Lespinasse (Closed)

[Wilfrid]

So, Cabby.  You're up for the boiled chicken, then?    

[vivin]

Steve,

Glad to hear you had a good birthday. I had a marvelous experience trying the tasting menus at Lespinasse last fall. My wife's was the better of the two (vegetarian tasting). I would put Lespinasse as the best French dining I have had (over Jean Georges that is a step below in my three experiences).

[Rail Paul]

2]

Note this is not a flirtatious response, to be clear. This is predicated on my interest in poularde and poulet (as demonstrated by my numerous pre-existing postings on Bresse poulet and poularde, although they were from a few months ago).  Note that some of such references were in the A Balic thread, which is in the Member Bio forum and is currently the only 30-page thread on the board. I am not providing a page reference for the poulet and poularde posts, and may or may not have mentioned such posts in my periodic summaries of the A Balic thread (which I have been delinquent on in recent days, but which newer members will be assured of running across if they read the A Balic thread from page 1 onwards).  

cabrales, that might just be the funniest post I have ever read on eGullet.

Absolutely hilarious!

[robert brown]

I had a major birthday celebrated in major ways, and while I believe I could write about it in an engaging, insightful way, would anyone really give a shit? And why should they?

[lizziee]

Robert,

I do!

[Steve Plotnicki]

But your birthday, which like mine, is of limited interest (although your birthday was a round number) and is only just a foil to tell a story about your meal at Ducasse. And I think everyone would love to hear about, and discuss the meal even if it wasn't your birthday. Especially if there was a birthday related  dish, wine, special gift, etc.) That would make the story that much more special. And I'm sure everyone would love to wish you a happy birthday in that context.

[robert brown]

Aw shucks, Lizziee and Steve. I hate to disappoint the die-hards, so I'll see what I can do.

[Jinmyo]

I had a major birthday celebrated in major ways, and while I believe I could write about it in an engaging, insightful way, would anyone really give a shit? And why should they?

Robert, I certainly would. Depending upon how well you recounted it.

Why? Because good writing about food and the circumstances that it was eaten in conveys information of many different kinds. When Steve P or Steve S write about a meal, I can taste it. Which is wonderful if they are describing something I've never had or thought of. It informs my own cooking or dining.

In fact, I recently thanked Steve P for the lunch I had through reading some of his posts.

In short, good food writing has no calories, 0 grams of fat, is ultra-light, but tasty.

[cabrales]

So, Cabby.  You're up for the boiled chicken, then?    

Wilfrid -- Of course.  Did you see the Red Snapper dish mentioned for Le Bernardin? I could sample that too.  

Robert -- Please consider writing about Ducasse.  

[tommy]

my birthday is two months away.  i'm feeling excluded.  

i don't think we at egullet need an occasion to write about food.  any time is a good time.  birthdays, firings, stubbed toe, all fine in my book.

[Wilfrid]

So, Cabby.  You're up for the boiled chicken, then?    

Wilfrid -- Of course.  Did you see the Red Snapper dish mentioned for Le Bernardin? I could sample that too.  

So as not to even appear to be exclusionistical, I should say that I think Cabby and I are discussing a Time Out New York article from a few weeks back which mentioned dishes at various restaurants which needed to be ordered in advance - the poularde at Lespinasse, the snapper at Le Bernardin.  However, this does not as far as I can recall reflect any off board discussion between us - I think we are seeing some evidence of gluttony-related telepathy.

Is it the TONY piece you are thinking of, Cabrales?

[Damian]

Wilfrid,

Not to burst your delusions of extrasensory powers, but Jordyn linked to the article earlier in this thread.  But go ahead and revel in your karmic superhero diner fantasy if you like, I'm sure none of us will mind.

[Wilfrid]

I missed Jordyn's link.  Bite me.  I was just trying to be loving, inclusivist and helpful.  I'll go back to sulking.  

[Damian]

I'd rather bite the poularde, thanks, or the snapper.

[Ron Johnson]

Steve,

Whats a yenta?

[Steve Plotnicki]

Ron - It's the Yiddish word for someone nosy or a busybody.

[ngatti]

Oft expectation fails, and most oft there

Where most it promises.

William Shakespeare, “Alls Well That Ends Well”

Hope is itself a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords: but, like all other pleasures immoderately enjoyed, the excesses of hope must be expiated by pain; and expectations improperly indulged must end in disappointment.

Samuel Johnson

Introduction

Dinner at Lespinasse (short): Merely a hotel dining room (emphasis on “Merely”). The most expensive and yet one of the most disappointing dining experiences that I have ever had.

Dinner at Lespinasse (long):

The Menu:

Christian Delouvrier

Vous presente son menu

Gibier de Plume d’Ecosse

(Christian Delouvrier presents his menu; The Wild Game Birds of Scotland)

1) Petoncles de Nova Scotia sur Coquille – Jus Citron – Huile D’Olive, Caviar Beluga “Petrossian”

2) Oeuf en Cocotte - Cepes

3) Grosse Langoustine – Puree de Fenouille – Artichauts, Cresson – Epinards- Roquette

4) Perdreu – Foie Gras – Choux Blanc

5) Palombe Grillee – Echalote Confite – Celeri Rave et Truffe Noir

6) Canard Colvert – Pomme Dauphine – Choux Rouge – Truffe Noir

7) Soupe de Fruit et Sorbet

8) Assiette Tiut Chocolat en Choid et Froid

9) Selection de cafes, Thes, Petits Four et Chocolats

Price: One Hundred and Seventy Five Dollars (food alone)

With Wine Tax and Tip: About Three Hundred and Sixty Dollars per person.

