Dinner at Cordeillan-Bages, 33250 Pauillac. It is on a luxury hotel with a restaurant of the same name, which has received 2 Michelin stars. After cocktails on the terrace, we went for Fraicheur de Crabe Royal, Gambas Roties, Cochon de Lait, Florentine D Oeuf, and for dessert, Roquefort Glace. Given that this hotel-restaurant is part of the Chateau Cordeillan-Bages, a minuscule, 2 hectare vineyard in the heart of Pauillac, we chose the 1996 Cordeillan-Bages, an extraordinary wine with great structure and with a balance that only a mature Pauillac can offer.
Chef Jean-Luc Rocha was awarded the coveted "Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2007" and this is reflected on dishes that wre fresh, exquisite, very unique, and experimental. The decoration is ascetic, minimalist, and modern, but service is refined and cordial.
The 2 Michelin stars are well deserved, even though the decoration could have made better use of the location, as it is surrounded by the best vineyards on the planet.
Salvador and Illuminata
Showing posts with label 2 Michelin Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 Michelin Stars. Show all posts
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Hostellerie de Plaisance, Saint-Emilion
The dinner at the terrace of the Hostellerie de Plaisance (Place du Clocher, Saint-Emilion, 2 Michelin stars) was memorable because of the location, views, food, and the service quality. From the terrace of the Hotel and Restaurant, and in the middle of this wonderful town that goes back to the X Century, you can see the historic vineyards of Saint-Emilion, as well as the successive constructions, churches, and fortifications that make this magnificent place a World Heritage Site.
We chose the Discovery Menu, that is, a menu decided and made on the spot in which all plates are a surprise. We were approached by Chef Philippe Etchebest, elected with the desirable "Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2000," to welcome us, and to ask if we had any real or imaginary allergy, so that he could better let his imagination run. He decided that we would have Cepe/Poele, Foie gras de canard, Turbot sauvage, Poitrine de veau, followed by cheeses and 2 desserts, with small changes of flavor (Amuse Bouche) in between each course. We accompanied the food with a 2005 Clerc Millon (Pauillac, with strong terroir and a very fine structure), and the desserts with a Doisy Vedrines 2002 (Sauternes).
Without a doubt, the 2 Michelin stars are well deserved, even though the service was a bit impersonal, and in which the roles are reversed: it is the restaurant that makes a favor for allowing us to enjoy their wonderful food, as opposed to us, the clients, making it possible for them to exist. Vive la France! Two details are worth mentioning: First, the incredible view, without comparison anywhere in the world. And the second, something we have never seen before: a tray, not of desserts, cheeses or pisco, but of teas! In other words, a tray with a series of crystal pots in which there are dozens of varieties of mints, chamomiles, boldos, happily grow, and which are trimmed on site with specially designed tiny scissors. There is no way to complain that the infusion is not fresh.
To all of this, we need to add that there was a huge, bright, full moon, and that it was Illuminata´s 50th birthday. After almost 4 hours of these successive pleasures, Monsieur Etchebest once again approached us, at the time of the birthday cake, to ask, with a huge smile, if we were satisfied.... in summary, an unforgettable and highly recommendable place.
Salvador and Illuminata
We chose the Discovery Menu, that is, a menu decided and made on the spot in which all plates are a surprise. We were approached by Chef Philippe Etchebest, elected with the desirable "Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2000," to welcome us, and to ask if we had any real or imaginary allergy, so that he could better let his imagination run. He decided that we would have Cepe/Poele, Foie gras de canard, Turbot sauvage, Poitrine de veau, followed by cheeses and 2 desserts, with small changes of flavor (Amuse Bouche) in between each course. We accompanied the food with a 2005 Clerc Millon (Pauillac, with strong terroir and a very fine structure), and the desserts with a Doisy Vedrines 2002 (Sauternes).
Without a doubt, the 2 Michelin stars are well deserved, even though the service was a bit impersonal, and in which the roles are reversed: it is the restaurant that makes a favor for allowing us to enjoy their wonderful food, as opposed to us, the clients, making it possible for them to exist. Vive la France! Two details are worth mentioning: First, the incredible view, without comparison anywhere in the world. And the second, something we have never seen before: a tray, not of desserts, cheeses or pisco, but of teas! In other words, a tray with a series of crystal pots in which there are dozens of varieties of mints, chamomiles, boldos, happily grow, and which are trimmed on site with specially designed tiny scissors. There is no way to complain that the infusion is not fresh.
