Now for something mouthwatering. I and my friends, ChiC, Kate and Matt participated in Je Suis Gourmand's Gourmand Night last April 23, and had a wonderful time. Since ChiC knows a great deal more about food and wine than I do, and because she has a great palate, I let her write the review. Here it is.
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I’ve said it a million times before: If I had P5,000 to blow on anything I wanted, I would readily spend it on a nice dinner instead of shoes or clothes. When I received the text message from Chef Marc Aubry of famed Fort Bonifacio bistro Je Suis Gourmand, inviting me and his other regular patrons to another Gourmand Night, I was really excited to see what the theme was going to be. I believe the last one had a vegetarian theme, which would have been great if I were Gwyneth Paltrow, but being a hardcore carnivore, I had to pass on that one. So when I scrolled down on his message and saw that it was going to feature the cuisine and wines from the Rhone region of France, my heart went a-flutter and I was already mentally putting aside the P3250+ I had to pay for the menu with wine pairing (Food Only cost P1,750+).
So I gathered my favorite “food posse” and reserved a table for us. We were given a cozy table at the back near the bar, my first time to be seated there. It would actually be a nice spot for an intimate dinner party, I figured, with the bar and comfortable couch seating.
Looking at the menu as we waited for our dishes to arrive, I tried to get an inkling as to what exemplified Rhone cuisine.
The Rhone Valley is known to supply the rest of Central France with numerous varieties of fruits and vegetables, so I noticed that the menu of that evening reflected that nature of the region. Unlike its neighbor Burgundy which is famous for its traditionally French, cholesterol-laden style of cooking (think Coq au Vin, Beouf Borgogne, Escargots swimming in parsley butter), Rhone cuisine seems to take a lighter, more rustic approach. As for the wines, the northern and southern parts of the Rhone have different environmental characteristics that make certain grape varieties thrive in these areas. The cool and dry climate in the north makes it an ideal place to grow aromatic whites such as Marsanne, Rousanne and Viognier, as well as some very powerful and tannic Syrahs. While at the Cotes du Rhone, where the Rhone Valley opens up into Southern France, the hot and dry climate provides a good environment to grow Grenache and Mourvedre. Cotes du Rhone is second only to Bordeaux in the size of its appellation and has been steadily producing very drinkable, mid-range wines.
We were all eagerly anticipating the first course, Fried Frog Legs with Salad and Garlic Cream, as this would be our first time to try this particular delicacy. The frog legs were breaded and deep-fried to a golden brown, giving it the moist texture of a chicken wing. The garlic cream was a very tasty and well-balanced sauce, something that the entire table enjoyed very much. To balance the richness of the dish, the salad was kept simple: mesclun greens with a balsamic vinaigrette. One of our friends who could not eat frog legs was given a serving of our favorite JSG starter, Foie Gras Terrine with melba toast and salad greens. It was, as usual, rich and delicious.
The first course was paired with a white Domaine des Entrefaux 2005 from Crozes Hermitage. Its acidic, pear characteristics and medium-bodied finish cut through the creamy, flavorful sauce and was a good accompaniment to the dish.
The second course was a Steamed Rainbow Trout Fillet with Vegetable and White Wine Matelote Sauce, accompanied by the same wine. This garnered mixed reviews from the table- I thought that the steamed preparation was able to enhance and retain the flavor of the trout, while making the sauce rustic and simple to keep the dish delicate. Some thought that the simplistic approach of the dish was just not for them and claimed that if it was on the regular menu, they would not order it again. The wine again was a good match with its crisp, minerally finish.
Our soup course was a Mushroom and Bone Marrow Pot-au-Feu, accompanied by Gigondas Domaine La Roubine 2004. We were all expecting a more generous serving of bone marrow, considering that some of us got just a tiny smattering. The broth though was very flavorful, reminiscent of bulalo. In my opinion, the wine, with its leathery and woodsy nose and tannic finish, might have been too full-bodied for this soup. I still enjoyed drinking it though, but maybe next time, I would pair it with a beef stew.
The palate cleanser: Red Wine and Red Currant Sherbet. Everyone in our table enjoyed this. It was tart, fruity and refreshing, the flavors were perfectly balanced and complimentary. This primed us for the fifth course, Roasted Venison Rack with Galette Lyonaise and Roasted Onion Sauce, paired with a Syrah from St. Joseph/ Domain Cheze, Cuvee Ro Ree 2005.
The venison was perfectly medium, as Chef Marc preferred, since it had to be cooked longer to achieve a palatable tenderness. The meat was very lean and quite moist, the sauce was robust and aromatic. The potato and the pickled beet salad rounded up the dish in keeping with the rustic theme. The syrah was an obvious match for this dish with its rosey, minerally nose and medium-bodied, peppery finish.
Being a cheese lover, I was looking forward to the cheese course, which was a Bleu de Bresse Cheese and Salad, served with the same wine as the previous course. Although we were puzzled to see another salad near the end of our meal, I read somewhere that it is common to serve the cheese course accompanied by a salad.
I loved the pungent and salty cheese, but the wine paring was a bit off, I think. (Don’t kill me, Jerome!) Blue cheeses are usually served with sweeter wines, like a late harvest Riesling or a Sauterne, and I think that would have worked better with this one. The tannic finish of the Syrah was just not working for me with the blue cheese.
The last course was a Blackberry Clafoutis Tart with Sauce. Unfortunately, this was a disaster. Nobody in the table got it. It had a blini-like texture and had a bland, saba-like flavor. It only tasted remotely like a dessert if you had a sip of the dessert wine (Jurancon Clos Lapeyre 2005) with your bite.
Although this Gourmand Night had its hits and misses, the experience as usual is nothing short of enjoyable. Chef Marc was very accommodating and chatty despite the full house. He was always dropping by to check up on us and to answer our inquiries even though the dining area was full of expats and VIPs. It is nice to know that he values our business, even though we are just a bunch of foodie runts. The service as usual was fast and friendly, although we were not informed that the bottomless wine ends with the meal. Some of us got a glass of white wine as we chatted with some friends from another table, and we were surprised when we were charged for those glasses (receipt below).
Since I am used to flawless dinner service at Je Suis, I would call this Gourmand Night one of Chef Marc’s off nights. I am definitely looking forward to the next one, though, as I know for sure that he will come up with something much better.
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