We were a party of 5 (originally 8) and the tasting was served to the entire table with wine pairings. I’m still processing the meal, but I wanted to start a thread and then continue it on an item by item basis.

I’d dearly like to start by saying that…”the amuse bouche was a…”, but I cannot, as there wasn’t one.

Yeah, I’m being a bit provocative. But the disappointment and anger are just now starting to wane. I will not leave thee hanging. Bed beckons. But I did want to post this Scheherazade like Part I of our dinner. I'll be back with another installment tomorrow evening.

Thanks for indulging

Nick

[Lreda]

Nick, did you go out to get this evening? Care to expound?

[ngatti]

Nick, did you go out to get this evening? Care to expound?

 

Lou, I'm not quite sure I understand you.

Nick

[Wilfrid]

I was party to the disappointing dinner, and thanks Nick for posting the menu. I would hope we can get some views from other members who've eaten at Lespinasse this year, so we can gauge to what extent we were unlucky, but I have to say that my overall impression was of a restaurant cruising on past glories. I'd be particularly interested to hear if the carte might have been a better option.

Bottom line - the cost: $360 per head. $175 for the tasting menu, and the rest was wine pourings, tax and gratuities. We were comped a round of cocktails, and didn't add a cheese course, or we'd have hit $400. For purposes of comparison, I have spent $350 a head at Alain Ducasse. We did have the table for the whole evening, but the level of cooking and service was steps below Ducasse.

Not that the restaurant was under any pressure to turn our table. Okay, it was a Tuesday and there was a storm outside, but I would say Lespinasse was maybe half full when we started, and emptier for the second sitting. These used to be very tough tables to get.

Last time I was at Lespinasse was toward the end of Kunz's tenure, and I never ate at Les Celebrites, so this was my first taste of Delouvrier. A Scottish game menu could hardly be more up my street. Let's review the highlights:

Oeufs en cocotte - cepes. Started out well, with soft eggs in little covered pans, served over meaty cepes, with a strongly truffle-flavoured creamy broth (perhaps truffle oil?). All worked well together, and it was hot.

Perdreau - foie gras - choux blanc. Pieces of partridge breast cooked rare, layered with very rare slices of foie gras, wrapped in a cabbage leaf package. Neat and clever, and with a richly aromatic steam emerging with the first cut. Reminded me of the excellent squab and foir gras in b'stilla-style pastry being served at Atelier. A good dish.

Celeri rave et truffe noir. This accompanied the grilled wood pigeon. The celeriac was chopped and creamed into a kind of "risotto", and the vegetables flavor, combined with rich black truffles, was memorable. Falvors exploding in the mouth - something which should have been happening all evening.

The lowlights:

The shellfish dishes were ordinary; the langoustine semed tired after a long swim. Wood pigeon and wild mallard are birds with dark, gamey breast meat; if they are to be served in successive courses, then they need to be prepared in strikingly different ways. Serve a braised leg, make a sausage, do something - if you just offer a grilled breast in each case, the diner is going to feel they're eating the same dish twice. Especially if both are garnished with black truffles.

Cold food. The meat entrees were cold. I know I repeat myself on this subject, but I want hot food at these prices. They did have cloches about the place, but used them only when a diner left the table during a course. Nick, as a professional, had some sympathy with the kitchen on this point. As a punter, I did't.

Tired old minced pineapple fruit soup. We weren't offered the cheese cart. I think the chocolate dessert plate was pretty good, but not beyond what you might expect at many restaurants.

I did enjoy some of the wine pourings, but I wasn't taking notes. I think it was a Puligny-Montrachet with the langoustine and a 1999 Chassagne-Montrachet with the partridge which I particularly enjoyed. I believe a second burgundy was served with the pigeon, but it was somewhat closed. A cabernet with the duck came as a bit of a tannic suprise, but was acceptable. Nice Sauternes with the dessert. Was anyone else paying attention?

The conclusion? How have the mighty fallen. Not the feeling you want to walk away from a $360 check with.

[Lreda]

Nick, did you go out to get this evening? Care to expound?

 

Lou, I'm not quite sure I understand you.

Nick

Sorry Nick, I was being sarcasitic. I figured you most certainly didn't enjoy yourself and obviously wasted some hard sheckels.

[ngatti]

1) Petoncles de Nova Scotia sur Coquille – Jus Citron – Huile D’Olive, Caviar Beluga “Petrossian”

"Nova Scotia Scallop in the shell with lemon, olive oil and Beluga Caviar"

This was a somewhat devoid of flavor bay scallop. The lemon and olive oil present, but justifiably (given the beluga) hinted at. The small dollop of Beluga adding the salt and textural contrast. A luxurious, but formulaic thrust. A dish whose WOW factor would be better appreciated by serving it as an hors doeuvre at a high end Bar Mitzvah.

edit: Okay Lou, now I get it

YMMV

Nick

[Wilfrid]

Nick, you are going to be really bad about this dinner, aren't you? Not that you're wrong.

[vivin]

It has been about a year since I went to Lespinasse (and did their tasting menu myself). I liked most of the dishes. However, one comment did strike a note with me - For 3 dishes in a row (all meat), I felt like I was eating the same heavy meat in a red wine reduction thickened with blood. Not very good. But I dismissed it thinking it just wasn't my thing. Desserts were ordinary. No cheese course was included. It is indeed a shame for such a fine restaurant.

[ngatti]

Nick, you are going to be really bad about this dinner, aren't you?  Not that you're wrong.

I haven't even started on the nametags with the first names of the service staff. Right up to the Sommelier and Maitre'D.

Nametags?!? Sheesh!

Nick