I guess this is what defines a three Michelin stars restaurant(at least in France)- every single dish in Yannick Alleno's "palace" restaurant was a perfection. Dining in a top restaurant is being a little bit lazy. Usually there is no place for a errors, all you have to do is to sit and enjoy the fruits of the fantasy of the chef.
As soon as i opened the menu, i knew that the dinner will be more in the seafood direction. I was not too much inside the choices under the "viande" section. Lamb perfumed with "fleur d'oranger",roasted pigeon,grouse "au vieux malt" ,hare seasoned with peppercorn,roasted venison and poulard with white truffles. I don't like too "strong" meat like game or lamb and i feel sorry for rabbits,that are too cute to eat. I know that makes me a very bad culinary critic :), but very often for this very reason i choose the seafood...
The cooking of Yannick Alleno I would describe as very modern, but "safe" at the same time. There is lot's of acidity and "iodized" flavors. Even foie gras was "iodized ". "Iodized foie gras in sugar bread. Turnip chutney ,seaweed seasoned with vinegar."
The first amuse bouche was red radish in gelée . Simple but good.
The second amuse bouche was frog's leg with omelette. Very "garlicy " smell. Easy marriage of tastes i guess.
"Egg yolks with caviar "Golden Oscietre. Acid gelée of apples and grains of anise" The "star " of the menu. Excellent.
"Opened shellfish à cru, roe of sea urchin. Delicate gelée of red cabbage,genièvre berries". I loved this dish because of its iodized aspect. It reminded me a lot the "gelée of oysters, crayfish and scallops" in Apicius restaurant. In fact, i think that the similar dish in Apicius is better even if Yannick Alleno's version was excellent.
"Roasted bar and glazed with black olives cream.Pistes, artichokes,small cushions of cooked and acidulated with lemon salad,juice tomaté..." With this dish i travelled to Provence. I especially loved the slightly crisp artichokes.
"Scallops with creamy linguini, white Alba truffle" . If scallops can be decadent, this is the case. And i never say "no" to any kind of truffles!
The cheese trolley...
The dessert. "Love- apple , with raspberries, perfumed with jasmine, almond petals..." Very light - an excellent dessert.
To sum up my dinner in Le Meurice, everything was more than perfect. The food,the graceful service and the luxurious surroundings. I wouldn't dare to call Yannick Alleno's cooking classical, but, as i've mentioned before, it is "safe" enough to please any taste.
