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June 24, 2007
Cuisine: French, Desserts & Bakeries, Other

624 S 6th Street, Philadelphia 19147
At Bainbridge St

Phone: 215-592-0656
Website: www.creperie-beaumonde.com

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Entree I: Smoked Salmon / Saumon Fume Buckwheat Crêpe - with roasted leeks and crème fraîche ($10)

Entree II: Mushrooms/Champignons Buckwheat Crêpe - saute of wild & domestic mushrooms and mushroom sauce ($7)

Dessert I: Wheat Crêpe with Bananas and Dulce de Leche ($6.75)

Dessert II: Wheat Crêpe with Fresh Raspberries, Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream ($11.75)

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By now, longtime readers of gas•tron•o•my probably know that The Astronomer and I simply adore Crepêrie Beau Monde. Every time we have friends or family in town or are asked for restaurant recommendations, we always insist upon Beau Monde for their wonderful crêpes and unparalleled atmosphere. I have been dining here since my college days and will not likely find crêpes better than Beau Monde’s anywhere, unless of course I’m in the Breton region of France!

For our penultimate meal in the city, The Astronomer and I headed to Beau Monde for one final feast of crêpes. Since I will not be returning to the restaurant in the near future due to my pending move, I figured it would be best to stick to my favorites rather than experiment with new ingredients. I ordered the mushroom savory crêpe and the dulce de leche with bananas sweet crêpe, both of which I’ve had on many occasions. The savory and sweet crêpes were as delightful as I remembered, but a tad drier than the ones I’ve had prior. Who knows when my next trip to Beau Monde will be, but I will request saucier crêpes when I return.   

The Astronomer’s savory crêpe, smoked salmon with roasted leeks and crème fraîche, has always been one of his old standbys. He commented that the combination of flavors from the salmon, crêpe, and leeks were very good, but overall the crêpe was too dry; additional sauce would have made for a more complete and satisfying package. The Astronomer’s sweet crepe with raspberries, chocolate sauce, and vanilla ice cream was everything he hoped it would be. The chocolate and berries went together beautifully and the cool ice cream topped off the entire creation perfectly.

Philadelphia’s vibrant restaurant scene is chalk full of good eateries, but I find myself returning to Beau Monde time after time for their immense value, unique offerings, and gorgeous space.

April 27, 2007
Cuisine: French, Desserts & Bakeries, Other

624 S 6th Street, Philadelphia 19147
At Bainbridge St

Phone: 215-592-0656
Website: www.creperie-beaumonde.com

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Entree I: Mushrooms/Champignons Buckwheat Crêpe - saute of wild & domestic mushrooms & mushroom sauce ($6.50)

Entree II: Andouille Sausage/Saucisse Bretonne Buckwheat Crêpe - a Breton specialty with creamed spinach ($9.50)

Dessert: Wheat Crêpe with Bananas and Dulce de Leche ($6.75)

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My lovely friend Adrienne came for a short but sweet visit late last week from upstate New York. She was in the mood for crêpes so we headed to Beau Monde—one of my all-time favorite eateries. Even though Philadelphia is chalk full of restaurant possibilities, I keep returning to Beau Monde time after time for the freedom to craft my own creations and the thoughtfulness the kitchen puts into each delicate crêpe.

An early dinner was in order because Adrienne needed to head down to D.C., while I needed to watch The Astronomer rock it at Penn Relays. Beau Monde is often packed on evenings, but was nearly empty at four in the afternoon which meant guaranteed attentive service and a beautiful space to ourselves.

Adrienne once had a delectable creamed spinach crêpe that she was hoping the chefs at Beau Monde could match. She added some Andouille Sausage to spice things up a bit. Much to her delight, the crêpe exceeded her expectations. The spinach was vibrantly green and creamed perfectly and the sausage was plentiful and flavorful. Beau Monde’s crêpe is now the gold standard that Adrienne uses to measure all future crêpes by.

