Independence Day's tribute: Momofuku Noodle Bar and Ssam Bar

To be fair, there are lots of great places serving superb food in Hong Kong (especially as far as noodles), so I don't mean to act blase or sort of complain about my present condition. However, I really miss Momofuku's ramen a lot (dashi, berkshire pork, ramen and poached egg make for such a wonderful combination). But, first and foremost, I miss the pork buns: so delicious that even the best cha siu bao cannot compete with them (native HKers are going to hate me for such a statement but it's just the plain truth after all).

I've already had the opportunity to expand on the above dishes and Noodle Bar in a previous post last year but I take the opportunity of this July 4th to pay a tribute to my 2 favorite restaurants in New York. I also wanted to share the vivid memory I keep of the first dinner I had at Ssam Bar when it was not yet on the foodie's radar screen as it is now. I was blown away by the veal head terrine (one of the best, if not the best, I've ever had), Ssam Bar's take on the Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich containing 3 terrines/pates), the simple yet fabulous sweetbreads (just grilled and served with a little sea salt on the top and a wedge of lemon for quick squeeze) and a dish of uni/tapioca/whipped tofu that I still consider one of my greatest food experience ever.

In a sense, I think I also miss Momofuku Noodle Bar and Ssam Bar because, in my opinion, they represent the best New York's restaurant scene can (from time to time) churn out: great and unpretentious restaurants with (deceptively) simple food beautifully executed, gently priced with a no-reservation (thus democratic) policy. I also love the so-American success story aspect to it where a man makes it although the odds are stacked against him, at least initially.

Of course, since David Chang, the chef-owner at the helm of the Momofuku franchise, has been hugely successful (although still insecure as depicted in the sublime New Yorker's profile) and received prestigious awards, one might argue those places have lost their "underground" touch. But frankly, who cares as long as standards remain uncompromising and food stays consistently delicious. I wish I could have also tried Ko or the Milk Bar before leaving NY a few months ago. Next time maybe. In the meantime, I'll continue to miss you Lucky Peach.

La Cachette getting its first star in the upcoming Michelin Guide France 2009? (Yes, they did it!)

The above-picture was taken at La Cachette in Valence, my home town, a few weeks ago, during a delicious and inexpensive lunch there with my parents (more on this later). The rumor has it that the restaurant and his chef-owner Masashi Ijichi could get a first Michelin star when the 2009 guide for France is released this coming Monday. It would be well-deserved. Flaveurs, also located in Valence, is also expected to be awarded a star. I haven't tried this one but it is on my radar screen for my next trip in December. Overall, it would bring Valence to a total of 5 stars (Pic having already 3). Not bad for a 65,000-people city...

Update (June 2009): La Cachette was actually awarded a Michelin star by the Red Guide in 2009. I'm also uploading below the pictures of the lunch I had there earlier this year. At 26 EUR, the lunch menu is a steal (the others are fairly affordable as well). Not to be missed if you stop by Valence some day.

La Cachette
16 rue des Cevennes
26000 Valence, France
Tel: (33) 4 75 55 24 13

L'As du Falafel, Paris

If you stop by le Marais, forget about all the addresses you might have read / heard about or all the overpriced and overrated brunches that abound in the neighbourhood. Just stop by l'As du Falafel, order a falafel sandwich to go and enjoy it with your friends standing in the middle of the street (remember the way you did it back in the days when you were in college) and watching the restaurant's hawkers joking and taking the orders of the soon-to-be-dazzled customers.

Falafel is a fava or chickpea fritter. It is served at l'As in a pita bread stuffed with a crunchy cabbage salad, fried eggplants and hummus. I like it with "sauce blanche" or white sauce (made from tahini or sesame paste). Although my pictures, taken with my BlackBerry camera, do not do it justice entirely, the falafel is superb, i.e. crunchy on the outside and smooth inside, and the toppings make it even better.

