THE RESTAURANT / ATTITUDE ABOUT FOOD

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The restaurant, specializing in French and Indian cuisines, seats only about 30 people at small, intimate tables covered with white linen tablecloths. On the table are settings complete with two goblets (a smaller one for water and a larger one for wine) and shiny, heavy silverware engraved with an intricate floral design on the end. The lighting is dim and conversations are quiet.

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The menu is similar to mist in France; selections are more limited than at most American restaurants, though still ample enough, and while you can order whatever you want from the menu, most often you order a menu or formule, which means that you pay a set price for an entrée (not to be confused with the American English word “entrée,” in France, an entrée is, more appropriately, an appetizer), a plat (main dish), and a dessert. There are also other formulas that include coffee instead of dessert or no dessert at all.

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As an entrée, I chose a salmon dish. Small, boiled potatoes laced with spices (I’m not good at naming spices, so I’m not sure which ones) were cut neatly into quarters and made a bed for the smoked salmon that was sliced into delicate strips about a centimeter wide and five centimeters long. The dish was served in the shape of a perfect cylinder, as though someone had placed an abnormally tall circle-shaped cookie cutter in one corner of the plate, neatly arranged the potatoes and salmon inside, and then carefully removed the cookie cutter.

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Parsley and fancily-diced vegetables were neatly arranged in a colorful pattern on the opposite end of the plate, and an herb-infused olive oil-based sauce drizzled over the entire dish in a zigzag pattern served as the final garnish to tie the dish together.

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The plat principal I chose was lamb in a ginger- and curry-infused cream sauce. This was a marriage of flavors to which I al not accustomed, but it was very good. The lamb was cut into bite-sized pieces and covered in the gravy in one corner of the plate. In another corner was a neat pile of green beans that had been salted, buttered, and covered with a mixture of herbs and some sort of breadcrumbs to provide a contrast in texture. In the third corner of the plate were two tomato slices, each sliced again into wedges. The tomatoes, I was informed, were to provide a contrast to the heat (spice and temperature) in the lamb. In the fourth corner, a single sprig of rosemary added added interest for the eyes and the nose.

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Dessert was phenomenal. I chose the trio of crème brûlées. “Parfums selon l’humeur du chef” (“flavors varying depending on the chef’s mood”) was the description written in the menu. The first had a very light, vaguely fruity taste, though I could not put my finger on the fruit. The second was a classic, slightly richer brûlée, with a more caramel-y flavor to it. The third and final variation was absolutely my favorite. I’ll call it Tiramisu; the richest and heaviest of the three, it was the perfect marriage of coffee and chocolate. Each pot (pronounced “po” in French, this refers to the little cups in which crème brûlée or yogurt is served) was filled with the same amount, and all three desserts had an impeccable layer if fragile, burnt sugar just waiting to be cracked with the tip of a spoon. I can’t help feeling just like Amélie every time I do that - the sound and feel of that initial crack bring me such pleasure (if you haven’t seen the movie Amélie, I suggest you see it - it’s my favorite).

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Of course, we also had wine with dinner. The server made a few recommendations, complete with a detailed description of each suggested wine and why he had chosen it. Before serving us all, he served a sip to Benoit to taste and approve.

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I feel the need to emphasize that this is not considered a particularly chic, fancy, or expensive restaurant, which underlines a substantial cultural difference: the French appreciate their food. They take great pride in it, and all five senses are taken into consideration in any dining setting. Eating out at a restaurant is not usually done simply due to a lack of time or desire to cook for oneself; it is a pleasurable experience that diner, server, and chef enjoy.

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Comments

[Beau]

Perfect.
That restaurant sounds like a Dream...how about i just hop on over and you can take me to one? no big deal..