Old Review of Joel Robuchon

9.17.04

I have been working the last four days, Doreen has been enjoying the good life in Paris. The weather has been great, with occasional showers.

Today is our third anniversary. We had hoped to get a reservation at the Tour d’Argent, but they were full. We found out about a restaurant based on a review left here in the apartment. It is called the Attic of Jason Robards. Actually it is called L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. (You can find the review we saw here: www.patriciawells.com )

Before dinner, however, we had a full day. We took the metro to close to the Eiffel Tower, and walked past the Champ de Mars. We then went to Les Invalides. We saw Napoleon’s tomb, and went into the Musee de l’Armée. We saw Napoleon’s horse, and plenty of uniforms from real generals (Ney and Oudinot, for example). We also saw the museum of Plan Relief. Little mock ups of various cities (eg Antibes) and castles and fortresses (Mont St Michel). Then we walked across the Pont Alexander, and walked to the Tuilierries and had lunch. Ham Sandwiches and pink wine. Then we walked to the Louvre de Geegaws and walked back through the Louvre, and walked across the Pont des Arts and had a romantic kiss. Then we walked to the Mephisto store, but nothing fit. Then we walked home to take a nap.

Self Portrait near Eiffel Tower

Napoleon’s Tomb

Napoleon’s Horse “Vizier” Stuffed

We had dinner reservations at L’Atelier very early – first seating – 6:30. They had just opened when we walked in. The place is very PoMo. Black and red are the colors, and you sit as if at a sushi bar. You face the wait staff and the cooks, with everyone in full view. A nice young woman with very tight clothes on took us to our seats (not the dreaded “Look to the wall” seats, but ones that looked at the cooking area) and we were seated at the high bar. IT was surprisingly comfortable, and nice. The waiter came over (with his helper) and asked us if we wanted anything to drink. We replied (in French) that a Coup de Champaign would be nice. That was about as far as I got in French. The waiter was very nice (and funny) and said that he would have to charge us €5 for the English translation. We laughed. He brought us our drinks and then handed us our menus.

They had a tasting menu for the evening that was comprised of nice items (you pick an entrée). There was a beautiful menu of other items ranging from steak tartar to deep fried whiting. (Why does that make me think of Lewis Carol?). Wonderful appetizers and many other delights. We couldn’t make up our mind, of course, so we chose the tasting menu.

We told the waiter, and asked for a wine suggestion. He said that he would recommend two different whites and a red to finish off the meal. I am usually hesitant to order wine by the glass, but we were willing to put ourselves in his hands. He took the order and we were off.

As we waited, another couple was seated nearby. He was Australian, she was British. They were in a hurry (and so this seemed like a funny place for them to chose) They ordered the same thing we did, and stated with drinks – he had a gin and tonic, but she had a Coup. We had no interaction with these folks. Moments later, four Japanese people, who all spoke fluent French, were seated at our immediate left. It looked as if they had been here before. They ordered champagne, and started with Tapas. (Various small dishes)

We still had a bit of champagne left as our first food came. It was an L’amuse Bouche (or something to amuse your mouth) in the form of a cold tomato gazpacho with a touch of olive oil and a tiny basil leaf on top. The gazpacho here is pureed rather than chopped, so it was a smooth soup. It was served in a clear shot glass, and was it ever amusing! I could have had a gallon of it and still wanted more. The taste of the tomatoes was prominent, of course, followed by supper vegetables and the tiny basil leaf. A wonderful refreshing taste. We would have licked the glass if that wasn’t so gauche (we were on the Rive Gauche)

Our first wine showed up. A nice, dry Chardonnay from Macon. Something like I would have at home. It was generously poured, and the waiter said that he personally tasted all the bottles that he poured from. We were happy about that, and so was he!.

The second dish was a Langostine Carpachio. Langostine is a salt water crawfish that you see here a lot. Carpachio means that it was raw. They had sliced it real thing and put it is a slight sauce of olive oil and pink peppercorns. Again, you would have been happy to have twice (or four times!) as much. It was a great way to gently get into the meal.

Now a strange couple was seated a bit to our right. He was an older American, I think he was an actor, wearing a baseball cap (which he didn’t take off the whole dinner!), a t-shirt, and an orange vest. She was a Japanese woman, who spoke very good English, I guess about 50 years old. It was a date. He said things like “No, I am not drinking yet. It just makes me feel great that I have found you.” And “I can’t believe that our values as so similar!” I think that they had the tasting menu, too.

