Date: Classified.
Location: Paris.
And so it began the start game of “drop pin, mobilize, deploy.” First, the challenge was to pick the meeting place. I chose Paris. Why? The city of lights. The city of the birth of food and wine. The city where Ratatouille changed Ego’s perception on food critiquing forever. I am still awaiting that moment myself!. Not much can go wrong in Paris (save for the strikes, always on strike these Frenchman!). So, Paris. Pin dropped.
Next step, mobilize. These days it’s a challenge getting oneself committed to a plan outside of rigid work demands. Let alone converge two person’s intense work/international travel diaries. Yet what happens when efficiency meets efficiency? Paris, mobilized.
The final step, deploy. Any project manager will agree that a plan is just a plan. Executing against that plan is where the real work (and risks) come to life. On paper, I had spent well enjoyed time connecting with my resources, googling their recommendations, spending time gazing over beautiful, glossy photos of divine food and very expensive wines, calling the restaurants making numerous backup reservations smugly in my broken French. In my opinion, the planning of any food adventure is over 50% of the journey and experience. When it came to deployment of this Paris journey, I was just as nervous as before any other pre food-related event I have planned in the past. The anticipation, excitement, and awaiting the unknown outcome! I hoped these restaurants would help provide, exceptional service, even more exceptional wine lists, and not too noisy environments. Deployment, initiated.
Day 1. First stop. Saturne. Perfect initial deployment lunch meeting spot. Sven Chartier’s restaurant boasts local, seasonal fare – which I appreciated very much hailing from San Francisco (birth of Alice Waters’ local seasonal farm-to-table approach to eating). Wine list was not so extensive, as Expert was in search of the Grand Cru sort of grape juice. Lucky me. Dishes were light, simple yet savory in flavor. Beautifully presented, so bright and colorful with the honesty of mother nature’s pure goodness. Great spot which casually served as a modest harbinger into what was to become one of the grandest, most luxe, gastronomic weekends to come. Heheh.
Saturne, PARIS.
Day 1.25. Break between le dejeuner et le diner. Laduree en Champs Elysee! The original chateau of macaroons. We walked down the Champs Elsyee which was just two blocks from our well located hotel in the 8th. “The story of the Ladurée macaroon starts with Pierre Desfontaines, second cousin of Louis Ernest Ladurée, who at the beginning of the 20th century first thought of taking two macaroon shells and joining them with a delicious ganache filling.” http://www.laduree.fr/ I think Expert was a little surprised at how tasty these little finger sized morsels of macaroons tasted. Violet, Rose, Pistachio, Caramel, Lemon. And tea in gold plated Chinaware to help digest these tiny round shaped perfections. Ooh lah lah!
Laduree, PARIS.
Day 1.5. First dinner in Paris. Taillevent (**). Jacket required. It is that kind of restaurant, where one dresses up on the proper side, feigning being grown ups at the dining table covered by white linen. Our first Grand Cru of the evening was selected in part by Expert, with the advice of our snooty yet playful, young and rather charming Sommelier. “You are right to trust me,” I remember the Sommelier’s words echoing assuredly, when Expert was choosing between two similar white burgundy Grand Crus. And so our beautiful 2001 Grand Cru Bienvenues Batard Montrachet by Domaine Leflaive was expertly served to our table. Not without first chilling it in a gold bucket of ice, which had Expert very nervous at the risk of icing the bottle too cold. A profoundly elegant yet complex Chardonnay with an incredible lingering last. I was so impressed with the boldness of this sophisticated and delicate wine. The nose was flowery (delicate jasmine white flower) with apple and citrus fruits, toasted almond, and was full of powerful, balanced minerality. An unmistakable “flintiness” is how Expert described this type of white Chardonnay. On the palate, the weight of this wine carried itself flawlessly as it rounded out ever so gently, gliding across my palate and down the sides and back of my mouth. Little flecks of flint permanently engraved themselves in my taste buds. Slight bitterness of citrus lemon pith lingered on the palate. Layers upon layers of complexity and traces of honey in the afterthoughts of this wine… complex like the quiet, mysterious mind of a real woman, elegant and sophisticated, yet still steely enough to stand on its own. That, is a Grand Cru white burgundy, my friend. A girl should only be so lucky on her first chance encounter, and a man should only be so lucky to experience the same.