As is the case with all things delicious, it takes some patience before getting the coveted sandwich as you might have to stand in line for long minutes. But this is worth every bit of your time as it is one of the best fast food / quick bite experience you might have in Paris (and beyond) and certainly a great bang for the buck at 5 EUR. As their sign rightly says: "Often imitated but never equalled".

L'As du Falafel
34 rue des rosiers
75004 Paris

Bar Boulud, New York

When Bar Boulud opened last year, I was disappointed. Not so much by the food (more on this below) but by the slow service and the behavior of the hostesses that kept you waiting for long minutes event though you had a reservation. But this got fixed and I must say I now derive a great pleasure from each of my visits.

The name might not ring a bell to you but one of Boulud's partners in this venture is Gilles Verot, whose charcuterie shops are among the finest in Paris and France. Gilles Verot has sent one his most trusted man, Sylvain Gasdon, to Bar Boulud to act as chef charcutier. And the results are outstanding. The award-winning fromage de tete (head cheese terrine) is simply divine. So are the pates that stand among the best I've ever had. The smooth and melting boudin blanc is also sublime while the truffle mashed potatoes coming with it are just perfect. I also strongly recommend the gateau basque in the dessert sections.

The rest of the menu is less impressive but, at the exception of the salmon dishes maybe, rather good (especially the croque monsieur/madame and the pappardelle with lamb ragu). And, not least, the quality is consistent from one visit to the other, which was already Boulud's trademark at Daniel, Cafe Boulud and DB Bistro Moderne.

In an nutshell, Bar Boulud is THE place in New York for great charcuterie. I know it is also supposed to be a wine bar but I haven't had a chance to drink too much there recently. In any event, the wine selection is large and interesting although wine by the glass does not offer a good bang for the buck in my opinion. Overall, although they are not unreasonable for New York, and in particular for a Boulud restaurant, prices are not cheap either. So I would suggest you pay Bar Boulud a visit for brunch on Sunday around 2pm. The waiters will be available and nice and you will pay only USD 29 for an appetizer and an entree (USD 38 if you add a dessert). And that, my friend foodie, is a great deal for phenomenal charcuterie.

Bar Boulud
1900 Broadway (64th Street)
212-595-0303

Bouchon Bakery, New York

Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center is a mystery to me.

Some dishes are consistently fabulous like the soups, the quiches and the desserts (especially the tarte au citron that is one of the best I've ever tasted). The butter is to die for.

However, some others are fairly inconsistent. The bread can be just great or borderline stale. The sandwiches can taste fantastic or like microwave reheated. The salads are at times perfectly seasoned or not at all. The ham and cheese sandwich can be either at par with the best ones you would have in Paris...or not. And the pate de campagne is consistently oversalted.

Other dishes like the terrine de foie gras (bland when I had it) or salmon rillettes (extremely dry) are plain disappointing.

And the worst part I must say is that I've already seen Thomas Keller wandering around (and hopefully inspecting) the restaurant. Which makes me say that he must also have tasted its food and should have realized something was (sometimes) wrong.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying you should not go there. As I said it can be really good and it is certainly the best affordable (although it's not that cheap) option in the Time Warner Center. My problem is that you expect more from Thomas Keller. So I just keep on returning in the hope to get a perfect meal. Hopefully that will happen before I leave New York. Or maybe it's just me after all since people keep on waiting sometimes for 40 minutes to eat there.

Bouchon Bakery
Time Warner Center - Columbus Circle
New York

The Pasta match: Batali vs. me?

No, just kidding. I can be (overly?) critical at times of Batali's restaurants but I must admit that Batali knows his pasta, especially when it comes to ragu.

While reading Caroline's post about her meal at Enoteca San Marco, I remembered that I too had tasty bucatini all'amatriciana there when we were in Las Vegas a few months back. Despite all the kitsch of the Venetian's decor, I felt like I was in Venice for a few minutes. OK, maybe not, but that dish and the antipasti we had before were totally delicious. Not cheap by the way but good.

