Manresa
Petit Fours: "Red Pepper - Black Olive"
Not a big fan of jellies and gelatin, but it was definitely an varied textured bite which was fun.
Granola Crisp
As it's called, nice and crisp with different seeds and nuts. I liked the thinness of the bite.
Steamed Bun: Corn and Smoked Egg
I love me some corn, so this was a nice taste, again with a nice balance of textures from the soft egg inside with the bun and the juicy fresh corn on top.
Caviar Beignet
Nice, not overly salty and oniony bite.
Summer Clam and Cornihon, Tomato Jelly
I found the clear gelatin on the top slightly salty, but I find most everything salty. Each ingredient here had their own distinguished taste.
Mocktail.
I forget what this was made of, but it was a bit too tangy for me.
"Into the Garden, Green and Bitter..."
A small and crisp salad which just whetted the vegetable appetite. How can one go wrong with fried greens :)
Courgette 'Stir Fry' Squid with Basil
I really liked the squid here, and as this was a stir fry, it was a comforting mix of greens on the bottom which I thoroughly enjoyed,
Same replaced with rice cakes and garlic instead of squid ink
The rice cakes looked almost identical to the squid...
Abalone, Tapioca with Radish and Parmeasan
I found the Abalone to be slightly too salty on it's crust, but I liked the crisp topping as well as the tapioca on the bottom, which mellowed out the salt.
Striped Bass in Barigoule and Saffron
This was the star of the night in my opinion. Wonderfully soft fish, good sauce, with some sweetness from the strawberry, and the fried strip of root vegetable. Get a bit of everything in one bite and you can't ask for more.
Strawberry Gazpacho
I don't really like cold soups, and this was a bit sweet and savory, which sometimes is a hit-or-miss for me, but strawberries I believe were in season so they took a prominent position in that night's menu.
Poularde, Stuffed Morels, Anchovy
Chicken had a wonderful skin and was cooked well. The morels were great, especially with the little bit of foie gras in it, which I normally don't like because it's too rich for me. The leek could've had more flavor, but it was a good silky texture.
Spring Lamb, Nectarine, Espelette
Every part of the lamb on the plate tasted great, which was just enough for a sampling of everything. Nectarine was a nice intermediate palate cleanser between sites. The eggplant with the rice crisps, however, had too much Korean like sweet sauce, although I liked the texture of it, especially with the rice crisps on top.
Strawberries, Green Tea Meringue, Lime
Onto desserts! Like I said, strawberries came into play again. I wasn't quite a fan of the green tea tops, but it was an overall, very light dessert.
Chocolate cheesecake
This little slice of chocolate cheesecake was delicious. I wish we had more, but it was in celebration of an anniversary, so it was one slice for all. Incredibly rich though, but worth it.
Chocolate with Summer Herbs
I wished this dish was slightly more chocolately with less herbs, but this was also a light dessert which I appreciated. Regardless of taste, presentation came through.
Pickled Apricot, Ricotta Custard, Noyaux
Sort of like a cheesecake within the gelled caramel like round, but the textures were interesting. I REALLY like the actual blue/gold plate itself. Couldn't stop touching it...
Macarons: Neapolitan, Chocolate, Earl Grey Tea
I'm not a big fan of macarons, so I won't say much, but I appreciate the variety in flavors.
Truffle and Chocolate
Nice chocolate bites at the end of the meal. Not sweet at all, which is great for those who aren't big fans of sugary sweets. Definitely get the cocoa flavor instead.
Parallel Petit Fours: "Strawberry-Chocolate"
And to round it out, the same configuration as the opening treat, but sweet!
Gift: Strawberry Granola
Like Eleven Madison Park, we got some granola to take home :) There was also caramels at the door, but I forgot to eat mine :(
Overall, a very balanced meal with good service that I would definitely come back to, as it fits my comfort level and palate. Not too avant grade but everything was done well, and that's what I like best.
