I have been wanting to dine at Le GAVROCHE (www.le-gavroche.com) in London's Mayfair for years and finally made it to this two Michelin star gastronomic destination where Chef Michel Roux Jr has been in charge since 1990, when he took over from his father who opened the place in 1967 (in another location). There is history here in this elegant townhouse where the dining room is cozy and comfortable and downstairs. While I was close enough to chat with a young couple from the Hampshire coast next to me (Stefi & Chris), the place is not crowded at all and the noise levels are subdued.
These days the Michelin folks are pretty stingy with their stars in the British isles (most seem to be going to Spain) and indeed, I have always disagreed with the only 3-star award in London proper going to the truly obnoxious TV star Gordon Ramsey. I love the novel and chemical designs of many of the up and coming chefs, but Chef Roux is about as traditional as it gets with regard to French cooking, as you shall see.
I chose the "Menu Exceptionnel" which is a 95 pound (without the mandatory 12.5% service fee) for the multi-course tasting without wines (or just over $175) which is low for Michelin stars these days. I opted out of the wines (55 pounds for 8 small glasses) and ordered a bottle of JEAN NOEL GAGNARD 2000 "Clos de la Maltroye" CHASSAGNE MONTRACHET 1er Cru which was a divine French chardonnay with minimal oak, but tons of flavor, and a great pairing with the many fish dishes that began the menu. Sadly, huge (really really huge) bouquets of giant stinky lilies were all over the place (Chris next to me hit his head on the every time he got up!) and these interfered with my being able to really small the wine! I mentioned this to the sous-sommelier and he kind of shrugged.
The bread was uneventful, though I loved the choice of salted or unsalted top quality butter and the French sea salt. The adorable silver has the little handles formed of the little gavroche, the street urchin we have come to know so well from Les Miserables. This with crisp linens, crystal and china make for an elegant setting, if a bit old fashioned. I asked for sparkling water and thought it was odd they offered up San Pellegrino, especially in a French restaurant and in the UK where both countries offer better and softer options. I mentioned this and the sous-sommelier immediately offered up an improved choice of BADOIT (which you know is my favorite). The amuses were a BLUE CHEESE MOUSSE on Crouton and a divine SOFT POACHED QUAIL EGG on CELERIAC REMOULADE in Tartlet.
The tasting menu began with SAUMON Mi-Cuit au Paprika, Point d'Asperges et Vinaigrette de Truffes. The just seared salmon was superb and the vinaigrette loaded with chopped fresh black truffles and a slice of one large one as well. A piece of crunchy salmon skin stood up vertical making for a very nice presentation.
SOUFFLE SUISSESSE was an egg-based souffle as light as air but as rich as hell as it was cooked twice and covered with melted cheese and sat on a bed of DOUBLE CREAM (cream in the UK--and anywhere in the world--just does not get thicker than this!).
The COQUILLES St. JACQUES "a la Coque" Parfumee au GINGEMBRE come traditionally cooked in the shell and opened tableside. These are really just large cooking shells as they have been removed and cleaned. It would have been divine if these fresh local scallops had their coral, which is so rare today. The ginger sauce was light and not too intense and a julienne of leeks added even more flavor.
FILET de BAR POELE, Coulis de Poivrons Rotis, Polenta, Croutons a la Tapenade et Rouille was an excellent small block of seared sea bass on polenta with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis. The flavors got every excited with the large narrow crouton which was half coated with olive tapenade (black) and half with the garlic rouille (off-white).
While everything was delicious so far, few of the dishes jumped out at me and screamed Michelin stars until the ESCALOPE de FOIE GRAS Chaud et PASTILLA a la CANNELLE arrived. This was a superbly cooked (and quite large piece) of Duck Foie Gras served with the most magnificent Pastilla I have ever had anywhere. Pastilla is the Moroccan pie-like dish usually made with pigeon (or chicken) and here was a slice made with duck confit, flavored with cinnamon and all tucked into a delicate phyllo pastry slice with a dash of powdered sugar (as is traditional). The menu called this in English "Crispy Duck Pancake" which is way off, but no matter as it was the highlight of the meal.
The meat course was a simple single CARRE d'AGNEAU ROTI, Beignets de FLEUR de COURGETTE, Jus a l'Estragon and while simple was a perfectly cooked Roasted Rack of Lamb with Tarragon Jus and those divine and so short seasoned Zucchini Flowers here battered and deep fried to perfection. I had a glass of the BARBARESCO "Loreto" 2003 Cantine SCRIMAGLIO which was the red wine paired with this from the tasting, and while it was nice and worked well, it was nowhere as impressive as my Montrachet.
The French and British Farmhouse cheese trolley is one of the largest I have ever seen. It is hard to choose when thirty or more cheeses are rolled out, so I consulted for a long time with my server, the very handsome Italian Fausto, who spoke Italian, French and English with me. He was actually under the table captain, who did not do much, and seemed to be taking charge of most things all around in many languages with great flair. We ended up choosing a British goat BOSWORTH ASH that was creamy and slightly aged but not to excess, the kind of goat with a darker center with flavor rather than all creamy white and boring.
CAMEMBERT CALVADOS was a just runny and ripe camembert with a hint of the apple brandy and a kind of breadcrumb like crust (which I think was where the brandy was infused) that was an exciting new cheese for me, and one I doubt we shall ever see in the US.
CHAMBERTIN was another intense, but not overpowering French that will easily be added to my list of all time favorites.
I tasted the croutons here which were nice, but the 10 pieces that came along with celery, quince paste and a very peppery plum compote just seemed so much for one person!
The final cheese was my always all time favorite and reminded me of my trips to the south of France and cheesemaker Renee Richards at Les Halles (in Lyon) where she served all the great chefs of the region. ST MARCELLIN is inedible in the US due to pasteurization. Last night it was soft, rich, creamy runny and loaded with flavor....another highlight (as was the entire course) of the meal.
Dessert was SABLE BRETON aux FRAISES, Glace a la BANANE et RHUM BRUN which was really just a shortbread cookie with strawberry and a yummy Banana/Rum Ice Cream (really more of a gelato).
The Petit Fours was a huge tray of Tuilles (2 types), meringues and two candied L'amour en cages, those yummy fruits we see so rarely in the USA, but are always prevalent in Europe.
My coffee came with a fancy container of Caramelized Pecans and Nougat of which I had one small piece each and rolled back to my hotel a couple of blocks away, knowing that traditional French cuisine is still safe at LE GAVROCHE.
