5 /5
Note moyenne
★
★
★
★
★
This was an incredible experience--a fabulous dinner served by a legion of eager young men and women who at present are training as servers, maitre d's, sommeliers and chefs but who will eventually be serving and cooking in top restaurants around the world. At first it is overwhelming to be met at the door by four or five smartly uniformed greeters, all eager to take your coat and take you to your table. But they are there to answer your every question and if encouraged, will divulge their story and ambitions. All this in a beautifully appointed formal dining-room with three mouth-watering fixed menus for a very reasonable price. The plate of amuse-bouches included an oval of smoked salmon pate, a biscuit and a shot glass of butternut soup. One entre was a plate of foie gras with toasts and salad and the other, a pear and Reblochon cheese tart with a frisee salad. My husband then had a filet de veal with a brown mustard sauce, a gratin de Forizy and a tart of artichokes and hazelnuts. My main was a breast of pintade (chicken) with a port sauce and baby vegetables. Of course with such a formal presentation, comes two more courses, the chariot of cheeses (with the students trying hard to remember them all) and the most amazing chariot of desserts numbering at least fifteen, from which you can choose as many as you like. All were absolutely delicious examples of the most famous French desserts from Ile flottant, creme brulee, tarte tatin, gateau Napoleon, gateau chocolat, l'Opera, fresh fruit sorbets etc. etc. We were giddy with choice and the smiles on our faces remained, especially when we were served as our last course, a plate of 'petites douceurs': a hand-made mini marshmallow, tiny tarts of raspberry and other fresh fruit, a praline and a jelly. What a grand evening--we were given the royal treatment and made to feel like a king and a queen.