Refined Palate

We originally planned to have a late lunch/early dinner at Bar Bouchon. But with the cold, overcast weather, we decided to have an earlier lunch and moved upstairs to the main dining room. It was packed, but the service was exemplary. The food was equally superb.

The full main dining room

Another view of the dining room

Claude, our server

Champagne from their list

Misty Point Oysters from Virginia, Kumamoto Oysters from Humboldt and Bagaduce Oysters from Maine – perfect

BYO Red Wine

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Chives and then the piece de resistance:

Chef Rory Hermann arrived bearing a beautiful winter black truffle from Perigord that he shaved tableside

The finished dish with a lovely flaky croissant on the side – A+

My husband’s comment; “Not only do pigs find the trufffles, but pigs like us love to eat them!”

Escargots de Bourgogne – marinated snails in garlic-parsley butter and puff pastry –  the puff pastry is placed on top with the snail underneath

The best way to eat this is to remove the snail and pastry from the snail dish,  turn it over and have the puff pastry on the bottom. That way you really taste the snail, the puff pastry absorbs just the right amount of garlic butter plus you have extra garlic butter to soak up with the baguette bread.

Steak tartar made traditionally with capers and cornichons topped with a raw quail egg and espelette aioli garnished with nicoise olives on the side – an excellent version of steak tartare

The tartare mixed up

Steak frites – pan-seared prime flatiron, caramelized shallots, maître d’hôtel butter & French fries – the steak was cooked to our liking – rare – the maître d’hôtel butter oozed on top and the fries were crispy with not one hint of grease.

A lovely lunch with great food, wonderful wine and delicious food. What more could one ask for?