The above slideshow also contains a picture of Spaghetti alla Bolognese I had cooked. The recipe is inspired by that of Batali, published in Wine Spectator in 2007. I had substituted white wine for red one and celery for leek...and also slightly adjusted the quantity of meat (but the 1/3 rule of thumb for each type of meat is quite spot-on).

Enoteca San Marco
The Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV
Tel: (1) 702 677 3390

Bistronomiques 2008 - Le Chateaubriand, Paris

Inaki Aizpitarte, Le Chateaubriand's chef, is one of those young (and self-taught in his case) chefs who are breathing new life into French bistro food, turning traditional dishes into avant-garde and creative cuisine. Inaki never forgets though that the ingredient is king and that it is it that must shine. Therefore don't expect to find a long menu in his restaurant. Here, for dinner, the only option is a 5-dish prix fixe with seasonal and fresh ingredients.

And it works great. Like this rectangle of boudin noir (blood sausage) served with small cubes of green apple, mango, banana and passion fruit puree as well as two light touches of wasabi. A modern, colorful, almost Asian interpretation of the traditional boudin aux pommes recipe. A sublime combination and balance of opposite textures and flavors. Miles away from the so common stupid fusion and sweet and sour idiocies that come out from so many professional kitchens.

Or this rouget aux petits legumes. Perfectly cooked, the fish shines. The vegetables play perfectly their role, giving some crunch, color and an earthy flavor to this marine dish. Nothing superfluous, like a sauce or a jus, that could have overpowered the purity of the ingredients.

Or this Beef fillet. It could have been boring. Just another beef fillet after all. But a white asparagus lying on top brings some extra texture, some bitterness to each mouthful of the perfectly rare and tender fillet while anchovies happily act as a guest-star condiment. Again it looks simple (it looks, I said) but it's just plain smart.

But sometimes, things go wrong, the chef pushes the envelope a flavor too far and there comes the flop. Like this dish where a bland tofu and the acidic green apple destroyed each other and turned the appetizer into a real disaster. But that's so unrepresentative of the whole meal, that you just think: "oh, well, after all, only the one who doesn't take risks, doesn't make mistakes". And at 43 EUR for 5 dishes, this dinner looked like a steal.

Although it might be considered (by some) exaggerated to rank it number 60 in the World's Best Restaurants, Le Chateaubriand and its chef provide for a sublime (and cheap) dining experience. Fred Peneau and his gang of bearded, Inaki-like sexy waiters also do a great job at the front of the house.

Le Chateaubriand
129 avenue Parmentier
75011 Paris
(33) 1 43 57 45 95

Chinatown Brasserie, New York

Chinatown Brasserie is by far my favorite venue for weekend brunches. And the reason I repeatedly visit this place is simple: dim sum! I fell in love with these dumplings when I sampled my first Har Gau as a teenager.

Chinatown Brasserie's dim sum are really fabulous and more than rival those I've had a chance to taste in great Hong Kong places (no wonder it is so since the chef, Joe Ng, is a Cantonese from HK). The variety is stunning (the menu includes nearly 40 different types), the combinations (shrimp/pork/watercress, shrimp/snow pea, shrimp/chives, ...) strike the right note and the presentation/bright colors are enthusing. In a nutshell, a dumplings lover's paradise. Don't forget to taste the Shanghai soup dumplings as well (who knew the flavor explosion had been invented in China and not by Grant Achatz?)

Except for the BBQ tenderloin and the wonton soup, the rest of the menu is rather forgettable (and may have cost them a second star in the NY Times) but, remember, you go to Chinatown Brasserie for dim sum. They are the real stars of the show there.

Chinatown Brasserie
380 Lafayette Street
New York City
Tel: 212-533-7000

Alinea, Chicago, August 2006

What was I thinking? Why wouldn't I take pictures when I dined at Alinea? I guess we'll never know. In any event, it was one of the most fantastic culinary experiences I've ever had and, in my opinion, molecular gastronomy at its best (I mean where ingredients and flavors are perfectly respected).

