Michael U.
Yelp
Full review in the blog:
When someone asks me about the very best meal I had in Paris Michel Rostang is not the first name to come to mind, yet at the same time if I were asked to explain the most "classical French dining experience" of the trip our lunch in front of the kitchen window at 20 rue Rennequin is precisely what I would describe. Family owned and operated since inception and garnering 2-Michelin Stars the year I was born I was told by friends that this would not be the most revelatory experience in the City of Lights, but that if one ordered correctly it could be a stellar meal at a comparatively good price and while Rostang's kitchen may not produce items as delicious or distinctive as Gagnaire or Barbot I can say without batting a lash that my friends were right.
With orders placed and water filled it was a short wait before the meal would begin and during that time we each made a visit to the gilded downstairs restroom largely to see the two separate wine rooms - one quite enormous and rustic with the other well appointed and behind glass showing off some of their more esoteric selections. With the restaurant less than half full throughout our meal we also were left time to remark on the how charming the room was with its heavy wood paneling juxtaposing delicate lace curtains and a collection of ornate statuettes and dolls displayed along the wall - the whole feel like dining in a stately mansion, or as the case may be, the private residence and vision of Monsieur Rostang.
For our first course of the afternoon there were six choices and all but one sounded enticing but in the end my love of foie gras won out and my server would soon arrive with "Fresh Sea Scallops and Foie Gras Ravioli in a broth of algae, root vegetables and herbs." Ever professional if not a bit too serious I was warned that this soup was "hot - as you like it" completely straight faced and indeed it was; it was also wonderful. With the scallops caramelized on the exterior and nearly raw within and the pillows of foie lightly kissed with balsamic the sweet proteins melded nicely with carrots, turnips, and rutabaga while the savory broth sang of Asian inspired umami - an admittedly surprising flourish considering the chef's classic stylings.
For my main course, a classic by any definition as it was handed down from Escoffier by way of his father, the selection was easy - La Quenelle de Brochet soufflé a la crème de homard "comme le faisait Jo Rostang" - a serving practically half the size of a regulation basketball and nearly as orange. Plated tableside and served with nutty saffron rice this admixture of pike, egg, and bread was impossibly fluffy and delicious on its own, but what truly raised it to its legendary status was the buttery lobster sauce which was baked to a leathery dome atop with more added not once, not twice, but thrice during the course of it's consumption. While everything at Michel Rostang was delicious this dish was alone worth the visit and undoubtedly one of the five best savories I had on the trip.
Having missed out on my soufflé the night before and already bearing witness to the sort of products coming out from under the kitchen's Salamander our dessert selections were similar but entirely different - for my sister the Hot Chocolate Souffle with Cocoa Ice Cream and Black Pepper Whipped Cream and for myself the Salty Butter Caramel Souffle with Williams Pear Sorbet. Larger than expected and with outfitted in silver both I can only note that both were beyond reproach - tall, proud, piping hot, and a cloud of sweet balanced by the nuances of their respective sauces. As an added bonus it should also be noted that the ice creams at Rostang are every bit as good as those at Berthillon - particularly the dark chocolate which is trumped only by Philadelphia's Capogiro for best Chocolate Ice Cream I've ever tasted.
Having already noted my overall thoughts about Rostang at the start of this review I think it is important to say that although the meal wasn't "the best," it did fall in the setting of a shear embarrassment of riches unlike any trip I've ever taken...in almost any American city Rostang would be the best restaurant in town by leaps and bounds. While the food was perhaps "old school" there were certainly flourishes that made it stand out and additionally, while the service and room were a bit stodgy and not as much fun as that of Le Cinq or Guy Savoy both were every bit on par with that of LeDoyen or Le Pre-Catalan. In the end I'd gladly go back not only for the quenelles or the soufflé, but also because by being "old school," Michel Rostang represents something quite unique in the new world of Barbot and Bistronomy.