Sunday September 25, 2011
Malibu, CA
Foggy and Cool
It was actually very cool this AM that I had to put a sweater on when walking Yuki-chan. I guess fall has arrived in LA. Quite a change in temperature from Paris!
Since it was Linda's first time in Paris, I made reservations at La Tour D'Argent, arguably Paris' oldest restaurant. Supposedly, it's about 400 years old and King Henry IV had dined there. It is known for duck. Something I cannot eat after seeing the French movie "Winged Migration". They have their own duck farm and each duck is numbered. The ducks they raise are supposed to be the best type of duck for eating and are called Challandais ducks. Although La Tour d'Argent lost its 3 Michelin star rating (today it only has one star), it is still a very popular restaurant for tourists and Parisians alike. As my plan was to treat Linda to a fancy French meal for her birthday, chose Tour D'Argent for not only their cuisine but also the view. The restaurant overlooks the Notre Dame and although the night view is spectacular, I could only afford the lunch prices so the day view had to suffice.
It was my first time to eat at La Tour D'Argent in Paris but I've been to the one in Tokyo. I was treated to dinner there from a client and I loved it! So was very curious to see how it compared. Another reason why I was looking forward to it is because they are known for their wine cellar. Supposedly, it's the largest in Paris. And when the waiter came with the wine book that was about 10 inches thick, I guess it's true! And legend has it that they hid most of the special wines behind the walls during the German Occupation of WWII. I had a fabulous Grand Cru St Estephe that came in a 1/2 bottle that I thoroughly enjoyed. Even Linda who doesn't drink tried some.
So lunch is a "bargain" at these fancy restaurants. There is a prix fixe lunch menu for 65Euros. And is it VERY filling. Their most famous dish is the "pressed" duck, which thankfully was not available for lunch. I don't think I could have eaten my food given I was under the weather if Linda ordered it. It's basically roasted duck with blood sauce. Yuk and Violent! They even have a special silver "presser" that squeezes the blood out of the duck(it's dead though). Anyhow, for the 65 euros, one gets an entree, main dish and dessert. And of course, and amuse bouche, chocolates, cookies and caramel as a "bonus". We both started with the pike quennelles which is a Tour D'argent specialty. I had the roasted cod and Linda had the roasted duck in fig sauce as a main dish. For dessert, we both chose the chocolate and fig tart. We started the whole experience with champagne for me and a fresh peach juice for Linda. We were then served an amuse bouche of a potato puree like thing. And then the gastronomic show began. Linda has already had 2 duck dinners in Amsterdam. But she said the duck at La Tour D'Argent was the best. And she got a postcard with the number of the duck she ate. Poor ducky!
Anyhow, I loved the pike quenelles, although it was filling. Really, it could have been a main dish. I was happy to have the cod in a tomato and kalamata olive sauce as it was light and perfect after the heavy quenelles. And we loved our dessert! So beautiful and rich. The service was impeccable and so was the view. And I also liked it as they don't rush you. We rolled out of there with very full tummy's and then went across the street the souvinir shop to do some shopping. And I got some Xmas presents which I cannot share until after Xmas as it needs to be a surprise for the two readers of my blog. Linda saw how much I liked what I bought, that she bought one for me as my birthday present.
On our first day in Paris, we visited Notre Dame so Linda got to see the incredibly beautiful gothic architecture and stained glass. But the restaurant's view of Notre Dame is spectacular.. even in the daytime. It definitely was a Parisian experience that cannot be had elsewhere. I must say I enjoyed the meal in Paris than in Tokyo because of the whole ambiance and history of the place.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame Stained Glass
Alot of tourists forget it's a place for worship.
Our wine and murano duck at La Tour D'Argent. There were duck motifs everywhere!
The Amuse Bouche
Pike Quennelles
Linda's Roasted Duck
My Roasted Cod
"Bonus" desserts
The dessert we ordered
And chocolates with our coffee and tea. I LUV the sugar bowl
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