Taillevent (**), PARIS.
Day 2. Via Garden de Tuieries to lunch at L’ambroisie (***). Of the entire 48 hour weekend, L’ambroisie had the most Soledad style overall epicurean fine dining experience. It was impeccable in its pomp and circumstance, gazillion star service. For fun, I tested how long it would take to have my “con gas” water glass refilled by purposely finishing it when I didn’t see any servers in the room. Counted 1, 2, 3… Not more than thirty seconds passed before someone gently swooped in efficiently from the side to refill my delicate glass of sparkling water. Next, the food not only looked impeccable, the tastes were also a gastronomical feast for the eyes and mouth. I will always remember the sea bass atop caviar (gasp!!).
L'ambroisie (***), PARIS.
For our Saturday lunch affair we celebrated with a beautiful bottle of 2006 Olivier Leflaive Meursault.
L'Ambroisie (***), PARIS.
Finally, the most beautiful and perfectly citrusy grapefruit gelato palate cleanser in between the meal and dessert. The chocolate tart – oh dear. Expert excused himself briefly before the desserts were served. When he returned, I had already eaten both mine and half of his. :D
L'ambroisie (***), PARIS.
Day 2.5. Second dinner in Paris. Michel Rostang. After a long siesta that afternoon (both jet lagged, drunk, and well satiated), we embarked once again into the Paris night for our last 10pm dinner reservation at Michel Rostang. Expert promised a wine rated 10 by his own Ego standard prior to departing Paris that weekend. Of course, this also relied on my ability to select apropos restaurants with lofty wines in stock. Admittedly, I was nervous as I did not know what wines would actually be available on the wine list! With each and every meal, Expert proved to be more and more the sleuth food and wine aficionado.
It was apparent after the previous night’s dinner at Taillevent that Expert thoroughly enjoyed studying wine lists with a calculating approach, and making the final decision. Usually when I dine out with friends, they pass the wine list to me without a moment’s notice to let me have the honor. I might otherwise become very nervous at what we ended up with. Typically an ethnic person at my table insists on choosing the wine of “his” home region, even though it clearly does not pair with the meal. Such ruffians! What a nice change this experience was for me in the hands of Expert, to be taken care of knowing that whatever he chose would not only complement our meal but totally blow my mind.
I sat quietly as Expert perused the wine list. Aloud, he went through his own mental inventory of top picks and why. Quickly, Expert chose a white Bordeaux 2006 Chateau Pape Clement start as he knew it would be my first. I was amazed at his impeccable attention to detail (wow, a boy who listens!?). In addition, Expert then chose a 1996 Joseph Drouhin Grand Cru Montrachet. The Sommelier, much like all the other sommeliers of our rendezvous thus far, nodded in smug approval, with a slight bow. We came to find that only two bottles of this magnificent white burgundy were sold that night.
Michel Rostang (**), PARIS.
Day 3.0. Awaking Sunday morning, I had no expectations for being spoiled with more wine (the GC kind), let alone breakfast. A quick shower and hop to the airport before our separate international flights back to US and Asia was what I was expecting. So, I was pleasantly surprised (maybe even a little mutedly shocked) when Expert (wide eyed and bushy tailed) woke up on the prowl for breakfast wine before exiting. I would never say no to that.
Grand Cru 2005 Corton-Charlemagne Domaine Michel Juillot, PARIS.
And so we drew our journey to a close, with of course none other than more Grand Cru, for breakfast on Champs Elysee. We had to cork it and take it with us in the taxi since we didn't have enough time to finish our breakfast... only to finally take the last sips out of the bottle curbside at Charles De Gaulle International airport. As swiftly as we arrived, we hastenly departed, and left a picture book story behind us - of a 48 hours of chilled debauchery in Paris.
