L'Arpege

There are many amazing opportunities for dining in Paris. Some you chance upon, others need meticulous research, planning and reservations weeks or months in advance. Alain Passard's Three Star L'Arpege is certainly worth searching out.

We enjoyed an astonishing lunch at L'Arpege back in July. Alain Passard takes a particular interest in vegetables, so we chose L'Arpege for a family lunch as Master Wicker is vegetarian. It was a perfect choice.

We made our way to a rather nondescript street corner in the 7th,
happily walking distance from our flat

We had tiny starters of a pastry morsel with broccoli and cabbage- which doesn't sound all that great, but was of course wonderful. And a plate of the most peppery raw radishes- slightly too peppery for me.

A trio of mini tastes.
Beetroot and lavender. Carrot and parmesan. Cucumber

Beetroot sushi with lime and garlic
Master Wickers favourite course

Fresh strawberries from the garden, four spice cream, onion, elderflower

Two bottles of this rather magnificent wine lost their lives this day

Fresh lettuce from the garden with smoked almond dressing

Vegetable plate with sweet and sour sauce, geranium flowers, raspberry and cassis

Zucchini veloute
The speck mousse was then served by our waiter
and omitted for Master Wicker
Perhaps the best thing we ate in a month in Paris!

Peas with orange flower and onion with cassis

Ravioli with beetroot and peas in clear broth

Smoked spring potatoes with mustard emulsion and peas

Master Wicker's potato gnocchi with onion during the "main"

Sea bass with almonds, fava beans and sorrel
Mr Wicker and I shared the fish and meat mains

Lamb with potato gnocchi

Fresh cows milk curd, fig

We wondered why they merely wiped our knives during the meal.
We were presented with them to take home at the end!

Petit fours!
Apple and almond tartlets. Fruit pate.
Beetroot and rhubarb, lemon verbena and sorrel macarons. 

They made me a special birthday cake!

 

There was a nougat with honey and red fruits that I was possibly too full to photograph. 

Chef came out to speak to each table at the end of lunch

After all this we might have needed to go have a nap....

Dreaming of France is a wonderful Monday meme
from Paulita at An Accidental Blog