La Bigarrade

Excellent lunch at La Bigarrade, a great 2 michelin star restaurant in the 17th arr of Paris.

bread and olive oil

Deep fried soft-shell crab

mussels and japanese mustard

octopus

clam and bacon oil

quail egg and seaweed

calamari, pressed caviar, peas

mackerel, green tomato, dried tuna and fresh almonds

turbot, coriander flower, peanuts and onion

anchovy crusted lamb

goat cheese 3 ways

melon shaved ice, lemon cream, red fruit, apricot 

ice cream and peach

chocolate cake

macarons

106 Rue Nollet, 75017 Paris. Tel: 01 42 26 01 02

http://www.bigarrade.fr/

Chateaubriand

Yet another great restaurant experience in Paris. This time, the very hyped Chateaubriand. This was our menu de jour:

We got 4 amuse bouche, lots of bread refills and these cheese puffs:

 

Amuse bouche 1: mackerel ceviche. (This was the best amuse bouche)

Amuse bouche 2: barely cooked rouget fish with olive purée

Amuse bouche 3: bacon-infused milk, rhubarb, asparagus

Amuse bouche 4: chicken soup, raspberry

Entrée: Bonito, cucumber and seaweed. This dish was excellent. There were cubes of celery, raw fava beans and lots of fresh greens

Fish: Cod pil-pil, potatoes, herb salad. Fish was barely cooked (just how I like it), but still had a nice crispy skin. The herb salad totally elevated the dish.

Meat: Wagyu beef, eggplant purée, artichoke chips. The very black smoky eggplant purée was the most surprising element of the whole meal. I could eat a bowl of it!

Dessert 1: strawberry, green peas

Dessert 2: Sabayon, cherry, olive and tamarind chips!

 When we left there was a crowd of people waiting and hoping to be seated ...

Frenchie

There are way too many blogs that have been analyzing Frenchie's food in the past 2 years. So, I'm just going to post pictures of our great dinner there on April 26, 2011.

Smoky salted butter

Smoked trout, avocado, pickled cucumber 

Veal sweetbread, wild herb salad, brown butter

confit banka trout in lemon oil, kalamata olive, fennel

Lamb, peas, mint chutney 

Bleu de causses cheese, lemon zest, amarena cherries

Lemon tart, salted butter caramel

This was by far the best restaurant experience of my life! The fact that I will be working at Frenchie as an intern (stage) for 6 months makes me quite content!

La Belle Patate Poutine

Original on the left, smoked meat on the right
1215 Davie St, Vancouver

Harbord House

Mac and cheese - Pulled pork sandwich
150 Harbord St. Toronto
http://www.harbordhouse.ca/

Brunch at Musa

Big brunch including: eggs, sausages, french toast, maple syrup, rosemary and cajun roasted potatoes, goat cheese on an english muffin, fruit and salad
847 Dundas St. West, Toronto

Poutini's House of Poutine

http://www.poutini.com/
1112 Queen Street West, Toronto

Negroni Panini

Pancetta, arugula, oven dried tomato, lemon garlic mayo

Bresaola, pickled eggplant, fontina, arugula pesto
http://www.negronipanini.com/
492 College Street ▪ Toronto - 416 ▪ 413 ▪ 0005

Messis

Goat cheese mushroom strudel with chickpea and bean ratatouille and mixed green
Fusilli with smoked chicken, roasted sweet onions, red peppers and garlic in parsley, chipotle olive oil sauce

97 Harbord St. Toronto
http://www.messis.ca/

Boccone - My favorite lunch spot in Toronto

Grilled chicken, onion and green pepper pita with artichoke/asiago spread
Boccone - 1378 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4T 1Y5 - (416) 960-1500