Fortunately, there is always another serious foodie to have the same meal as you at about the same time (in this case kudos go to Gerald). Also, the restaurant was kind enough to send me the menu (see below) plus I have great memories of the truffle explosion, the lamb, the Kobe beef and the hot potato in particular (the rest was sublime too if you ask me). And, last but not least, I can now reflect for long hours reading the recently published Alinea cookbook and logging onto the Mosaic website. The pictures are absolutely gorgeous (much better than those I could have taken obviously) as are the texts by Achatz, Ruhlman and Steingarten. The most adventurous and skilled cooks will also give a shot at some of the numerous recipes contained in this masterpiece.

For more about Grant Achatz, Alinea's celebrated chef-owner, its food, trajectory and fight against oral cancer, you might want to read the profile from the New Yorker published last year. Very well-written (as usual) and moving too.



Here are also links to Gerald's photos on Flickr: Corn, Yuba, Tomato, Mackerel, Hamachi, Bacon, Kobe Beef, Black Truffle, Squab, Menthol, Verjus, Yoghurt, Shellfish, Langoustine, Porcini, Peach, Lamb, Hot Potato, Pork, Sassafras, Raspberry, Chocolate, Coffee, Dried Caramel.

Alinea Restaurant
1723 North Halsted
Chicago Illinois 60614
Tel: 312-867-0110

Sushi Yasuda, New York

In my opinion, one of the best sushi restaurants in New York City. The extremely reasonable prices, the freshness, the variety of fishes as well as the talent of the sushi chefs have made Sushi Yasuda a favorite among raw fish eaters. Here your best option is to sit at the bar and get fed. Each menu can even be ordered omakase-style (where the chef will choose for you). No need for extra soy sauce or wasabi. Everything comes perfectly seasoned and ready to be eaten (using hands only for sushi). I strongly recommend the toro, scallop and sea urchin that are to die for. In the same street, don't miss Yakitori Tory (by the same owner as Yakitori Totto).

Sushi Yasuda
204 East 43rd Street
New York City 10017
Tel: 212-972-1001

Memory: a dinner at Guy Savoy, Paris

The pics are not clear (my first in a restaurant if I remember correctly) but I keep a vivid memory of this dinner at Guy Savoy in Paris. It was in 2005 and the second time I had the opportunity to dine in a 3 michelin-star restaurant.

I was particularly impressed by the variety of textures and the clean flavors of the Tout Petits Pois. The signature Soupe d'artichauts aux truffes was also a highlight of this wonderful dinner. Overall, a very classic French Cuisine but one with a perfect execution. I also remember that the service was at a level I have rarely found again since then.

Restaurant Guy Savoy
18 rue Troyon
75017 Paris
Tel: (33) 01 43 80 40 61

Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York

In addition to being pork-belly obsessed, David Chang is a culinary genius as demonstrated by the consistently out-of-this-world pork buns (my favorite fast food/sandwich ever) or ramens (much better than in most Japanese ramen restaurant) or anything else served at Momofuku's Noodle Bar. And despite all the success, the accolades and awards, he's managed to stay a great guy (see the fantastic profile published in the New Yorker last year). So if you haven't done it yet (and even if you have by the way), try his food. The newly renovated and expanded dining room has considerably reduced waiting time (no reservations taken), so you have no excuse. One of the places I will miss the most when I leave New York.

Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 1st Ave. (between 10th and 11th)

Yakitori Totto, New York: chicken paradise, from neck to tail

As promised, although with much delay, I am going to try to write about my favorite restaurants in New York. And I would like to dedicate the first part of this series to Yakitori Totto. I found out about that place 2 years ago, just a few months after arriving in New York. Since then, I have had numerous meals there and can not spend more than a month without coming back.

Located on the second floor of a building, it is easy to pass by without noticing it, which made it a well-kept secret for quite a while. The small dining-room-cum-bar, which can accommodate only 40 guests or so, is constantly full (Japanese making the bulk of the clientele, which is always a good sign) and waiting time can be ridiculously long, ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour and a half at times. Reservations by phone are not accepted beyond 7pm. So you have to go there, leave your name and wait for a call back when a table becomes available (luckily I live in the neighborhood). Needless to say that you have to earn your seat. To be honest, I like this utmost democratic approach of the restaurant.

