg, herring eggs, a crisp (Haeberlin) 15. Mashed potatoes topped with black truffle slices (L'Arnsbourg) 16. Schniederspaetle et cuisses de grenouille oelees- frogs leg drummettes in a parsley, garlic sauce (Buerehiesel) 17. Roasted wild duck with a galette of potatoes layered with giblets (Boyer) 18. La Fameuse Truffle en Croute, avec la sauce Perigueux - a black truffle topped by foie gras encased in pastry with Perigord sauce (Boyer) 19. Filets of Rouget with cepes- crispy skin rouget with cepes duxelles mixed with a liquid mayonnaise sauce (Pacard - L'Ambrosie) 20. Lentils with black Truffles (Guy Savoy) 21. 1/2 Lobster served in its shell with vanilla sauce and black trumpet mushrooms (Passard - Arpege)

Au Fer Rouge - Lunch Au Fer Rouge is a Michelin one star located in Colmar. It is situated in the middle of old town - a half walking area of twisting, turning cobble stone streets with loads of tourists from Germany, Switzerland and France. The streets are lined with "kitchie" souvenir shops and food joints serving "Alsatian specialties." Patrick Fulgraff, the chef, was the president of the young restaurateurs of Europe. The group is dedicated to preserving fine dining, but now he is too old (over 35) to remain a member. The restaurant is in an old house with lots of antiques, wood and a planked ceiling. We knew we were on our way to Illhauersen for dinner so we were intent on keeping lunch simple and light. With our champagne, a first amuse of salmon tartar - light and full of flavor. 2nd amuse--a mousse of tomato served in a long, cylindrical glass - it seems as if many of the chefs are using the "shot glass" for presentation 1st course--3 belon oysters served in a frothy shallot, chive and cream sauce--nice and interesting. 2nd course--risotto with parmesan cheese with tiny mussels, small broccoli fleurettes and black trumpet mushrooms ringing the risotto - good and a bit different. 3rd course--on a dish that looked like a wave, a saddle of lamb, perfectly seasoned, with tarragon sauce, a small round of potatoes anna, tomato confit, sautéed sweet peppers and black trumpet mushrooms-- again solid cooking with just enough flair. Wine: White--Alsatian Reisling, Grand Cru, Kanzlerberg, 1998, by Lorenz--clean, fresh Red--Wolfberger, 1999--a pinot noir--this was a bad wine that should not have been served - nothing technically wrong. According to my husband, they just don't grow pinot the right way---the terroir isn't Burgundy. If you are in Colmar, looking for a place to eat good food in nice surroundings with a professional service staff that is removed from the hordes of tourists, Au Fer Rouge is a good choice. One problem is that parking is a nightmare near the old town. All those tourists need a place to park.

Lunch--Faugeron Faugeron is a Michelin 2 star that is the epitome of a classic restaurant in Paris. The room is paneled in warm, blond wood complemented by soft tangerine/green wallpaper with a muted gray/blue rug on the floor. Well-spaced large round tables covered with starched white tablecloths are set with sparkling glasses, gleaming silver and a sliver bowl of artfully arranged flowers. The ambiance lets you know you are in a serious fine dining restaurant for serious cuisine, but without the pomp. The room was filled with mainly French businessmen having a long, leisurely lunch with bottles of wine on every table. 1st Course-- Faugeron's signature dish which he created in 1972. Oeuf coque a la puree de truffes. This is a soft boiled egg in a hollowed out egg shell, topped with a dark truffle mousse served with tiny breadsticks of toast. This deserves to be a signature dish and well worth having. The portion size is 2 eggs but they were very accommodating and did a half portion. 2nd Course My husband - tartre de bar et toasts de tapende - sea bass tartar with olive tapenade on toast - excellent, well-flavored Me - mille-feuille de betteraves au crabe vinaigrette--layers of thinly sliced beets--between the layers finely chopped crab held together with a mildly spiced vinaigrette 3rd Course Me - feuillete de pigeon inspiration marocaine (somewhat reminiscent of a Lucas Carton dish). In Faugeron's version, the pastry instead of being filo is more like an en croute pastry. Mushroom duxelles surrounded the chunks of pigeon. The spicing was too mild and the dish was not as successful as the one at Lucas Carton. My husband - Rognon de veau fourre de foie gras au jus de truffes with croquettes cheveaux d'ange aux champignons-- Veal kidneys filled with foie gras, with a truffled sauce served with fine threaded pasta, studded with mushrooms, made into a croquette. The dish was wonderful, favorable and fine, classic French food at its best. Wines-- 97 Serge Dageneau and Filles--Puilly Fume We love his cousin Didier's wines. This was excellent and "reasonable" in cost. 98 Beaune Clos du Roi, 1er Cru, Tollot-Beaut & Fils--this is a superb producer that we see very little wine from in the U.S. I mentioned this fact to the sommelier, who said "you see little, we can only get 60 bottles (5 cases) a year." It was excellent and again more or less reasonable. After lunch, they took us on a tour of the kitchen (immaculate) and when asked for a menu, they graciously complied. All in all, one of our favorite spots for lunch with professional, skilled service and fine French, classic cuisine. If anything, go for the egg dish alone.

