Post by geordy on Sept 25, 2011 7:35:26 GMT -5
But no "...best of times.......worst of times....." here ..both would go on the best side..though very different. Carre Des Feuillants and Lasserre.
C Des F was the B'day lunch choice on Monday (many of the "heavy hitters" are closed Mon/Mon lunch.) Located in an espace of a building on Rue Castiglione. Very modern, lots of burnished steel thick columns, grey and creme decor, abstract modern art. Service throughout was seamless but not hovering. Well spaced tables and comfortable seating. Nice welcome. We went with the Lunch Tentations menu @ 92 Euros with beverages(58 w/o). First amuse bouche..2 little porcelain spoons , one with a poached quail egg with bacon crisp , the other a fish pate. Delicious. Then the waiter returns with "just another little appetizer" Trio..basil mousse, smoked fish, and some sort of tapenade. Then appear what look like fat, round green olives...basil wrapped deep fried shrimp...succulent. With the bread and butter, real olives and the Coupe of Champagne this is already a meal and we haven't even hit the carte yet!
My starter is three large roasted shrimp in a white gazpacho with almonds...slivered radishes in the gazpacho and baby ones as garnish..btw this and the meals in Tours I'm going to be searching out different radish varieties in NYC! A perfect white wine served.
Then the perfect plate...duck breast(colvert on carte..french for Mallard) ..perfectly cooked rose..with sweet potato puree and a stuffed savoy cabbage leaf..like a cigar, very delicate stuffed with a duxelles like mixture of veggies. Would make a great Thanks giving meal! Glass of vin rouge which the waiter kept refilling!
Petit fours, one apple, one something else delicious, and one marshmallow..which we both sort of skipped..don't get the marshmallow thing and there was so much else!!
Then dessert ..roasted figs with chestnut ice cream and fig preserves. Sublime.... Chocolates with the expresso..medicants with pistachios, dark square filled with milk melt, chewy with nuts..and waiter is still replenishing vin rouge! And a bottle of water. Perfect B'day meal!
The splurge on Thursday for lunch (B'day lunch #2 ;D) at Lasserre was , in addition to B'day
because we were going to see Charles Aznavour @ the Olympia at 8:30...thus missing regular diner hours!
A good excuse as any!
Self contained lovely building on Rue Benjamin Franklin. This is a staff whisper to each other place...very quiet but warm welcome , escorted to an elevator where we ride to the top floor. More "traditional" French decor plus the roof is open , half tented the other covered with lattice wood and plants. Very pretty.
Tables again well spaced...with ornaments , ours was a silver segmented fish of whom I became rather fond (relax..he is still there
..glad we didn't have the duck...or the knight on a horse! 
)
Again had the lunch set menu....80 E I think without beverages(no beverage incls menu offered.)
We started with champagne of course , lovely tasty little cheese sticks to munch on. Amuse bouche...mushrooms and squid (!) in a white emulsion....much better than it sounds..very good.
Starter. Royale de.foie blond , chestnut soup and truffles. Earthy, smooth, delicious. Then perfect filet mignon type boeuf with pepper sauce, hot lattice potato chips and salade,
Dessert was a plum and nutty tartelette with dried fruits and fromage blanc sorbet.
All washed down with 2004 Santenay and bottle of water.
Very good espresso(they offer different varieties..at different prices)
served with chocolates and mini madelaines.
Then the waiter presents you with a box from which you take your gift.. a mini porcelain sauce server with the restaurants logo..cute!
Service more the hot and cold running waiters type with most dishes requiring some table side service. But never hovering either.
Which did I prefer...apples and oranges....I think the food gets a bit of a nod at C des F..but that could just be my choices....and all those lovely little tidbits!
Then again at C des F decor wise I could easily be in NYC...where as Lasserre has the PARIS atmosphere. C des F the better "bargain" if one can use such a word when describing these deliciously decadent places. But hey, we are worth it!!!
C Des F was the B'day lunch choice on Monday (many of the "heavy hitters" are closed Mon/Mon lunch.) Located in an espace of a building on Rue Castiglione. Very modern, lots of burnished steel thick columns, grey and creme decor, abstract modern art. Service throughout was seamless but not hovering. Well spaced tables and comfortable seating. Nice welcome. We went with the Lunch Tentations menu @ 92 Euros with beverages(58 w/o). First amuse bouche..2 little porcelain spoons , one with a poached quail egg with bacon crisp , the other a fish pate. Delicious. Then the waiter returns with "just another little appetizer" Trio..basil mousse, smoked fish, and some sort of tapenade. Then appear what look like fat, round green olives...basil wrapped deep fried shrimp...succulent. With the bread and butter, real olives and the Coupe of Champagne this is already a meal and we haven't even hit the carte yet!
My starter is three large roasted shrimp in a white gazpacho with almonds...slivered radishes in the gazpacho and baby ones as garnish..btw this and the meals in Tours I'm going to be searching out different radish varieties in NYC! A perfect white wine served.
Then the perfect plate...duck breast(colvert on carte..french for Mallard) ..perfectly cooked rose..with sweet potato puree and a stuffed savoy cabbage leaf..like a cigar, very delicate stuffed with a duxelles like mixture of veggies. Would make a great Thanks giving meal! Glass of vin rouge which the waiter kept refilling!
Petit fours, one apple, one something else delicious, and one marshmallow..which we both sort of skipped..don't get the marshmallow thing and there was so much else!!
Then dessert ..roasted figs with chestnut ice cream and fig preserves. Sublime.... Chocolates with the expresso..medicants with pistachios, dark square filled with milk melt, chewy with nuts..and waiter is still replenishing vin rouge! And a bottle of water. Perfect B'day meal!
The splurge on Thursday for lunch (B'day lunch #2 ;D) at Lasserre was , in addition to B'day
because we were going to see Charles Aznavour @ the Olympia at 8:30...thus missing regular diner hours!A good excuse as any!
Self contained lovely building on Rue Benjamin Franklin. This is a staff whisper to each other place...very quiet but warm welcome , escorted to an elevator where we ride to the top floor. More "traditional" French decor plus the roof is open , half tented the other covered with lattice wood and plants. Very pretty.
Tables again well spaced...with ornaments , ours was a silver segmented fish of whom I became rather fond (relax..he is still there
..glad we didn't have the duck...or the knight on a horse! 
)Again had the lunch set menu....80 E I think without beverages(no beverage incls menu offered.)
We started with champagne of course , lovely tasty little cheese sticks to munch on. Amuse bouche...mushrooms and squid (!) in a white emulsion....much better than it sounds..very good.
Starter. Royale de.foie blond , chestnut soup and truffles. Earthy, smooth, delicious. Then perfect filet mignon type boeuf with pepper sauce, hot lattice potato chips and salade,
Dessert was a plum and nutty tartelette with dried fruits and fromage blanc sorbet.
All washed down with 2004 Santenay and bottle of water.
Very good espresso(they offer different varieties..at different prices
)served with chocolates and mini madelaines.
Then the waiter presents you with a box from which you take your gift.. a mini porcelain sauce server with the restaurants logo..cute!
Service more the hot and cold running waiters type with most dishes requiring some table side service. But never hovering either.
Which did I prefer...apples and oranges....I think the food gets a bit of a nod at C des F..but that could just be my choices....and all those lovely little tidbits!
Then again at C des F decor wise I could easily be in NYC...where as Lasserre has the PARIS atmosphere. C des F the better "bargain" if one can use such a word when describing these deliciously decadent places. But hey, we are worth it!!! 
hahahha