Immediately to our right was seated a French couple. We ended up talking to them quite a bit before the night was over. He was from Guadeloupe and is a Major in the army. She grew up in Brittany and lives in Versailles. She didn’t speak much English, so we don’t know about her. His father was in the military and now he is, too.

The next bit of food that showed up was fried Rogout, or Red Mullet (I had some of this in Vence) with bitter greens. This was amazingly flavorful and tender. It was fried just so, and the greens added a nice bitterness to the fish. We finished our first glass of wine.

Our second glass of wine came. Another Chardonnay, this time from Burgundy. Softer than the first, but still chalky dry. With this wine came our next dish: Clams with purple garlic and butter, sprinkled with fresh parsley. Soft and tasty, you know that there poor little guys were alive just moments before. We used some of our bread to wipe their shells clean of the garlic butter. They were served on a bed of sea salt.

The French couple next to us had ordered off the menu, and by this time they were eating their main course. He was the steak tartar, and she had the deep fried whiting (a la Lewis Carol) alluded to earlier. The tartar come with home made French Fries, the whiting with home made mayonnaise. We could see the sous chef making the mayonnaise in the back. Did she work hard! And she did it with only a fork, not even a whisk! IT sure looked good. We were lusting after the tartar.

About this time the General Manager came by to say hello. He was Turkish, and had worked with Robuchon for many years. He was very funny. When we told him what a great time we were having, and how good his staff was (especially considering some of the things that had happened to Doreen during this trip) he said: “We are all like this - - - - In Turkey” and laughed. We laughed. He came by with some samples of some fried bread for us to try. We all took a roll and it was buttery and great.

He had seen us looking at the steak tartar, and came out a few minutes later with a plate of French fries for us. He said: “I saw you looking at those fries, and wanted you to have some.” Little did he know we wanted the raw beef! But the fries were great. Almost as good a Doreen’s home fries. A real treat.

Then the most amazing dish of all came. It was served in a Martini glass, and it was a layer of red pepper jelly on the bottom, followed by a fennel foam, and topped with lump crab meat (“Sea crab” we were told). The play of flavors was great as you dug down into the glass. It was beautiful with the red jelly, the white foam, and then the lump crab on top.

The last appetizer as duck fois gras. Simply prepared, we ate it with gusto. Nothing like fois when in France.

We had by now finished our second glass of wine. The waited came over to ask what we would like for the last glass. We suggested a Cote du Rhone, and he obliged. He said it was just a “standard” Cote du Rhone, but it went great with the main course.

The main course was quail that had been crisped on the outside, but was still sweet and juicy on the inside. It was served with truffled mashed potatoes and dried mushrooms. The dried mushrooms were the only thing that was less than spectacular. We ate them (of course!) but were happy when they were gone. The mashed potatoes were tasty, and if you didn’t like this quail, you just don’t like to eat. We were too polite to such the meat off the bones, but we saw others doing so. And then we wished that we had, too!

During the meal we had told the waited that it was our anniversary. He thought that was great, and we told some stories about 9/11. He then told us that he may be moving to Las Vegas to work in the restaurant that Robuchon is opening there. We encouraged him.

The first desert was a cream of some Japanese fruit called Yuku or something equally foolish. It was covered with some raspberries, and there was a thin sheaf of caramelized sugar on top of the glass. Nice. The second desert was white peaches with red fruits. Again, very, very nice.

We were asked if we wanted coffee, and we replied of course. As we were waiting, I also asked for a glass of Armagnac. Before the drinks came, however, they brought us a fruit tart with a candle and lettering that said Happy Anniversary (in French, of course). We were VERY surprised. It was trés jolée. Great. Then the coffee and the drink came (a good healthy slug) we were talking quite a bit with the French couple next to us, and the wait staff and management were all quite engaging as well. We were reluctant, and yet oddly ready to leave. I called for the bill, and noticed that the Armagnac was not on it. I called over the waiter, and he said not to worry about it. That drink was on him.

It may have been our best meal ever. We left satisfied, yet wanted to go back and start the whole evening over again.