Anne-Sophie Pic

September 24 2011

The humble and honest Anne-Sophie Pic came back to the family restaurant in 1992. Slowly, she pulled up the restaurant to the peak (pun intended) of its former glory. In 2007, she won back the 3 Michelin stars of her grand-father André Pic and her father Jacques Pic. The Maison Pic was indeed one of those monuments of the 1930's to 1960's like other world-famous restaurants like Fernand Point's Pyramide, l'Auberge du Père Bise, Alexandre Dumaine or la Mère Brazier.

One thing that stroke me when I entered the dining room was the shift between the discreet personality of the Chef Anne-Sophie and the general appearace of the interior which glitters with gleaming Baccarat candlesticks, shiny silverware and some opulent hanging cloth.

I regret this debauchery of lavishness which in my opinion doesn't get along the style of Anne-Sophie's cuisine and the history of the restaurant. This is probably the downside of obtaining the well deserved 3-Michelin stars. It seems it forces chefs to comply to some unspoken rules and makes them invest in some unnecessary and sometimes kitsch setting.

On the food front, Anne-Sophie Pic's dishes are delicate and well balanced. It is made out of simple and well sourced products. There's a lot of thinking in the design of the dishes. I remember of this choice to use a white balsamic vinegar so as to maintain the harmony of colors in the orange and carrot dish.

Carrot and Orange flower
Thin and fluffy carrot jelly, whipped orange-flower-scented yogurt  and Voatsiperifery

Plural Beetroot
Smooth and creamy textures with Blue Mountain coffee, Barberry

Coastal Dublin Bay Prawns
Rhubarb, green celery broth, lightly flavored with Tasmanian pepper

Small-scale fishing John Dory
Light steam, amber tomato consommé, grand cru Bora-Bora Tahiti vanilla and Martinique Rum 

Farm Pigeon
Poached in a lightly smoked broth, radish, turnips and sweet onions buttered with green anise. 

Revisited Brie de Meaux

Fig and Green Tea Matcha

Maison Pic
285 Avenue Victor Hugo

26000 Valence - Drôme

France
Phone: +33 4 75 44 15 32 

contact@pic-valence.com

Yoann Conte - Veyrier du Lac

November 11th 2012

I have to admit that I was a little little bit skeptical when I entered the place. On every signs in and around the restaurant Yoann Conte proudly boasts his lineage to the famous and sometimes controversial Marc Veyrat. I never had the chance to taste the black-hatted Chef's cuisine before he retired and for some reason I never really felt tempted. After that meal, I have realized that the great Chef from Savoie might well have had some of the genius that so many other chefs were denying him. 

Back onto Yoann Conte's cuisine, it was tasty, fun and deeply rooted within the region, with mostly locally-sourced products (apart from some that he brought along from is native Brittany). The use of mountain herbs brings a unusual twist to his preparations.

Among the unforgettable dishes, we can outline the "walk in the wood" which is a bunch of flavors and perfumes from the forest with this extraordinary moss made out of leavened herb-pancake dough.

Also the wonderful hay sherbert (not pictured here) is really just what it says i.e. a sherbet made with hay from the barn. Surprisingly enjoyable!

Many recipes belong to Marc Veyrat but who cares? It was joyful and Yoann Conte's enthusiasm is rejuvenating. I am so glad he got his second Michelin star since then. It is well deserved.

The Annecy Lake as viewed from the terrace.

"A walk in the wood"

Carrots in every way
Mash, vegetable ravioli, pine-honey confit

Dublin bay prawn
Sweet-spice-glazed, curry herbs and oregano 

Savoy Trout
Cress broth

John Dory, "Hell's fire"
Piemontese risotto

63°C egg
Arachnid Polenta and carvi jus 

Pork in every way
Iberico rib-eye, Pata Negra pluma, cabbage sausage,
 cooked in a  pot sealed with hay.

Veal sweetbread
Pumpkin and liquorice stick

Yoann Conte

13 Vieille route des pensières

74290 Veyrier du Lac

+33 4 50 09 97 49

contact@yoann-conte.com

Jean-Pierre Lopez - La Poissonnerie du Dôme

June 29th 2013

A remarkable fishmonger in Paris is la Poissonnerie du Dôme. Once you've tried it, it gets difficult to go elsewhere. The products are carefully selected for you and the preparation by the staff is exceptional.

Cooking those exceptional products is a bit scary at first but then when you don't screw up too much the result is quite rewarding.

Fish Tartare (Sea-bass, Salmon and Turbot)

Brittany lobster claw, mayonnaise, Salmon roe.

Surf and Turf Lobster
Brittany Lobster, Thick crispy and tender bacon, young turnips, veal jus.

LA POISSONNERIE DU DOME

4 rue Delambre

75014 PARIS
Phone: +33 1 43 35 23 95
www.poissonneriedudome.fr

Takayuki Honjo - Restaurant Es

April 26, 2013

The restaurant Es is named after the Freudian 'Es' (or for 'Es schmeckt gut? Ja!). No need for a freudian therapy to enjoy a meal there. Takayuki Honjo is delivering a flawless cuisine. His résumé is impressive for such a young chef (he is in his early thirties). It includes no less than l'Astrance, Noma and Mugaritz!

The firing is mastered. It reaches perfection for vegetables (al dente), fish (mother-of-pearl flesh) and meat (medium rare and tender). The flavors combine nicely together and there's a successful effort to keep only essential elements in the dish.

It was a great dinner.

If I were to leave one humble critical comment, it would be that I wished to see more of Takayuki's 'ego' in his cuisine as some of those dishes seemed to have got out straight from Pascal Barbot's kitchen.

Sheep curd, urchin sauce

Roasted cauliflower, brioche sauce

Turbot, shrimp jus, braised chicory

Roasted pigeon, asparagus

Rhubarb jelly, wild strawberries, pepper ice cream

Apple, caramel

Restaurant Es

91 rue de Grenelle
75007 Paris
+33 1 45 51 25 74

My visit in the Black Forest

June 23rd 2013

Sunday afternoon, a few cherries left, a chocolate tablet and a siphon...


A few more ingredients are required. Also notice the folded baking paper which will be used to shape the mousse.

Let's first quickly make some nougatine for the crispiness.

A bit of sugar in a pan.

Add a bit of butter and a pinch salt

Let it get some color.

Pour the caramel on almonds and shape it the way you like (or the way you can I should say) while it is still warm.

Tadaa! Nougatine in 4 minutes.

Now the mousse. Let the chocolate melt.

Let's make a ganache with panache!

Add sour cream, rum (actually it should be kirsch). Keep a low fire, chocolate should not boil or burn.

When smooth, pour in the siphon with 2 gas cartridges. 

Release the mousse in the baking paper mold, insert cherries inside. And refrigerate as quickly as possible so that the mousse stays solid.

In the meanwhile, we will have made some chocolate shavings, dipped a few cherries in the ganache, toasted some biscuit crumbles. After an hour or so, the mousse is solid enough and all elements can be put together.

A very personal view of a Black Forest dessert