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2013-06-24
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I have dined at L'Atelier numerous times already, but each experience still makes me just as excited as though it was my first and this time even more so since it was their Gala dinner~! Held annually in Hong Kong, Monsieur Robuchon and his team fly in just to prepare the menu and dishes for this particular evening, so it just makes everything all that more special There is no a la carte that evening, just one set menu and guests are greeted by their own Joel Robuchon signed copy of the evening'
There is no a la carte that evening, just one set menu and guests are greeted by their own Joel Robuchon signed copy of the evening's menu tied with their signature red ribbon.
And so it begins~Their version of an amuse bouche, strawberry gazpacho. French strawberries blended into a chilled soup with a ricotta cheese sherbet made as an espuma and then flash frozen by a burst of nitrogen gas. This was then spooned into the gazpacho as it was served. A lovely dusky rose pink, the gazpacho was velvety in texture and mixing in the ricotta sherbet resulted in the slightly tart and subtly sweet flavours taking on a pleasantly mild creaminess. A wonderful start to the evening~
First course, asparagus adorned with Sologne Imperial caviar accompanied by assorted vegetables lain over a shallow layer of clear tomato jelly. This was a visual delight to the eyes, like a ready-to-eat vegetable garden all on a plate~ The asparagus was juicily fleshy with the soft caviar adding a brininess to the fresh green flavour. The tomato jelly was the highlight for me, intense tomato flavour filled the senses edged with a sour tinge pairing very well with the rest of the vegetables. It was so good, the gentleman two seats down from me could not keep murmuring his pleasure while swiping his plate clean with the tail end of his baguette
A softly boiled egg resting in a puree of spinach and an aged Comte cheese mousse was served next. Looking so simple, the flavours were anything but... Gorgeously oozy on the inside, it paired wonderfully with the spinach puree while the 18 month Comte cheese added a stronger flavour with an edge of saltiness.
Those that love sea urchin would have swooned over this dish. A Hokkaido sea urchin royale, essentially a custard, layered with a veloute of cauliflower. Creamily smooth with a thick body, the custard had an intense sea flavour from the sea urchin, but that was not all. As you gradually eat, I could taste a slight curry spice mingled within which gradually built up a pleasant heat on the palate. Interesting.
The sea main course used lobster as the main ingredient. Roasted rock lobster from Australia accompanied by French green peas served with a Chateau Chalon sauce. Two generously portioned pieces of bouncy lobster flesh fragrant from the roasting process was delightful with the wonderful savoury sauce and I loved how the green peas popped happily with a burst of sweetness
The last savoury dish was grilled French baby pork cutlets with white beans accompanied with a lettuce wrapped pork pluma and mushroom ball and a cannelloni of chorizo topped with a disc of beef bone marrow. This dish blew.me.away. Rustic, homely flavours, the pork was so tender with a richness from the slight trim of fat and paired perfectly with the heady, yet surprisingly spicy flavour of the white bean sauce. The cannelloni was al dente while the bone marrow was fragrant from its own fatty oils. I also really enjoyed the cabbage ball which had stronger salty flavours and tasted like a sausage meatball with occasional bouncy cubes of mushroom adding to the texture~
As I finished with my main course, my server of the evening thoughtfully asked whether I needed a break prior to my dessert. It is just little touches like these that make all the difference to ones dining experience When I was ready, my first dessert was brought to me. Apricot compote and mousse with a 'lulo' sorbet. What is a 'lulo' sorbet you may ask? It is a Colombian mountain fruit with a citrusy flavour involving hints of pineapple and cherries. This centre of tangy sorbet paired nicely with its counterparts of chunky apricot pieces covered in a luscious blanket of apricot mousse. Those that are partial to sour flavours in their desserts would enjoy this.
The final dessert was a show stopper. A 3D cherry panacotta with a layer of almond sponge cake and cherries soaked in kirsch, encased in a layer of thin white chocolate. So so cute~ I could hear many diners cooing over this as it was placed in front of them. Very creamy, with the flavour similar to Black Forest, the tart cherries made sure that the overall dessert was not too heavy. Stunning~
And to end. Something different from their usual petit fours~ A butter sable with a dab of lemon curd decorated with a ring of French strawberries. Cute and sweet finish
The dinner was amazing~! So many elements that varied from their usual way of preparing dishes, from the nitrogen frozen ricotta sherbet, to the surprisingly spicy touches in the sea urchin royale and sauce of the pork cutlets while the undeniably cute cherry dessert captured many hearts that evening. Aside from the food, I really admired the decoration on the plates itself where each stroke and colour used were well thought out to be unique and subtly in sync with the overall presentation of each dish. I am sure every diner had their enjoyable moments and of course the ever personable Monsier Robuchon made himself available to take pictures with every guest and ensured everybody received a copy of the photo with a personal signature from himself. Tres bon!
張貼