I chose the simple mushroom crêpe and it wholly hit the spot. The buckwheat crêpe was generously filled with mouth-watering sauteed mushrooms and drizzled with a luscious mushroom cream sauce. The crêpe was crisp around the edges and softer in the middle making each bite just a little different from the one before. The woodsy intensity of the mushrooms was like no other.

We shared my favorite sweet crêpe combination, bananas with dulce de leche, for our finale. The bananas are lightly caramelized, doused with thick dulce de leche, wrapped in a wheat crêpe, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. There aren’t words magnificent enough to describe the awesomeness of this crepe. Adrienne, who isn’t too big on caramel, was speechless after her first bite. Honestly, it’s that good!

Cuisine: New American, French
April 15, 2007

210 W Rittenhouse Sq, Philadelphia 19103
Btwn S 18th St & S 20th St

Phone: 215-790-2533
Website: www.lacroixrestaurant.com

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Sunday Brunch Buffet ($52 per person)

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The Gastronomer: In celebration of three lovely years of togetherness, the Astronomer and I indulged in an extravagant Sunday brunch at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse. When we arrived at 11 AM, the staffers were putting the final touches on the heavenly spread. The natural light coming through the immense windows lit up the room serenely, even for a rainy April morning.

The Astronomer: As I reflect back on my meal at Lacroix and the approximately 50 different dishes that I sampled, I am once again astounded by the sheer magnitude of the experience. How can Lacroix afford to offer so much amazing food for scarcely less than the price of an entree at some other fine dining establishments? I have a feeling it has to do with the meager appetites of many of their patrons—in any case, as an Astronomer who loves to eat, I was more than ready to take advantage of the situation

The Astronomer’s Selections

The Astronomer: The Gastronomer and I began our meal by sampling the selections from the cold appetizers. In order to avoid being overwhelmed, I served myself only a few items—I knew I had many hours of eating ahead of me. Nothing from Plate #1 (top row, first) was really amazing. I enjoyed the rosemary olive focaccia and the heart of palm salad was tasty, but the cucumber-lime foam was not as exciting as it looked. Neither was the wild berry “explosion”—Gushers fruit snacks are more explosive. I was glad that I tried the bubble tea—I’m usually not much of a tea drinker, but I found it quite enjoyable, perhaps because the taste approached Kool-Aid more than tea. I also ordered a glass of apple juice, which, as expected, tasted like apple juice.

The fun really began for plate #2 (top row, middle). I returned to the hors d’ oeuvres table and also sampled some offerings from the raw bar. The grilled Portuguese octopus salad was excellent—octopus is my new favorite sea creature. I was less impressed by the salmon roe and other caviar that I tried. Caviar may be expensive, but that doesn’t make it delicious. My favorites from this round were probably the Szechwan chicken dumpling (what can I say, I love Chinese food) and the mini foie gras ice cream sandwich (I’ll leave it to the Gastronomer to describe that one).

At this point I felt like I was just warming up, which was a good thing, because there was a lot more food to try. I decided to make one more trip to the cold food before heading to the kitchen. Plate #3 (top row, last) included two sushi rolls; they were good, but my inexperienced palate couldn’t differentiate the quality from that offered at Ajia. The yogurt “panna cotta” with Maine lobster, pickled mango, and basil was definitely a highlight. Its flavor was smooth, subtle, and refreshing. Due to the amazing variety of food available, I maintained stringent standards for which dishes would warrant a second helping. The lobster and yogurt made the cut, as did the chicken dumpling.

Plate #4 (middle row, first) took me to the heart of Chef Matt Levin’s kitchen, where a whole new level of adventure awaited. Nearly overwhelmed by the extent of the offerings, I decided to hold off on the meats for a bit and sample several treats in small porcelain dishes. The savory Tuscan bread pudding was tasty and might have been worth going back for more if I hadn’t been beginning to feel my stomach swell, but the others were largely disappointing. I loved the Piedmontese gnocchi—it positively melted in my mouth. I tried a Belgian waffle with fruit and also sampled some of the Gastronomer’s French toast. These items would be a highlight for me at a normal brunch, and indeed they were excellent, but somehow I didn’t feel like eating standard breakfast fair doused in syrup after sampling such extravagant hors d’ oeuvres.

