Paris | Ledoyen

May 13th 2011 - Hong Kongers are insatiable for Michelin starred gourmet, and our family is no exception. After a good amount of research, I decided that Ledoyen was closest to our taste in terms of decor, cuisine and aesthetics. We are not fans of the Parisian, flamboyant, golden interiors, but to my dismay, many Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris are over the top with that type of decor (Les Ambassadeurs? Le Meurice?) We finally opted for Ledoyen near the Champs-Elysees.


interesting nori chips!

Amuse bouche: this was a melt-in-your-mouth ginger gelee. Almost looks like it could be a little amoeba! Playful texture, artful, molecular presentation.

The rest of the amuse-bouches. A nori potato puff, caviar on top of a vegetable roll and a curry square.

A hamachi ceviche. 

Langoustines. C'est bon!

Viennoise de Sole. Champignons in the center, topped with hazelnut butter sauce. The fish was tender but yet had a good chew to it. The sauce made it a heavier entree than I would have thought, but nonetheless I licked my plate clean. I am salivating as I write this...

Mon pere had beef for his entree. The potato puffs made a reappearance! 3 endives for the 3 pieces of beef. From dad's contented face as he was sipping his vin rouge, I could tell he was at least for a second or two, elevated to foodie heaven.

The cheese cart. Looked like a little exhibition in its own.

Pre-desserts. Gelee takes the stage again.

My dessert - Crumble fondant au Chocolat blanc. What a mindblowing presentation - it looks like a gift! The gentlemen sitting at the table next to us utterly disregarded the transparent candy shavings but I dissembled it and had it bit by bit with mouthfuls of decadent breadcrumbs and white chocolate.

Dark chocolates and caramels to end..which I absolutely regret not eating.

Ledoyen - Stellar ingredients prepared in classic ways, nevertheless innovative in presentation. Especially liked the humble, Zen-like plateware and exquisite amuse bouches. Definitely worth the 3*. Would return in a heartbeat! When we passed by Ledoyen again the next week after walking along Avenue des Champs Elysees, dad was not joking when he said, "Let's make a reservation for dinner tonight."

Paris | Le Chateaubriand

May 12th (Thursday) - After a pleasant stroll around the Marais area, the crew returned to our apartment for the ultimate jetlag-cure: a big fat afternoon nap. When we woke up, it was already 8pm - an hour till the lines form in front of Le Chateaubriand, recently deemed "World's #11 best restaurant".

Us being a party of 3 gave us an edge. We were seated not long after we were allowed in (yes the line goes all the way outside!). This shot was taken at 11pm - this tells you how haute this restaurant is.
The space is small (in a cosy way) - but nevertheless, the tables are packed tightly such that waiters would have to excuse themselves while squeezing through the isles.
Amuse bouche - cheese puffs sprinkled with sesame seeds. Meh, nothing too special, but we were starving at 9:30pm so this was a nice little welcoming snack.

Second amuse bouche - cold hamachi soup - more like a shot - refreshing but just a tad unexpected.

Thinly shaved asparagus.
Anchovy with dried raspberry flakes and a dollop of olive. Minimalist flavors such that you can really taste the freshness of the fish. Delicious.

More asparagus - this time with a rich fish broth.

This was a puzzling dish I did not know how to appreciate. A few leaves of market veggies served with fresh sashimi and a cucumber cube, with the awkward kelp-like decoration. not very edible.

sea bream. the dollops make an appearance again.

joue de boeuf - beef cheek. An 8/10 in terms of a Western preparation, but bland to Chinese tastebuds...hail the mighty niu nan (braised beef brisket).

Mom's pork dish on the other hand, was one of the best pork dishes I've ever had! Gorgeous garden presentation too.

Dessert was fraises - young strawberries sprinkled with sugar, with a green pea puree and mint leaves. A refreshing palate-cleanser. And a veggie pairing done well. green peas and strawberries - who knew!

chocolate mousse cake with wafer flakes. Chocolate can never be bad, and this was an exquisite and light preparation to end our meal. The crispness of the wafer flakes and the softness of the cake were well complemented.

Chef Inaki Aizpitarte's minimalistic cooking is admirable if not laudable - if this is the future of French bistros, let there be more Le Chateaubriands!