To get a table by restaurant l’Astrance on Valentine’s day is a privilege. Christophe Rohat and Pascal Barbot are smiling, but they say : “it is not still official, and could not happen”. They talk of course about their third star in the Michelin Guide, announced largely in advance.
We are four, my wife, my son and his wife and me. We have a table on the mezzanine, where we are alone. It is very pleasant. They could have added a table for two, but their strategy is to accept 25 people and no more, even if they have the space for more, as they want to maintain a high quality.
They never give a menu, and we have to trust the chef. So we will not know what will happen, mainly based on truffles. Here is the menu :
Brioche tiède, beurre à la truffe noire
Parmesan fondu au thym-citron
Purée de morue, yaourt au thym, truffe noire
Langoustines et ormeau avec une salade de mâche, truffe noire
Cabillaud caramélisé, fondue de chou pointu à la truffe noire, jus de persil
Brandade de morue à la truffe noire, beurre de homard
Velouté de céleri, coulis de truffe noire, parmesan
Poulet de la Bresse cuit au sautoir, poireau et truffe noire
Chocolat au lait sur un sâblé
Sabayon au sirop d’érable, poire et pistache, truffe noire
Praliné noisette, lait d’amande, glace au lait d’amande
Mignardises
Lait de poule au jasmin
This was made with a high sensitivity, and kept us for a very long time until late in the night.
We begin with champagne Substance of Jacques Selosse whose choice is approved by Alexandre a very excellent sommelier, who knew the menu that we did not know. This champagne was disgorged in May 2004 and is made with the technique of the Solera. The champagne of the year is added in very old barrels to what remains from previous melting. The champagne comes too cold, so we have to wait until it delivers its precious message, smoked, crème brulée, spicy bread. It is obviously a champagne of gastronomy, as it has a high ability to adapt itself to the dish. I have had a little less emotion than by a previous try. I found it more monolithic, more salty and lacking of volume. But it is anyway a great champagne.
The Château Chalon Auguste Macle 1959 has a colour of a gold full of joy. The nose is a bomb. Nothing could compete with such a seducing perfume. In mouth it is pure pleasure. I cannot imagine any dry white which could be more perfect. A Montrachet will be a Miles Davis with a generous trumpet. But it will never give in mouth such a trace and such a memory. Once again, this wine is the demonstration that a “vin jaune” has to be drunk with age. It gains a perfection that no young wine can give. This wine is a miracle. The taste of nuts is there, but there is a lot more. The personality and the length conquer me. It has some aspects of my beloved Cyprus 1845, and by the variations in mouth, it evokes the Clos Sainte Hune Trimbach of the best years. This wine is a total perfection.
The Château Rayne-Vigneau Sauternes 1942 has a colour of a nice brown golden copper. The nose is noble. In mouth, the precision is exemplar. My son and I we come to the same conclusion : this wine is the exact definition of what Sauternes should be. It is “the” Sauternes. It evokes Tarte Tatin, golden quince, autumnal fruits delicately caramelised. I find some tea in it that my son does not find. On the white meat of the “poularde”, it is highly exciting. On the varied desserts it is not at ease as this wine has not the ability to change aspects so easily.
The star of the dinner, it is the Chateau Chalon 1959. The cook of the chef is of a high sensibility. The truffle exploded with the “brioche”, and was more quiet on the other dishes. The velouté was magnificent, the chicken was incredibly sweet, Contrarily to what other aficionados of this restaurant can think, I am against the lobster sauce with the “brandade”, as I prefer the natural taste of this preparation of cod fish.
The incredible combination is the cabbage’s leaf with the Chateau Chalon. It is to die for.
As I love old wines, I would be happy that Pascal simplifies even more some recipes. But it was an excellent menu.
In a friendly atmosphere created by the team, with two prodigious wines, with family, this was a Valentine’s day !
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