When I returned to the kitchen, I finally allowed myself to begin the part of the meal that I had really been looking forward to: the meat courses. I tried a little of everything, and they were absolutely fantastic. Each was unique, with a rich flavor and well-chosen sauce for accompaniment, and all were wonderfully tender. The black cod was delicious, as was the Berkshire pork belly, although its powerful orange sauce unfortunately overwhelmed the taste of some of my subsequent bites. I loved the Vietnamese wild boar with ginger jus, but in the end, my favorite meat dish was the Wellington of Cervana venison loin with apricot-poivre sauce. The venison was surrounded by a flaky pastry, and the pieces came together perfectly.

Even after my meat extravaganza, there were a number of offerings in the kitchen that I still hadn’t tried. I passed on most of the vegetable dishes, although I did try the purple Peruvian potatoes and the sautéed potatoes with fleur de sel, which were nothing special. The Gastronomer got me excited about the Niman Ranch bacon; however, it turns out that I am just not much of a bacon fan, no matter how fine the pigs. The chicken and apple sausage, on the other hand, was quite enjoyable, and the beer braised beef short ribs were incredible. They were among the many dishes that I would have gladly ordered for an entire entree in a more traditional restaurant setting.

By plate #7 (bottom row, first) I was beginning to feel the effects of my earlier indulgences. However, I couldn’t leave the kitchen without taking a second helping of some of my favorites, including the short ribs, venison, and wild boar. After this we decided it was time for dessert. I sampled a number of miniature baked goods—including such personal favorites as a churro and mini-donut. It was fun dipping them in the chocolate fountains, but after the finery of my previous courses, rice crispy treats and brownies seemed a bit boring.

Needless to say, by this point my stomach was ready to explode. We still had not even touched the beautiful offerings presented by pastry chef Matt Maslowski. I carefully perused the table and selected a strawberry rhubarb tart and a small cheesecake with white chocolate. They were sweet and perfect and provided an ideal conclusion to the meal.

The Gastronomer’s Selections

The Gastronomer: Firstly, hats off to The Astronomer for playing the Lacroix Brunch game so well! As you can see from my plates above, I ate way too much at the Raw Bar and Hors d’ Oeuvres station and hardly anything in the kitchen or at the dessert table because I was too full. I was overly excited at the start and as a result, had a disappointing finish. Oh well, I’ll do better next time. And believe me, there will definitely be a next time!

I enthusiastically sampled every offering at the Raw Bar and Hors d’ Oeuvres station (see list below). My favorites of the bunch were the Crazy Eel Roll, Deviled Quail Eggs, Jalapeño-Crab Rillette, and Mini Foie Gras Ice Cream Sandwiches. The eel roll was sweet and lightly packed so it fell apart in my mouth. The selection of sushi was so outstanding that I ate 14 pieces! The Deviled Quail Eggs were far milder than their chicken and mayo counterparts, but the Uni cream tasted like seawater. One of these days I’ll develop a taste for Uni. The Jalapeño-Crab Rillette was spicy and fresh.

The highlight of the Hors d’ Oeuvres station were the Mini Foie Gras Ice Cream Sandwiches (left). Ultra thin slices of toasted white bread delightfully held together foie gras flavored ice cream. The little gems were dusted with hazelnut-orange powder and sea salt, which further brought out the ice cream’s sweetness. I was such a huge fan of this creation that I effortless consumed six. According to the Chef, I am the current record holder for the most Foie Gras Ice Cream Sandwiches eaten in one sitting.