But your patience will be rewarded since this is one of the best restaurant, if not the best, I have ever eaten in for such a moderate price tag. Michael Ruhlman has praised their chicken as the best ever while Thomas Keller and Tony Bourdain named Totto one of their favorite restaurants. And such acclaim is well-deserved since their organic chicken skewers are out of this world. And the variety is dizzying: from liver to gizzards, heart to oyster, skin to tail, breast to thigh. Except for the skin that I found forgettable, the rest is totally amazing, my personal favorite being tsukune tare (glazed chicken meatball served, at your discretion, with a quail egg you beat and use as a dip).

What makes Totto a stand-out is consistency: meat is first-rate and the various cuts always cooked to perfection. Texture are thus respected and chicken keeps its moist. Looks simple? Right but it takes the attention to detail that only Japanese cooks are capable of.

But ecstasy goes beyond chicken. The Kobe beef tongue and the skirt steak are succulent. The pork gyoza are surprisingly light and tasty (the best I have ever had) while the apricot tofu kernel (Totto's take on Panacotta) is a must-eat dessert.

As you will have understood, I highly recommend this restaurant. Not a secret anymore but who could complain?


Yakitori Totto
Skewers: between $2 and $4 a piece ; Meal: $40-$60 (including tax and tip)
251 W 55th st. (between Broadway and 8th), New York
Open 5.30pm - 1am (Mon-Thu), 5.30pm - 2am (Sat), 5.30pm - midnight (Sun)
Tel: 212 245 4555

Chez Fonfon: Pour faire une bonne bouillabaisse...

...Il faut se lever tot le matin (in order to make a good bouillabaisse you have to wake up early). Here goes the song that Fernandel, a French actor and a native of Marseille like the famous fish dish, used to interpret in the 1950's. And we indeed woke up early, not to make a bouillabaisse but to drive from Valence, where my parents live, to Marseille. Once again, I had to honor a promise I made to my wife. I had told her the real bouillabaisse, served in Marseille and its surroundings, was playing in a totally different league than the tasteless dish she had ordered in a Parisian restaurant (which was not a good idea to start with and one I should have discouraged in the first place).

There was only one way to deliver on the high expectations I had triggered: having lunch at Chez Fonfon. Founded 55 years ago, this restaurant is located in one of the most beautiful settings I know of: Vallon des Auffes. It is a small creek under the Corniche Kennedy where lies a little fisherman's port and village. The owners, Alexandre and Peguy Pinna, are the third generation at the helm and haven't changed the formula that has made the success of Fonfon: good food, bouillabaisse in particular, and warm greeting.

As you can suspect, after having pleasant amuses, we ordered the Bouillabaisse du Pecheur (Fisherman's Bouillabaisse). Chez Fonfon's recipe consists of a bouillon (rockfish broth flavored and colored with tomatoes and saffron) and an assortment of 5 types of fish served separately: Saint Pierre (known as John Dory in English), congre (conger-eel), rascasse (scorpion fish), galinette (gurnard) and vive (weever). The result was beautiful and delicious. The bouillon was warm and rich and the addition of croutons topped with aioli (garlic mayonnaise) or rouille (saffron aioli) enhanced the whole thing. The fish, perfectly cooked by the bouillon, tasted so much better than that caught in the Atlantic Ocean. Difficult to believe that this now expansive and luxurious dish used to be the average fisherman's treat. However, at 46 EUR it remains a steal compared to many bad meals I had in other countries / cities for higher price tags.

The view on Vallon des Auffes is certainly a great asset for the restaurant but service is also very nice and efficient. Finally, I had the chance to taste Domaine Tempier's white wine for the first time. And it is to die for. It reminded me of everything I had read on Lulu Peyraud, her cuisine and the domaine itself as well as the guided tour of Marseille she gave Kermit Lynch and that he beautifully recounts in Adventures on the Wine Route.

