Dinner: $35/person
An ode to Anthony Bourdain and his restaurant Les Halles. This menu takes recipes from Les Halles, Tony’s French brasserie restaurant in NYC as well as incorporating some of his favorite dishes.
First: Vichyssoise / chilled local leek and potato soup
“At the age of nine, I went on the Queen Mary—being served vichyssoise, a word I loved—for my first trip to France, where boys were allowed watered-down wine and cigarettes on Sundays.” – AB
Second: Hachi Parmentier de Canard / duck confit, truffle oil, mushroom purée, pommes purée, fresh herbs
(from Les Halles menu circa 2007)
Third: Blanquette de Veau / veal cutlet, pearl onions, button mushrooms, sauce tournée, white rice
“There are certain rules in the world of cooking. One of them is that color contrast is a good thing. A plate with too much white, for instance, cries out for some garnish, some color, something, anything, to distract the eye from all that monochrome. But not this dish. This dish is the exception to the rule. For a chef, it can be maddening to make it for the first time, as the natural impulse, the sum total of all one’s training, says ‘Put some carrot in there – a little chopped parsley, for God’s sake!’ Resist the urge. It’s supposed to be white. All white. Keep it that way. It makes something of a statement.” – AB
Optional Dessert (+$7): Epoisses de Bourgogne / pungent washed-rind cow’s milk cheese from the village of Epoisses in the Côte-d’Or region of France; served with classic accoutrements.
“I just don’t like dessert. If I had to lose one course for the rest of my life it would be dessert. Just leave me some good cheese. I want to linger over some good port wine and some really stinky, runny cheese.” – AB