My favorite salads were the Charred Scallions and Maitake Mushrooms with Black Truffle and the Candy Stripe Beets and Jicama, Yogurt Mint Coulis. The intense mushrooms coupled with the slightly burnt scallions was a winning combination. The beets and jicama were also an outstanding duo—the mint was incredibly refreshing and the beets were wonderfully sweet.

As I headed into the kitchen for the hot buffet, I sadly realized that I was full. Even though I wanted to sample everything Lacroix had to offer, my stuffed state required me to be discerning with my selections. From the kitchen, I chose the Pearl Barley and Apple Pilaf, Creamy Risotto with Early Spring Peas, Dried Cherries, and Roasted Pine Nuts, Fresh Berry Compote, and French Baguette Toast with Apricot Jam. Both the pilaf and risotto were bland compared to the other offerings and were mostly left untouched. The French toast was extra-cinnamon-y and so very good. The apricot jam and berry compote meshed wonderfully with the French toast. After I finished plate #7 (last row, first), I took an hour long break (in the fetal position), while the Astronomer proceeded to eat plates of meat.

My final delight at Lacroix was the Coffee Foam with Gianduja Chocolate at the Liquid Nitrogen Station (last row, middle). I was beyond stuffed at this point, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see molecular gastronomy on the ground. The woman working the station piped a coffee flavored custard mix into a small bowl, sprinkled it with Gianduja Chocolate, and added another layer of custard. She dropped the entire concoction into the bubbling liquid nitrogen. The custard floated in the nitrogen for a quick minute and was scooped out and served. The cold custard crumbled in my mouth and was extremely airy in texture. The coffee was too bitter for me, but the chocolate nicely sweetened the treat.

The Astronomer: By the end of our three and a half hour stay at Lacroix, I was stuffed beyond belief and utterly satisfied. I would go so far as to say that brunch at LaCroix was my favorite meal that I have ever eaten at a restaurant. Le Bec Fin was divine, Buddakan is always delicious, and Highlands Bar and Grill has a special place in my heart, but none can compare with the experience of sampling a stunning variety of amazing appetizers, breakfast foods, meats, and desserts in an all-you-can-eat environment. I only have a few more months in Philly, and there are many new restaurants that I still want to try, but some of these adventures may have to be sacrificed in the name of finding time for a return trip to Lacroix.

The Gastronomer: Whereas Craig LaBan had a salad for dinner after brunching at Lacroix, I had an hour long run instead. I can’t wait to return!

For a complete menu and pictures, click below…

Continue reading ‘Lacroix at the Rittenhouse’

February 3, 2007
Cuisine: French

1523 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Phone: 215-567-1000
Website: http://lebecfin.com/

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I usually find writing restaurant reviews effortless, but am having the most difficult time translating my Le Bec Fin experience into words. So rather than writing a traditional evaluation piece about the food and mood, telling a story about the entire evening seems more appropriate for this occasion.

Le Bec Fin, which means “fine palate,” opened in 1970 and is undoubtedly Philadelphia’s finest restaurant. Le Bec Fin has received the highest accolades in the hospitality industry and has been a long-standing recipient of both the coveted Mobil Five Star and AAA’s Five Diamond awards. At $138 per person for the six-course dinner and $165 for the ten course dégustation, this is not your everyday eatery. I asked one of the waiters about Le Bec Fin’s clientele and was informed that most diners are special occasion eaters rather than regulars.

Our special occasion for visiting Le Bec Fin was my 25^th birthday. The Astronomer spilled the beans back in December that he had made a reservation to celebrate me living for a quarter century after I had posed the question, “Are we ever going to eat at Le Bec Fin?” Needless to say, I have been anticipating this dinner for months.

The restaurant has two seatings on Saturday evenings; one at 6 and another at 9:30. There is a doorbell outside the restaurant we were hoping to ring because we have walked by it countless times on Walnut Street, but the door was already unlocked. We arrived fashionably late for the 9:30 seating and were brought into the main dining room after we checked our coats, scarves, ear muffs, and mittens.