Aux Armes de Champagne- Lunch Aux Armes de Champagne is a Michelin 1 star located in l'Epine about 49 km from Reims. We wanted to have a light lunch as we were eating at Boyer that night. The restaurant is simple, but very pretty. It has marble floors, a planked ceiling, white tablecloths and small plants on each table. With our champagne we had a cheese feuillette and a parmesan cheese crisp. The amuse was a small slice of smoked white fish with shredded red cabbage in a balsamic vinegar reduction served on a smoky glass plate. We decided on the menu of one entree, one main dish and dessert. 1st course--"groin de couchon" done in the style of the chef. The pate was excellent. Thinly sliced daikon radish, edged with nori was rolled at one end of the plate and served as a garnish. The pate and accompanying mustard sauce was classically French. The daikon provided a modern touch. 2nd course Me - 4 small slices of duck with beets in a caramel reduction duck sauce. No bells and whistles, just solid food, well-prepared. My husband - well-seasoned lamb, cooked perfectly rose, with a crusty coating of herbs. Again, a classic dish, well-executed. Dessert--a cat's tongue cookie with assorted berries as a filling with a vanilla cream sauce Service: David, the 24 year old, Dutch born, Belgian educated maitre d/sommelier was knowledgeable, professional and charming with very good English. Wine: 99 Gigondas, Domaine Brusset--young, fruity, and very full bodied - nice and reasonable (44 euros). Aux Armes de Champagne is a nice "country" restaurant with a young, classically aware chef. The staff is also young but competent and eager. This is a perfect One Michelin Star experience, meaning the "best in the area."

Domaine de Chateauvieux - Satigny Domaine de Chateauvieux is a Michelin 2 star restaurant located about 40 minutes from Geneva. Friends of ours who live in Geneva are "regulars" and friends of the the Chef Philippe Chevrier. When we got to the restaurant, our friend went into the kitchen to greet the Chef while we waited in the reception area. Much to our surprise our friend motioned to us to come into the kitchen. She had arranged for us to eat at the chef's table which is in the kitchen. This is a chef's table that is IN the kitchen - you sit within 3 feet of one of the stations. We never saw a menu or a wine list. The chef came over, asked if there was anything we didn't like and we left the evening in his capable hands. 1st amuse--a thick slice of potato with salmon and creme fraiche. 2nd amuse--in an egg cup, a foie gras mousse was placed on the bottom, then a layer of fig mousse and topped with a dried fig chip. A nice blending of flavors. 1st course--a cream crayfish soup, with tiny bits of crayfish decorated with a whole small crayfish perched on the rim of the bowl. Again, rich and satisfying. 2nd course-sauteed foie gras in a chutney mango sauce with small 1/4" dice of mango in the sauce presented on a square glass plate. 3rd course--hommard breton (lobster from Brittany) sauteed served with artichoke and cepes with a sweet curry sauce. The lobster was presented in the shell. This was excellent - the curry sauce highlighted the lobster without being overwhelming and the lobster was perfectly cooked. 4th course--a veal chop with a marrow bone filled with marrow, wild mushroom sauce and vegetables of the end of summer. A huge cheese tray was carried into the kitchen for us to chose from the large assortment. The breads are all made on site-- bacon and ham, sesame, classic and cereal. We went to the lounge for coffee, small pastries and for my husband a very special 2001 Cohiba Siglio 21. Chef Chevrier's food is excellent, well-prepared and executed. He is definitely hands-on as we watched him "sweat and work hard" for the entire service. It is a small kitchen, run efficiently with little talk. One problem with the chef's table at Domaine de Chateauvieux is that you truly are in the kitchen. By 10 PM, we were very, very hot and were starting to sweat like the chef. But, if you really want to be in the middle of the "action" and experience first hand how a Michelin 2 star operates, the chef's table can be booked.