Chez Fonfon is definitely a good reason to stop in Marseille. As are the sights of the Mediterranean and Frioul archipelago from the Corniche. But there are plenty of other excellent reasons to visit this cosmopolitan and exciting city that you will find out once you are there.

La Merenda: Nicoise food at its best

A lot has been said or written about La Merenda. That it has no telephone. That it does accept neither reservations (or at least no more than 15 minutes before the beginning of the service), nor checks or credit cards. That the place is so small and cramped that you have to sit on very uncomfortable stools almost on your neighbour's lap. That the chef owner, Dominique Le Stanc, trained under Chapel, Haeberlin and Senderens, left behind him the Michelin stars of the Chantecler at Hotel Negresco to buy this 20-seat restaurant to the Giusti family and cook nicoise specialties on its own in a tiny open kitchen. And, above all, that the food remains the same (i.e. great) some 30+ years (11 under Le Stanc) after the place first opened. And you know what? Everything is true. And Dominique Le Stanc does not seem ready to change this winning formula for all the gold in the world.

When I came in 15 minutes before noon last Tuesday, Le Stanc and his team of 3 were having their staff meal. I asked him if we could get a table for 12.30 and he answered me that the first service was at 12.15 sharp (implying, politely though, that I had to take it or leave it). And of course, I took it and left my name. I had not traveled that far and dreamed about this lunch for so long to ruin it at the restaurant's door.

And once inside, everything was exactly as I had expected. First, Mme Le Stanc is doing a wonderful job at the front of the house as does the other waiter by the way. For instance, when I ordered the stockfish, she really started worrying (as the smell and taste of this dish are, let's say, unique) and brought me some sample just to make sure I would like it (and I did). That's what I call caring for customers.

And obviously the food is magnificent like the sardines stuffed with bread crumbs, emmental and swiss chard leaves. Or the incredibly tasty stockfish (a nicoise specialty of sun dried cod in ragout). Or the crispy and wide open seasonal fried zucchini blossoms. Poor arrongant me who thought I prepared the best ratatouille in the world...I was so wrong. Even my mother, who can be hard to impress at times as far as culinary matters, could not stop talking about the rucola-ricotta salad with figs and balsamic vinaigrette. I should also mention a perfectly aged Banon that was the ideal conclusion to a wonderful lunch.

Le Stanc just demonstrates that the simplest regional dishes, such as an incredible tarte a la tomate, can become masterpieces when they are executed with passion, technique and using the best local ingredients. Unforgettable, reasonably priced and not to be missed when you are in the area.

La Merenda
Open Mon-Fri for lunch and dinner
4 rue Raoul Bosio (street parallel to the Cours Saleya)
06000 Nice

Mirazur in Menton: the latest culinary jewel of the French Riviera

This question has been lingering in my mind since we came back from France: where to start my account of all the delicacies we gorged on? Should I follow some kind of chronological order or adopt a different approach? But, after all, the answer is simple: I should tell you first about the most revelatory food moment of this trip. Before dealing with anything else, I should talk about our lunch at Mirazur.

But first, a few words about the chef and the place. After honing his skills with Bernard Loiseau at La Cote d'Or, Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athenee, Alain Passard at L'Arpege and Guy Martin at Grand Vefour, Argentinean-born chef Mauro Colagreco was initially looking for a restaurant in Spain. He stumbled, by chance (for him...and us), upon Mirazur, a 1950's yet very modern building that was previously home of a "tabac" and later a bistrot operated by Jacques Chibois. We struggled a little bit at first to find the place since, for whatever reason, I had come to imagine it was located close to the beach while it is in fact perched on a hill. But thanks to Guillaume Mantis' clear directions on the phone, we finally found the place fairly quickly.