Our table was candlelit and situated between two other couples. Most diners seemed to be in groups of two or four; there was one larger party of ten or so just outside the main dining room. Le Bec-Fin underwent major interior renovations in the summer of 2002 transforming their dining room into the late 19th century elegance of a Parisian dining salon. The main dining room fits only fifteen tables and feels comfortable, warm, and intimate. Waiters pulled out our chairs and fluffed our napkins as we took our seats.

The Astronomer and I decided to go for the six-course dinner so that we could choose our delights and thus try more of Le Bec Fin’s offerings. The ten-course dégustation is pre-set and contains the chef’s signature dishes throughout his career. After we made our menu selections we were brought bread and butter. I chose the multi-grain roll, while the Astronomer chose the sourdough. The Astronomer thought that the bread was too crusty. The butter was rich and spread nicely on my roll. Soon after we were brought an amuse bouche of scallop mousse with pomegranate.

Amuse Bouche

Scallop mousse with pomegranate

I ate my scallop mousse in one swift bite, while the Astronomer had his in several. The mousse was light in my mouth and airy in texture. The pomegranate seeds unleashed a divine tartness. The amuse bouche certainly excited our taste-buds for the courses to come.

All of Le Bec Fin’s appetizers sounded delectable and we had a truly difficult time choosing. I was strongly leaning toward one of the evening’s special appetizers which was layers of smoked salmon with cream cheese, but settled on Le Bec Fin’s famous crab cake instead. I figured I could return to Brasserie Perrier for the same smoked salmon. The Astronomer chose the escargot.

Les Entrées

Cassolette d’escargots aux noisettes en hommage à Monsieur Cleuvenot
Cassolette of snails in a Champagne and hazelnut garlic butter sauce

Galette de crabe aux haricots verts
Our own crab cake, a signature dish

The Astronomer wished that the escargot were served in their shells as they are in France, but enjoyed them nevertheless. The escargot were cooked in a luxurious garlic, cream, and butter sauce. The hazelnuts were surprisingly mild in flavor, but added a lovely crunch. Although he knew it was bad for his health, the Astronomer devoured every last drop of the rich sauce.

The crab cake was insanely delicious and decadent. It was full of jumbo lumps of crab and shrimp and dressed in a whole grain mustard sauce. Every bite tasted like heaven. The hericot verts and tomatos helped cut the velvety sauce and balance the flavors beautifully. A signature dish indeed.

Our second course was fish. I chose the grouper because the flavor combinations sounded quite unorthodox, especially for a classic French restaurant, while the Astronomer went for the halibut.

Les Poissons

Filet de mérou en croûte de noix et abricots secs, Bolognaise de tomates et palourdes, sauce au persil et wasabi
Crusted grouper with dried apricots and nuts, tomato Bolognese with clams, parsley and wasabi sauce

Flétan roulé au bacon, brocoli amer et sauce à la truffe
Halibut wrapped in bacon, broccoli rabe and truffle sauce

The grouper was fabulous. The crust was perfect and did not over power the fish’s natural flavor. Although I could not taste the apricot, the nuts came through nicely within the crust. The clam Bolognese was skillfully prepared and paired nicely with the heartily crusted grouper. The sauce was definitely more parsley than wasabi and thus extremely mild; the wasabi was sadly muted.

I only had a single bite of the Astronomer’s halibut because I was enamored with my own fish. He was nervous about ordering a dish containing truffles because he is not a fan of mushrooms, but was pleased to find only a subtle truffle flavor. The bacon added a lot of flavor to the delicate fish.

I was getting very stuffed after I finished my fish, which was not good because we still had four more courses to go. For our meat course I elected to have the rabbit because I had never tasted rabbit before. The Astronomer went for the lamb because it is one of his favorite meats.