La Chaumiere in Troinex Troinex is right across the border in Switzerland, not too far from Geneva. We had our passports and documents for the car at the ready. Ready for what? There was no guard, no nothing. When we were at Georges Blanc, we were told our favorite Maitre d', Patrice Pechereau had just left two weeks ago. We asked for his number and tracked him down at his new job at La Chaumiere. La Chaumiere's chef, Richard Cressac, was the chef at Beau Rivage Hotel in Geneva until 6 months ago. The restaurant is a cooperative venture of the city of Troinex with the Chef and outside investors. It opened as a bistro about 6 months ago. Then, on September 17 they opened a fine dining, gastronomic restaurant along side the bistro. We arrived on the 3rd day of business. The room is generic French restaurant, well-spaced tables with starched white linen tablecloths; large picture windows overlook a small meadow. With our aperitif, we had an amuse of rillette of salmon--light, fresh, simple. 1st course--cold foie gras terrine interspersed with a layer of cepes. The foie gras was presented in a triangular shape with a small salad of mixed greens, crusty baguette and tiny dots of balsamic vinegar reduction vinaigrette. 2nd course--a omble chevalier served bone-in with a classic butter sauce. The omble chevalier had been caught yesterday and tasted as fresh as it sounds. It was served with a squash blossom filled with ratatouille. 3rd course--a rack of lamb coated with herbs with a sauce of jus de rosemary. On the plate was a small portion of crispy potatoes anna and a red pepper from Spain filled with a mushroom duxelle. Patrice did table side service for both the fish (de-boning) and the lamb (carving and serving). It was hard to believe that the restaurant was only 3 days old - wonderful, professional service with good food at reasonable prices.

Le Bateau Ivre is a Michelin 2 star not far from Annecy at Bourget-du-Lac. The chef, Jean-Pierre Jacob, belongs to the group of young restaurateurs of Europe. The restaurant is beautiful. Rich carpet, yellow table cloths, and a canopy ceiling of white canvas. The restaurant has no windows; the feel is dining outside, yet in elegant surroundings with an expansive view of the lake and mountains. For the first hour we were the only people in the restaurant. Later another group of 5 were seated--that was all for lunch. With the aperitif, there were 3 amuse: 1. a beignet of risotto with tomato sauce 2. a warm cauliflower soup with an asparagus spear and a breadstick wrapped with a small slice of ham 3 in a shot glass a multi-colored and layered dish of avocado mousse (bottom) tomato gelee, potato/leek soup, and fennel glacé All good. The bread is made in house and it was fabulous - bread with bacon, sesame, classic, and whole wheat. 1st course My husband - l'oeuf de ferme casse, pomme de terre, et oignons fondats, langoustines rotie au lard, un jus vinaigre aux truffles. This was 3 soft boiled eggs with black truffles, cepes, thin slices of ham, spinach and a langoustine wrapped in bacon. There were just too many ingredients on the plate "fighting" each other. Me - roasted frogs leg meat was enrobed in a garlic cream sauce in a pasta ravioli with mushrooms and almonds . On the side was a mound of vermicelli which had black truffles and a poached egg. Again too many ingredients. I ended up deconstructing the dish and eating the best of the ingredients - the frog legs and the poached egg mixing in the truffles from the vermicelli. I left about half of the ingredients on the plate. Second course My husband--a mignon of veal roasted with a caramel Sichuan pepper sauce served with glazed cumin carrots, mango sorbet and tomato concasse. The sauce was too sweet and there was, again, too much going on. Me--a fish from the lake similar to a salmon. It is called Lavaret, roasted and served on pasta (paparadelles)that had been tossed with ham, tomato confites, flakes of Lavaret and truffles. Also on the plate was a mixture of sautéed mushrooms and lightly smoked artichoke. The pasta was a gluey, too many ingredient mess and again I ended up eating the best on the plate - the fish, jambon and truffles. Cheese cart - best cheeses were representative of the Savoie region. With coffee there was an interesting presentation of chocolate truffles on a large rectangular piece of bark - it looked and tasted great. Le Bateau Ivre closes down for the winter and the entire staff goes to their other restaurant in Courcheval up in the mountains. According to Christophe, the sommelier, the clientele is very different --the winter group is largely Russian, Asian, and from the South of France--very difficult according to Christophe - "they buy the label" when it comes to wine. Wines: A nice Savoie white--dry and pleasant-- 99 Saint Joseph, Les Serines, Yves Cuilleron, Chavanay - nice and fairly reasonable. Le Bateau Ivre would be a wonderful restaurant if the chef would exercise more restraint - less is more. The setting is beautiful and the staff friendly, yet professional.