We were greeted by Daniela Colagreco, Mauro's charming wife, who shook our hands, which is unfortunately highly unusual in restaurants but makes a big difference as it tells the customers: "we are happy to have you with us.". We were then led to the first floor where we had lunch on the terrace. Dominating the bay of Menton, it offers stunning views of the Mediterranean. In my opinion, only Le Relais de la Chevre d'Or in Eze rivals Mirazur as far as this is concerned. Although it was a rainy day, the skies cleared once we were seated and we were lucky enough to have some sun during our meal and enjoy the sight of the deep blue sea.

And then a real show started. A show because Guillaume Mantis' performance as head of front of the house is outstanding. Professional, energetic, enthusiastic, sharp in its understanding and description of Mauro Colagreco's dishes, he also knows how to make you feel comfortable using the appropriate touch of humor when he has to. Once you know that the guy worked for Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White in London as well as for the Raffles group in Asia and Beverly Hills, no need to look for further explanations to his talent and skills. Last time I was that impressed by service was at Guy Savoy almost three years ago.

And obviously, in addition to the attentive service, there's the food. The real star of the show. After a flight of simple yet fresh and delicious amuses, we went for a la carte as I definitely wanted to have a taste of the Langoustine in Dashi Broth further to reading so much about it. And I must say we (as my mum made the same choice) were not disappointed. This dish was beautiful with its pristine broth and colorful flowers on top of a translucent langoustine. But, above all, it tasted great and the contrast of textures and flavors between the sweet raw langoustine and the salty hot broth was amazing. The peppery, sweet and sour notes of the 5 varieties of seasonal and local flowers (among them bourrache and pimprenelle) also added a surprising and welcome vegetal touch. This dish says a lot about Mauro Colagreco's pure, almost zen-like, cuisine that manages to capture the truth of each ingredient.

The next dish, "Wild Fish" (that day it was Galinette) served with an emulsion of cockles, a zucchini ragout, bok choy leaf and cauliflower mousseline was equally impressive. The fish was perfectly cooked and seasoned while all the elements went together extremely well. Again, the combination between the sea and the land, the Asian and Mediterranean influences worked wonders. This dish, and everything we tasted, showed a genuine respect for the fabulous ingredients that are sourced locally (which is an understatement as many of the herbs are grown in the restaurant's garden).

My wife and I then shared a lemon chibouste (how can't you eat lemon in Menton, right?) that was a treasure of lightness. Once again, the dish struck a perfect balance between sweetness (of the caramelized crust and lemon mousse), bitterness (of the lemon marmelade) and freshness (brought by the verbena sorbet).

I was also quite impressed by the quality of the mignardises (in particular the Ananas-Malibu "espuma"), the bread as well as a rich and satisfying hot porcini mushroom veloute with a cold foie-gras ice-cream amuse that could have a place of its own on the menu. My father and my wife were also delighted by their perdreau and pholiote dishes, respectively. In addition, at approximately 80 EUR per person (including a delicious Le Difese, Sassicaia's third wine) for a la carte lunch, the price was also a steal.

Last but not least, further to my father engaging her in an after-lunch conversation, Daniela Colagreco insisted on presenting us Mauro who took the time to come out of his kitchen to talk to us. We talked quickly about his trajectory, the first Michelin star, Pim's article in the NY Times and the one in Restaurant Magazine as well as an upcoming trip to the US in April. What a pleasure it was to meet such a dedicated, talented, yet nice and almost shy, individual who also had the guts to take on a huge financial and culinary gamble with Mirazur.

In a nutshell, I can only recommend that you visit Mirazur NOW to enjoy a phenomenal cuisine and great service in a unique setting. In any event, do it before Mauro Colagreco gets three Michelin stars, which will happen sooner than later and cause reservations to become hard to get and prices to skyrocket. If you dine there, you will also understand why Mauro Colagreco was awarded the "revelation of the year" prize by Gault & Millau and acclaimed as "one of the most beautiful surprises of the year 2006" by Omnivore's Carnet de Route.

Mirazur
Frontiere du Pont Saint-Louis
30, avenue Aristide Briand
06500 Menton
Tel: (33) 4 92 41 86 86
Fax: (33) 4 92 41 86 87