Les Viandes

Selle de lapin farcie aux épinards et champignons, cuisse braisée en chou vert, compote de choux rouges jus de lapin aromatisé à la sauge
Rabbit saddle stuffed with spinach and mushroom, braised leg wrapped in green cabbage, red cabbage compote rabbit jus flavored with sage

Carré d’agneau, panisse poêlée et petit bok-choy, jus naturel
Domestic rack of lamb, crispy chickpeas and baby bok-choy, natural jus

I thought rabbit tasted a lot like chicken only lighter in flavor. The skin was especially delicious. The spinach and mushroom stuffing was mildly flavorful and could have used some more pizazz. The red cabbage compote was a simple, yet elegant side. The green cabbage with the rabbit confit was good as well, but I was too full to enjoy it. The Astronomer ate most of my dish.

The Astronomer’s lamb was carved table-side and cooked medium-rare. It was the best lamb I have ever eaten. The meat was juicy and lusciously earthy. Even though my stomach was ready to stop, I made room for the lamb because it was insanely scrumptious.

A cheese course followed our meat course, which was an interesting change of pace. This was my first cheese course so I was excited to see how my taste-buds would react to eating cheese post-dinner rather than pre-dinner.

Les PÂTURAGES

Fromages frais et affinés par nos soins
Our selection of fresh and aged cheeses

The selection of cheeses on the cheese cart was phenomenal. With so much variety we did not know where to start so we asked the resident cheese expert to serve us a range of creamy, mild, sharp, and hard cheeses. My favorite was the Gouda; it was sharp, salty, hard, and perfect. My second favorite was the Bleu; it was the mildest Bleu cheese I had ever tasted. Since I had never tasted Camembert, the Astronomer warned me that it was extremely stinky. I enjoyed the Camembert’s unique taste and creamy texture. I love how the flavor stayed with me long after the cheese was gone.

To transition from savory delights to sweet ones, we had a course of sorbets to cleanse our palettes. There were two flavors to choose from: coconut and pear. I chose the coconut because pear is the Astronomer’s favorite fruit.

Sorbets (Coconut, Pear), glaces et Desserts du Bec Fin

The coconut sorbet was a refreshing change after eating so many rich foods. The coconut flavor leaned toward processed rather than fresh, but in a good way; fresh coconut probably would have been too delicate. The pear sorbet was far sweeter than the coconut and the Astronomer surprisingly liked the coconut more. I think the pear sorbet was made of canned or preserved pears due to its texture and syrupiness. Our sorbets were served in funky blooming bowls that made eating the melted sorbet impossible.

Our final course was the infamous dessert cart. As the cart rolled toward our table, a vast space opened up in my stomach! It was a welcomed miracle.

La Charrette de Desserts

A selection of tarts and cakes (top), Fruits poached in wine and vanilla (left), Chocolate and hazelnut cake (right)

The selection of treats was obscene and yet beautiful to behold. I asked the dessert specialist for a piece of every non-chocolate cake and tart. Our sampler included a lemon curd tart, Philadelphia cheesecake, coffeecake, strawberry cake and a few others whose names have slipped. I also requested a piece of the chocolate opera cake with 24k gold leaf, a selection of poached fruits, and the Grand Marnier soufflé.

The Astronomer and I both loved the cheesecake and the red wine poached strawberries. The opera cake was soaked in rum and a bit too strong for our palettes. The Grand Marnier soufflé was out of this world creamy; we ate every last bit.

Lastly, I requested a piece of the chocolate and hazelnut cakes. There are two versions of this cake; one where the meringue becomes sponge-like during the baking process and another where the meringue becomes cookie-like. I did not care much for the sponge version, but I adored the cookie version. The crunch brought about a wonderful contrast. Even though I was about to burst, I manage to eat the entire piece. Hazelnut and chocolate may be the best dessert combination ever.