To all of this, we need to add that there was a huge, bright, full moon, and that it was Illuminata´s 50th birthday. After almost 4 hours of these successive pleasures, Monsieur Etchebest once again approached us, at the time of the birthday cake, to ask, with a huge smile, if we were satisfied.... in summary, an unforgettable and highly recommendable place.
Salvador and Illuminata
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Bordeaux, France, June 2010
We will post several separate entries covering our Bordeaux and Paris trip on June 21-30, 2010. In Bordeaux, we stayed at the Hotel Chateau Grand Barrail (Rue de Liborne D243 Saint-Emilion), an excellent choice. It is an old Chateau, restored to modern standards, and surrounded by vineyards. Service is very good. It is located between the horrible town of Libourne and the extraordinary medieval town of Saint-Emilion. It is well located to visit the appellations of Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, and Lalande de Pomerol, but not to visit those in the left bank (Haut-Medoc, Graves) to which it can take up to two hours to get due to the traffic in the city of Bordeaux.
In general, a trip to Bordeaux is recommendable only to wine lovers, but not for the everyday traveler, even if sophisticated. With the exception of Saint-Emilion, the area is not the most beautiful in France. Rather, it is an agro-industrial zone with lots of trucks and large deposits along the roads. The wine zones themselves, i.e., the appellations are spectacular, particularly the Chateaux in the Haut-Medoc. Nevertheless, and unless these Chateaux can be visited from the inside, for which previous appointments and even recommendations are required, they can only be seen from the outside.
Salvador and Illuminata
In general, a trip to Bordeaux is recommendable only to wine lovers, but not for the everyday traveler, even if sophisticated. With the exception of Saint-Emilion, the area is not the most beautiful in France. Rather, it is an agro-industrial zone with lots of trucks and large deposits along the roads. The wine zones themselves, i.e., the appellations are spectacular, particularly the Chateaux in the Haut-Medoc. Nevertheless, and unless these Chateaux can be visited from the inside, for which previous appointments and even recommendations are required, they can only be seen from the outside.
Salvador and Illuminata
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Paris November 2009
We collected 3 Michelin Stars in Paris on 11 - 17 November, 2009. It was a trip focused on Art, with the excellent exhibits of Tiffany at Luxembourg, Louis XIV at Versailles, the Otoman Empire at the Grand Palais, and Titian et al. at Le Louvre.
We chose the Hotel De Sers, the old Residence of the Marquis de Sers because it was the onlt 5 star hotel at a reasonable price and because of its excellent location between the 8me and the 16me, and two doors from the George V. Big mistake. The decoration was rather Kitsch, a mixture of classic with minimalist. The room was tiny, and the shower did not have a curtain or door because, we were told "that's how the design is." Absurd, not recommendable under any point of view, despite whatever any Hotel Guide may say.
The first evening we rushed to Le Relais de L'Entrecote in Saint Germain (20, rue Saint-Benoît), one of our all-time favorites because of its unique environment, always full and noisy, and where all one can choose is the wine, the desert, and the meat's term, (the salad, les frittes, and the meat are obligatory). A great disillusion, because they seem to have changed the formulas! the salad dressing is different, the meat sauce is also different, and the fries were overcooked, causing Illuminata's protestation and thus the appearance of fresher fries. We asked if they have changed ownership, but this was flatly denied. We don't believe them.
Lunch at Devez (5, pl de l'Alma), highly recommendable because of location and views, service, and the quality of the ingredients. Very wortwhile, quite different from a typical tourist bistro.
On Saturday, lunch at La Tour d'Argent (1 Michelin Star). Service, decoration, and food was impeccable. The wine list is the size of a large phone book, we decided for the 2000 Cantemerle 2000, perfect with th Duck. We were approached by the new owner, Andre Terrail, the son of legendary Claude Terrail, who died in 2006. This time we were not able to visit the wine cellar because it is being repaired, but Andre asked us to call him next time so that he can personally show it to us. He gave us his card. The improvement is evident, and it is obvious that they are doing their best to recover their stars (they went from 3 to 2, and now they are at 1).
