Rech

Yesterday I was MIA for a very good reason. Dejeuner at Restaurant RECH requires all of ones attention. Nothing is to be missed.

Photo by Veronique Marot

Veronique joined me yesterday as guests to taste Alain Ducasse's famous 'lobster roll'. Lobster being my birthday dinner since childhood and favorite food, I was very intrigued of course.

62 Avenue des Ternes  75017

The bistro dates back to the 20s and many art deco details are in place to make for an altogether charming, warm experience.

Beautiful soft light upstairs...

Our amuse-bouche of avocado and espelette pepper

The perfect accompanying wines - a Meursault and a Santa Barbara Chardonnay plus a coupe de Champagne to start with. Oh la la

My starter was a delicate carpaccio de merlu cru

Veronique had the Springy soup of pea shoots, mango and mackerel. In fact everything was delicate and tres leger/very light.

And at last the Lobster Roll! Luscious Bretagne homard bleu with a stack of 'fries'/mango and a slice of Romaine drizzled with moutarde de Meux. Plus the perfect accompanying  coleslaw only the French could dream up to add a contrasting bite of crunch. Nothing like the Maine/Luke's lobster rolls we know so well but who cares. This is heaven on earth.

A moment of contemplation before dessert - a perfectly ripe Normandie Camembert (from fromagier Maria-Anne Cantin near the Eiffel tower) served 'entame' - with a slice cut out so you can see the inner ripeness. Words fail me.

But wait, dessert! By the way service could not have been more perfect. Everything was explained in detail and we were aided in our choices. For dessert they read our minds and chose roasted apricots, in season right now in the marches, with pistachio cake and coconut ice cream.

I had the house specialty, Mister Rech - a sort of layered affair of two meringues sandwiching hazelnut ice cream with Ducasses' famous 70% dark chocolate poured on top. The aromas...

A tea, chocolates and minardises

We floated out of there through the open cuisine...

And met the very talented chef Adrien Trouilloud

How funny, I sat next the maître chef Jacques Maximin of Rech ages ago at Paul Bocuse's MOF luncheon in Lyon. Little did I know...

Oh I mustn't forget the 'cerise sur la gateau'/'the cherry on top" as the French say. The final taste of this perfect lunch - a guimauve/marshmallow of green tea and Granny Smith apple.

Rech is a not-to-be missed experience especially if you love lobster. But do get there by 27 July while the season lasts. And I must run catch the train to London for a bloggers Conference.