Photos by Jet Tila
Dining at the one of the best restaurants in the world was an experience I will never forget. After making a reservation 2 months in advance, we then had to call the morning of our lunch reservation to confirm. From the time we were met by the doorman at the entrance, we were guided through to our seats by 3 different hosts with absolute precision.
The meal commenced with the famous Taillevent cheese puffs followed by breadrolls shaped like little pods of goodness, made to perfection and of course served with real French butter.
Although we were originally going to dine from the lunch menu, we decided to indulge in the tasting menu as it may be a while before we return to Paris. This is how it proceeded...
The meal commenced with the famous Taillevent cheese puffs followed by breadrolls shaped like little pods of goodness, made to perfection and of course served with real French butter.
Although we were originally going to dine from the lunch menu, we decided to indulge in the tasting menu as it may be a while before we return to Paris. This is how it proceeded...
The amuse of cauliflower foam with shrimp infused ice creamtopped with a wee shrimp and green oil
Petits pois virtuelsA la Francaise
Royal d'asperges vertes de ProvenceInfusion de morilles
Epeautre du pays Sault en risottoHomard et curry
Bar de ligne poeleCompression de legumes safranes
Canard de la Dombes rotiAux dragees et a Phydromel
Souffle glace de vieux Comte au Chateau Chalon
Fantaisie au fraises des bois
Creme gourmande au cafeGlace au Marsala
... and finally...
...the lovely Petit Fours that we asked to take with us as we couldn't possibly fit another morsel in!I will not be so presumptuous as to comment on the food other than to reveal which dishes I preferred however the whole experience - the service, the wine paring, the quality and the combination of dishes was incomparable from anything I have ever experience and tasted. All the desserts were amazing, but that would be my sweet tooth talking! The Royale d'asperges and Epeautre du pays dishes were my equal favorites, while Jet's were the same in addition to the Canard.
To be honest, I expected the staff to be a little snobby, but to my surprise, they were making jokes with us as they translated the menu, made conversation about where we were from, graciously allowed us to take a menu with us, and even offered to take a photo for us! There were 4 captains running the floor, and ours was by far the best and most charming. Each staff member wore ties of various colors, which showed their designation so it was clear who was running the show.
There was only one blip during this whole event, and that was the arrival of some diners who did not bother to adhere to the dress code of tie and jacket. Instead they turned up in jeans, trainers, t-shirts and tracksuit jackets. The staff did not seem to notice however, so I guess that makes me the snob in this instance!
After this amazing 3 hour lunch, we strolled the streets of Paris and made our way up to the Arc de Triomphe.
2 comments:
Dear Sophie,
What a fun blog! Of course I was very interested in finding out about your experience in Taillevent. They have moved away from the traditional french menu but maybe that's because this is a tasting menu. What amazing colors and concoctions! It was so great seeing you guys, and look forward some day to your arrival in the city of Providence for some food experiences of the East coast. MC XX
Hello there! I just came over here from Lora Hart's blog because of the tag, I tagged her and she tagged you.
I am writing because I read your restaurant post and had to tell you that my husband and I just got back from Paris on May 5th and we had gone to Taillevent as well and yes we had a fantastic time.
We ate many of the things you posted here and had some very good champagne and also some red wine. Well, when I drink red wine I get very warm and about 2/3rds through the meal I began to fan myself a few times with my napkin. Our waiter brought me a small battery powered stationary fan and placed it next to me on the edge of the booth we were sitting in and I just was in heaven. Never in all my life (and I am 50) have I ever been paid attention to like that. I couldn't finish all the things they brought to us for dessert. It was all over the top and yes worth every penny to have that experience, that "show" and their playful friendly manner was something I will remember for the rest of my life. Really!
Even at the end when we were walking out the door, they gave me the right sweater, with out any tag to turn in, and said goodbye to us as though we were their favorite relatives. I still remember many of the waiters' and also the sommelier's faces.
Of course there is more to tell but these are the highlights and it is nice to find someone else who has had this nice thing in their life to share the glow even for a brief moment on the internet.
Catherine Witherell
www.happydayart.typepad.com
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