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| American
Dream Cuisine™ |
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| The
Lacroix |
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| at the
Rittenhouse, Philadelphia - USA |
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Society -
Extraordinary
September - 2004 |
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6 Stars
& 5 Stripes
Cuisine & Service |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes™ |
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| We walked on stone pathways, through candle lit
hallways and arched doorways and entered a majestic 10-foot art altar. It blew
my mind, a new dimension in the way I thought about cuisine. The master is food
royalty. |
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Connie Cnockaert the assistant
restaurant manager, charming if I may say so, welcomed us and lead us to a
pretty table at the windows overlooking the Rittenhouse Square. All my culinary
taste buds were on high alert in the 110-seat dining room. Executive chef
Jean-Marie Lacroix, a leader of the Philadelphia culinary scene for two
decades, was expecting us. |
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He is a member of the prestigious Maitres Cuisiniers
de France and was the first Philadelphia chef to win the Robert Mondavi Award
for Culinary Excellence in 1998.
Lacroix refined contemporary
Franco-American cuisine by refusing anything else then the freshest regional
and seasonal ingredients, prepared in his one-in-a -million style. The new
state-of-the-art bakery is where Executive Pastry Chef Fredric Ortega creates
Chocolate Lacroix - available exclusively through The Rittenhouse - by
combining the finest imported ingredients using classic French confectionery
methods. |
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The gifted Lacroix worships
food by using the freshest local ingredients from the rich fields and eastern
seaboard. His style of creating cuisine is unparalleled in Philadelphia. The
Rittenhouse displays a fabulous view of Rittenhouse Square from every table;
the basic attire is casual elegance. Simone looked radiant. The Chef has priced
the menu invitingly, with a prix-fix four course meal for $65.
Here
with Chef de Cuisine Matthew Ridgway |
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Simone &
Matthew & Thortsten |
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The wine cellar includes supposedly more then 4000
bottles, and the wine list features about five hundred labels. Half of
Lacroix's wine list is French, of which three quarters is Burgundy; confidently
emphasizing smaller vine yards, with about 2 dozen different champagne labels,
a nice number of sparkling wines, and dessert wines, an eclectic display.
Alexander Tran & Shaun Moore were our servers for another unforgettable
dining experience. Fresh baked, warm breads and rolls with a very nice dark
crust where on the table in no time. |
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Amuse:
- Cherrystone Clam: Summer
Truffle and Champagne Mignonette, dill.
Nicely presented on a
salt-bed.
Tender morsels of chopped clams laced with the pungent aroma
of truffles and topped with fresh dill, subtly inspiring.
- Gosset, Brut Excellence,
Aÿ, Champagne, NV
an elegant, dry, delicate effervescence, a
suitable complement
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Appetizer:
- Smoked Uni Soup
considered an aphrodisiac by many, balanced by a modicum of
Marinated
Spicy Tuna and Lime, Cucumber, Osetra Caviar,(a favorite of James Bond) - with
a warm uzura tomago (quail egg) ~ Served chilled - what a delightfully
refreshing, precursor to the dinner
- Riverside Chardonnay, By
Foppiano, Sonoma Russian
River, California 2002
a young, fresh, lightly oaked compliment with
wispy straw color
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| Jeff Stanfield served us, a very pleasant and
knowledgeable gentleman with a lot of background information about history,
food and wine. Our complements. At first we were surprised by the home made
bread in three variations: flavored sweet bread (coriander & Zimt), white
bread, and crusty salt bread. |
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Main Course I:
- Durade Royal and Hudson
Valley Foie Gras Terrine. Eggplant and Onion Chutney, Petit Herb Salad
- Gewurztraminer, Droppf et
Irion, Alsace, 2001
full-bodied and well-structured, intense bouquet
displays rich aromas of fruit, flowers and spices
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Main Course II:
- Oil and Sicilian Ovive Poached
Hailbut, Toasted Cumin and Fennel Nage
- Chardonny, Rémy Pannier,
Loir Valley, 2001 ~ pineapple, citrus and flowers ~
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Main Course
III:
- Fresh Mediterranean
Anchovy Sautéed with House Cut Pasta
Periwinkle, Bacon and Bell
Pepper Ragoût with Cos Lettuce
strengthened with the rich and
smoky ragout
- Pinot Noir, Firesteed,
Oregon, 2001
medium body, orange red in color with blackberry and plum
flavors and aromas
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Intermezzo I:
- Campari and Grapefruit
Sorbet
a wonderfully astringent palate refresher
During the intermezzo we
were asked to follow MaÎtre d´ Bobby Boribong into the ultra
brand-new kitchen with a professional chefs table. What an honor witnessing the
chef creating his unbelievable creations live. |
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Main Course IV:
- Sous Vide of Rabbit Tenderloin
and Anise Hyssop /*/*/*/*/*/*/
Eggplant Mousseline, Potato Pancakes and
Scallions
A Masterpiece, the aromatic, though slightly bitter Hyssop
adds intrigue
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- Riesling, Graff, Kabinett
Halbtrocken, Germany 2001
This most delicate and elegant of Germany's
Rieslings, offers flavors of apricot, peach and citrus. Victory of taste, this
creation - combined with the Graff Riesling, no question
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Main Course
V:
- Crisped Veal
Sweetbreads
Eight-ball Zucchini, Chanterelles, Toasted Walnuts and Maple
Syrup
Applause
- Juliénas, Bernard
Santé, 1998
Juliénas wines have been made since the Roman
times and have good structure and a deep ruby-red color, with intense
berry-fruit flavors (blackcurrants, raspberries), and aromas of peach,
red-berry fruit, peony, violet and cinnamon.
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Main Course VI:
- Roasted Virginia Squab
Breast
Blck Mission Figs in Maderia, Savory Steel Cut Oats
Thorsten's second choice, squab to perfection
- Château Pont de la
Tonnelle, Côtes de Bourg, 1999
The color olor is deep dark garnet
with a spicy nose and liquorice scents. Supple, elegant and mellow tannins
coming from French oak barrels. Very well balanced and generous. Prolonged
taste. Grapes: 70% Merlot, 15% Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc.
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Intermezzo II:
- Cheese Selection From Around the
World
Selected by their "Maître Fromager", Jack Morgan
What an impressive selection of
finest cheese from around the globe, we insist you try this exquisite
experience as our American Dream Tip; we leave the details to be
discovered. |
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Dessert I:
- Honeycot Apricot Tart
with Blackberry Sorbet,
Honeycot Apricot Tower and
Caramelized Puff
Pastry
Lacroix ~ De Kooning ~ Outmost
- Monbazillac, Domaine de la
Malette, 1999
This is an extremely elegant wine with dominant overtones
of honey, acacia and peaches and hints of citrus fruits and crystallized
'Mirabelle' plums
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Dessert II:
- Strawberry Consommé with
Chocolate Pithiviers and Champagne Sorbet
~ A must for lovers! ~
- Marquis de Perlade, Pierre
Sparr, A lsace, NV
Methode traditionnelle using Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay
and Pinot Blanc; ideal for aperitif or as a cocktail wine, no question -
Perfect match
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| Nuts about chocolate? So are
we! The latest Rittenhouse addition features a brand new confiserie and
patisserie which are part of its several million dollar addition. We tried
chocolate petite fours to die for and, of course, Simone had to take one of
those creatively wrapped chocolate boxes home. Just to get you inspired, too:
Think Roasted Hazelnut, Pistachio, Dark Rum, Honey Almond, Tahitian Vanilla or
Orange Cinnamon; with a nice double espresso! |
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by
Thorsten Piosczyk & Simone Buehrmann
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2004 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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