Chocolats, mignardises et petits fours

Our petits fours were packed up to go because the Astronomer and I were completely stuffed. We enjoyed them all thoroughly the next day. I especially loved the macarons, fruit tart, chocolates, eclair, and chocolate chip pyramid.

My birthday dinner at Le Bec Fin was an incredible dining experience. I knew the food would be outstanding, but I did not expect to have so much fun. Fancy restaurants tend to be snooty and intimidating, but that was not the case at Le Bec Fin. The service was impeccable and the waiters were amazingly down to earth and helpful; I was at ease from the moment I stepped into the restaurant. Our three hour feast seemed to pass by in a heartbeat.

December 16, 2006
Cuisine: French, Bistro

1619 Walnut St, Philadelphia 19103
Btwn S 16th St & S 17th St

Phone: 215-568-3000
Website: www.brasserieperrier.com

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Appetizer I: House Smoked Salmon Lemon Crème Fraiche, Potato Blini, Red Pepper Caviar ($13)

Appetizer II: Housemade Potato Gnocchi Butternut Squash, Fontina Cheese, Toasted Pumpkins Seeds, Sweet Garlic Sauce ($15)

Entree I: Crispy Black Sea Bass - Truffled Parsnip Puree, Braised Belgian Endive, Extra-virgin Olive Oil Emulsion ($36)

Entree II: Roasted Breast of Free Range Chicken and Leg Stuff with Forest Mushrooms, polenta cake, Sauce Natural ($29)

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Our dinner at Brasserie Perrier was hands down one of the best meals the Astronomer and I have ever eaten. I dined at BP once before with my brother during Swarthmore Family Weekend 2004, but didn’t think too highly of it because we ordered strange items like sweetbreads and wild boar. This visit was a totally different story…

We started our feast with two appetizers. I chose the smoked salmon, while the Astronomer chose the gnocchi. I had read good things about the smoked salmon and liked the fact that the fish was smoked on the premise. A more than generous portion of thinly sliced smoked salmon was placed atop a potato blin, which is a small, yeast-leavened, buckwheat pancake. The smoked salmon was luxurious! The salty fish paired beautifully with the hearty blin and rich lemon crème fraiche. The red pepper “caviar” was made with science, but tasty nevertheless. I especially liked how each “egg” popped in my mouth and released it’s flavor. The smoked salmon appetizer was incredible.

The Housemade Potato Gnocchi was also outstanding. The Astronomer described the gnocchi’s texture as “delicate.” I had a couple of bites of the dish and totally agree; each gnocchi melted in my mouth. The butternut squash added a wonderful sweetness and the pepitas brought about an interesting crunch. The cheese and sauce were amazingly rich and creamy. Almost too much goodness for my taste. It’s a good thing the Astronomer prefers decadent sauces. The dish was a refreshing and innovative take on the classic Italian dish.

For my entree I ordered the chicken, while the Astronomer ordered the sea bass. We traded plates numerous times throughout the meal because sharing is caring. Even though I think chicken is an inferior meat, I had a good feeling about BP’s preparations. While I’m not a full convert yet, I’m on my way because this dish was the greatest chicken I have ever eaten.

Moist, moister, moistest!

The juices were locked in and the spices (probably just salt and pepper) were perfect. The forest mushroom stuffing was also very lovely. In fact, I would have liked a side of mushroom dressing. The polenta cake was wonderfully dense and full of buttery flavor. The dish also included some sautéed vegetables including green beans, spinach and baby carrots. Wow, what a combination of flavors!

The Astronomer’s sea bass was equally divine, but much more subtle in flavor. The sea bass was battered very lightly and fried to a perfect crisp, skin included. The batter was salted nicely and thus contrasted impeccably with the sweet pureed parsnips. The dish’s only flaw was the braised Belgian endive; it was much too bitter to be enjoyable.

By the time dessert rolled around, we were much too stuffed to indulge. I look forward to returning to BP for their lounge menu which includes fondue and steak frites!