Dinner at Les Bouquinistes was expensive and unimpressive. It is one more bistro from the Guy Savoy Empire, with refined French food but in an environment that is too aseptic and artificial. Don't go there.
Finally, dinner at Le Cinq (2 Michelin Stars), at the George V Hotel. Everything was spectacular and perfect, with great attention to detail. The decoration is opulent and grandiose, yet not tacky like in the case of Alain Ducasse. The Autumn Prix Fix is a gastronomic trip without comparison, exquisite, with strong flavors, paired with exceptional and perfect wines for each dish. The sommelier was first class. Expensive, but highly recommended.
P.S. Some people believe that we have the best gastronomy in the world: it is true that Lima has become a gastronomic capital, and we can eat almost as good as in Paris (perhaps AS good). Nevertheless, in Lima we don't have restaurants in the true sens of the world: gastronomy is not just food, but the entire experience. We dont have ambiance or decoration. We lack grandiosity. And we lack service, not just referred to attention (which in general is bad), but also referred to all other details: fine crystal, starched table clothes, linen napkins, and decent wine lists...
We chose the Hotel De Sers, the old Residence of the Marquis de Sers because it was the onlt 5 star hotel at a reasonable price and because of its excellent location between the 8me and the 16me, and two doors from the George V. Big mistake. The decoration was rather Kitsch, a mixture of classic with minimalist. The room was tiny, and the shower did not have a curtain or door because, we were told "that's how the design is." Absurd, not recommendable under any point of view, despite whatever any Hotel Guide may say.
The first evening we rushed to Le Relais de L'Entrecote in Saint Germain (20, rue Saint-Benoît), one of our all-time favorites because of its unique environment, always full and noisy, and where all one can choose is the wine, the desert, and the meat's term, (the salad, les frittes, and the meat are obligatory). A great disillusion, because they seem to have changed the formulas! the salad dressing is different, the meat sauce is also different, and the fries were overcooked, causing Illuminata's protestation and thus the appearance of fresher fries. We asked if they have changed ownership, but this was flatly denied. We don't believe them.
Lunch at Devez (5, pl de l'Alma), highly recommendable because of location and views, service, and the quality of the ingredients. Very wortwhile, quite different from a typical tourist bistro.
On Saturday, lunch at La Tour d'Argent (1 Michelin Star). Service, decoration, and food was impeccable. The wine list is the size of a large phone book, we decided for the 2000 Cantemerle 2000, perfect with th Duck. We were approached by the new owner, Andre Terrail, the son of legendary Claude Terrail, who died in 2006. This time we were not able to visit the wine cellar because it is being repaired, but Andre asked us to call him next time so that he can personally show it to us. He gave us his card. The improvement is evident, and it is obvious that they are doing their best to recover their stars (they went from 3 to 2, and now they are at 1).
Dinner at Les Bouquinistes was expensive and unimpressive. It is one more bistro from the Guy Savoy Empire, with refined French food but in an environment that is too aseptic and artificial. Don't go there.
Finally, dinner at Le Cinq (2 Michelin Stars), at the George V Hotel. Everything was spectacular and perfect, with great attention to detail. The decoration is opulent and grandiose, yet not tacky like in the case of Alain Ducasse. The Autumn Prix Fix is a gastronomic trip without comparison, exquisite, with strong flavors, paired with exceptional and perfect wines for each dish. The sommelier was first class. Expensive, but highly recommended.
P.S. Some people believe that we have the best gastronomy in the world: it is true that Lima has become a gastronomic capital, and we can eat almost as good as in Paris (perhaps AS good). Nevertheless, in Lima we don't have restaurants in the true sens of the world: gastronomy is not just food, but the entire experience. We dont have ambiance or decoration. We lack grandiosity. And we lack service, not just referred to attention (which in general is bad), but also referred to all other details: fine crystal, starched table clothes, linen napkins, and decent wine lists...
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