Lunch at Arpege We had dined at Arpege many years ago during an August visit. My general feeling about fine dining in Paris in August is that it is not the best situation to begin with as most of Paris "est ferme." That time we did not like anything about Arpege and vowed to avoid it on future visits--we had for about 7 years. But so many e-gullet members have raved about Arpege that we gave in to the "challenge." After being greeted at the door with a very warm "Welcome to Arpege," we were seated at a table towards the front. The room is stark, minimalist and very contemporary. It is paneled in blond wood with Lalique figures in vertical plaques around the room. Leather and chrome armchairs, a split violin sculpture, wavy glass translucent glass on the windows, a bunch of tied twig branches on each table give the entire scene a distinctive, unique, pleasing look. During the day (we had dined at night on our less than satisfactory August visit seven years ago) you are much more aware of the architectural details of the restaurant. With our champagne we were presented a small mixed green salad in a small tart shell--very tasty. 2nd amuse--a clear fish consommé seasoned with verbena with two ravioli stuffed with peas and carrots --just a hint of sweetness. The Menu Our plan was to eat lightly by ordering a la carte, but all of Chef Passard's specialties were on the very high priced (300 euro) tasting menu so we figured we might as well do it right. 1st course--his signature dish - egg presented in the shell with a light cream mousse and a touch of maple syrup. We had this dish previously and remembered that the yolk was runny. When mixed with the mousse it took on a very creamy texture. This time the yolk was more like a custard so it did not dissolve with the mousse. You ended up eating chunks of yolk with the mousse. We don't know if this was intentional or not, but the taste was wonderful and not overly sweet--the maple syrup was just enough. As our server cleared our dishes, he asked if we "enjoyed our breakfast?" This humorous touch exemplifies the service at Arpege--friendly, willing and fun--this is not a food temple. At the table next to us were 3 business men--two seemed to speak fluent French, but the third was an American who did not. Their server translated the entire menu for him very graciously and answered his questions very patiently. Another example of the fine service at Arpege. 2nd course--2 scoops of mousse--one avocado and one flavored with caviar were served in an over-sized martini glass along with a generous spoonful of oscetra caviar at the bottom of the glass. My husband was a very happy camper! The server mentioned that there were bits of pistachio in the mixture, but I did not detect them. 3rd course--Gazpacho with mustard ice cream. The gazpacho had been pureed. There were no chunks of tomato, but the flavor was intense. The mustard ice cream was scooped from a silver canister just like the sorbets and ice creams at Rochet in Crissier, Switzerland a week or so ago. The mustard ice cream contrasted beautifully with the acidic tomato. This was not the silliness or stupidity of the dishes we experienced at Astrance or Veryat--it added a distinctive element and it made sense to add a cold silky element (it melts very quickly to blend into the soup.) The key is that the flavors worked. 4th course--1/2 lobster served in its shell in a vanilla sauce with black trumpet mushrooms. The vanilla added just a bit of sweet without being cloying or overwhelming. The roe and tamale (I am originally a Bostonian and I love these inner parts) added to the sauce as an extra enrichment. 5th course--sautéed sole served in a long, thin, 1/2 thick strip with a pureed nicoise olive quenelle, a whole roasted garlic clove and 2 roasted cherry tomatoes. My husband's was presented skin side up. Mine was "flipped" so it was inside up - an interesting touch. It did not mean anything to the flavor--just an indication of the chef's commitment to presentation of his food. The fish was simple, clean and delicious. All elements worked. 6th course--a chicken dish that Steve P had mentioned was not his favorite. We were going to tell them to "skip it", but the server prevailed on us to at least try it. The chicken had been roasted in a salt crust for 2 hours, taken out of the oven but continued cooking in the salt. The breast meat was overcooked, stringy and bland. This dish just did not come off. We used the Georges Blanc wonderful Bresse chicken for comparison--Arpege did not measure up on this one. Along with the chicken, we were presented roasted vegetables that tasted like those traditional veggies in a pot--not very interesting. 7th course--cheese. 8th course--Passard's famous tomato dessert. It was prepared as if you were making crepe suzettes--the server creates a caramelized, bubbling sauce at table side. The tomato was stuffed with finely diced apples, pears, pineapple, pistachios, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest. It was cooked in the sauce and presented with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I had this dish before, but this time I found it much more satisfying. Wine: Miloud, the sommelier, was excellent. As another example of the "small world of food and wine," we learned that he had worked at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco. He knew our friends there. He later went to Atlanta to help open a French restaurant with a former Ritz chef. He and his wife have moved back to Paris with thoughts of starting a family. He, like a lot of the top sommeliers, is young--only 27, but very professional and personable. Miloud recommended a Sancerre which he tasted and pronounced "corked." He then apologized because he did not have another bottle of that wine in the cooler. He explained that they have very limited capacity for temperature controlled bottles because the restaurant space is so small. But, he said, he had another Sancerre from the exact same area, just made by a second wine maker---he guaranteed we would like it. 2000 Sancerre Monts Damnes Cotat--he was right--perfect Sancerre, great with the early dishes--we switched to our second white wine with the Lobster dish. 98 Corton Charlemagne, Louis Latour. This wine is one of our favorites. It drank very well, although not as full bodied as the 90. A good choice--not crazy expensive either. Service-- The staff is unpretentious, friendly, and very helpful. At one point, my husband observed how excellent we found everything--the server said, "Be comfortable. It is your 'house!'" One thing that surprised me, given the quality of the food and service, was that the room had 4 empty tables at lunch. I don't know if this was a function of the price or the economy or what.