I haven't had many tasting menus, and none nearly as expensive as this one, and I have to be honest - I was a mite dissappointed with our meal here. The service was good, but not top notch. The decor was cool, but with the blaring music and all that darkness, it felt more trendy than posh. And, the food, while well-executed, wasn't all that creative. Nor, worth the expense. For example, my foie-gras stuffed quail included a tiny little portion of foie gras. I recall going to Restaurant Zoe in Seattle a few weeks ago with my aunt, and her foie gras appetizer was the size of a fist!
I don't mean to make it sound like the meal was bad though. It was all very good, just not mind-blowing good. I'm glad that I did the menu too. If I hadn't, I would always wonder about this place.
Anyway, pics of our dinner below. Enjoy!
Foie-Gras Parfait with Port Wine and Parmesan Foam: Way loved this one, but I thought the Parmesan Foam was too strong. I waxed on and on about the Truffle Cauliflower Flan at Tilth a few months ago, and this one couldn't compare. I know, truffle is not the same as foie gras, but the textures were very similar.
Smoked Salmon in Herb Gelee with Wasabi Cream: This was lovely! Nice and light, with just a hint of wasabi hot-ness.
Poached Baby Kusshi Oysters: SOOO delectable. Definitely one of the standouts!
Cripsy Langoustine Fritter: Tasted like a very well done Tempura shrimp.
Foie Gras Ravioli: My favorite of the night. The Ravioli was melt-in-your-mouth good, bursting with Foie-Gras flavor. Excellent!
Dover Sole with Warm Leek Salad: Excellently prepared, but a bit boring.
Foie Gras Stuffed Quail: I was really looking forward to this dish, but it fell flat for me. No foie-gras flavor, and the accompanying sauce was too sweet. The truffle mash potato had no truffle flavor either!
Savarin with Rum: Way too rum-y for me!
Strawberry Mergingue with Fennel Parfait: A very good end to the meal. Nice and light with tons of strawberry flavor.
Birthday Surprise! Very nice of them.
Tired but happy after our meal!
1 comment:
I LOVED the foie gras ravioli. Deeee-lectable! I also really enjoyed the first two dishes and thought the rest were well-executed (including the quail sauce, which I didn't find too sweet). The only letdown was the rum cake that was doused in liquer. Blech!
The only other tasting menus I can compare this to are Michael Mina and the Ritz Carlton, both in SF. In terms of service, presentation, and just plain luxuriousness -- Ritz beats them all. But, it was a little pricier. For me, Michael Mina was a huge disappointment. The only thing I enjoyed was the dessert.
Anyway, I'm glad we were able to celebrate at L'Atelier together! Next time, we can just go to the bar, order the ravioli, then hit another restaurant!
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