Bocuse D'or is a culinary competition held in Lyon every other year. It's often described as the Olympics of cooking. Proceeds of the dinner went towards The Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation which trains the American team for the competition. There were two seatings for the night (6.30pm and 9pm). We opted for the early bird seating because I don't like to go to bed on a full stomach. Foodies came out in droves to attend the event. Foie protesters also made their way to Providence, protesting the unethical treatment of animals and the presence of foie gras on the menu. They were a rather civil crowd but they did get louder later on, kind of like that drunk person that talks louder and louder as the night wears on. Thankfully there was no red paint splashed on diners.
I started with a glass of bubbly at the bar while waiting on my friend.
There are several private dining rooms in the restaurant, and a patio area where we were seated.
The six course Tasting Menu was priced at $150/$210 with wine pairing.
We started with my favorite bacon bread. The bread was light, almost like a bread roll, so I ended up eating more pieces than I had wanted.
Amuse bouche ~ gougere, pumpkin veloute with truffle, salmon mousse
The gougere was airy with a hint of gruyere. The pumpkin veloute was creamy but I didn't really taste the truffle. It seemed that the truffle was there more for a textural effect. The salmon mousse with creme fraiche and roe was light and delicate.
Dodine de Canard a l'ancienne ~ Duck stuffed with foie gras, truffle and pistachio - Josiah Citrin
gewurztraminer, marcel deiss 2003

The trio really showcase different preparations of duck liver. The duck stuffed with foie gras and pistachio was fun play on a terrine. The foie mousse was like silk on my tongue. I also enjoyed the buttery toasted brioche. The duck gelee with artichokes was my least favorite. It was a bit gelatinous and runny, and under seasoned. The trio was served with a big, bold Gewurztraminer.
Homard a l'americaine ~ lobster fricasse with tomato and brandy - Walter Manzke
cremant de bourgogne, domaine perigot & richard, "blanc de blanc" m.v.
The fricasse was infused with a variety of mushrooms (button, morel, porcini) and was very rich in flavor. It tasted like a bisque, except that the fricasee was served lukewarm. We would have preferred a bit more temperature as it congealed a bit towards the end. The chunks of lobster were topped with 20 carat gold flecks. I thought the flavors of this dish were spot on, and I enjoyed every last drop.
Soupe aux truffle noire v.g.e. ~ double capon consommé, foie gras, black truffle, puff pastry - Alain Giraud
corton charlemagne, domaine louis latour 2006

Amuse bouche ~ gougere, pumpkin veloute with truffle, salmon mousse
Dodine de Canard a l'ancienne ~ Duck stuffed with foie gras, truffle and pistachio - Josiah Citrin
gewurztraminer, marcel deiss 2003
Homard a l'americaine ~ lobster fricasse with tomato and brandy - Walter Manzke
cremant de bourgogne, domaine perigot & richard, "blanc de blanc" m.v.
Soupe aux truffle noire v.g.e. ~ double capon consommé, foie gras, black truffle, puff pastry - Alain Giraud
corton charlemagne, domaine louis latour 2006
The consomme was one of the richest broths I've had because it was infused with cubes of foie gras and truffle. I was surprised to see the very generous serving of whole black truffles in the dish. The foie flavor really stood out and the broth wasn't too salty. My favorite was of course, the puff pastry which was light and buttery. The French really know their pastries.
Rouget en écaillé ~ wild french rouget sautéed in potato scales, two sauces - Michael Cimarusti
maranges le croix moines Ier cru, camille giroud 2007
Rouget en écaillé ~ wild french rouget sautéed in potato scales, two sauces - Michael Cimarusti
maranges le croix moines Ier cru, camille giroud 2007
Granité des Vignerons de Beaujolais
Filet de chevreuil ~ Loin of venison Roasted market vegetables and fall fruits - Tony Esnault
cornas, domaine lionnet," terre brulee" 2004
I thought this was the simplest dish of the menu, both in flavor and in presentation. The venison was well seasoned but overcooked and rather tough, especially on the outside. I did like the selection of roasted vegetables which included pomegranate celery root, squash, salsify, pickled beet and fig. The Syrah that was paired with this dish had a peppery undertone.
Trio de dessert classique de maison Bocuse ~ Crêpé a l’orange, Tarte tatin, Crème brulee - Adrian Vasquez
sainte croix du mont, chateau la rame "tradition" 2005
At this point, I was getting full so I only had a taste of each dessert. The creamy Tahitian Vanilla creme brulee was the winner. The crepe was relatively light but smothered with thick, sweet sauce. The apple tart was a bit too sweet for me but I ate the entire buttery crust.
Mignardises ~ Pistachio macaron, cream puff, Ras el hanut gelee and cinnamon caramel
The Bocuse D'or USA Benefit Dinner was a nice culinary event. It was lovely to be in the presence and taste the work of so many well known chefs. The food was solid and almost everything was well executed. I particularly enjoyed this menu because I love French comfort food. Almost everything on the menu was rich and tasted just like home cooking. I have always been impressed with the service at Providence, and this time was no exception. The service was attentive and very professional, yet friendly. Overall, a lovely evening where thankfully, everyone got to enjoy their foie gras in peace. Somewhat.
Hits: duck stuffed with foie, capon consomme, wine paring, service
Misses: venison
Rating: ****
Bocuse d'Or USA Benefit Dinner
Providence Restaurant
5955 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170
http://www.providencela.com/
Trio de dessert classique de maison Bocuse ~ Crêpé a l’orange, Tarte tatin, Crème brulee - Adrian Vasquez
sainte croix du mont, chateau la rame "tradition" 2005
The Bocuse D'or USA Benefit Dinner was a nice culinary event. It was lovely to be in the presence and taste the work of so many well known chefs. The food was solid and almost everything was well executed. I particularly enjoyed this menu because I love French comfort food. Almost everything on the menu was rich and tasted just like home cooking. I have always been impressed with the service at Providence, and this time was no exception. The service was attentive and very professional, yet friendly. Overall, a lovely evening where thankfully, everyone got to enjoy their foie gras in peace. Somewhat.
Hits: duck stuffed with foie, capon consomme, wine paring, service
Misses: venison
Rating: ****
Bocuse d'Or USA Benefit Dinner
Providence Restaurant
5955 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170
http://www.providencela.com/
3 comments:
kind of daunting to walk through all those protesters no?
the food looks amazing.
I like some of that Soupe aux truffle... please
bagnatic - i was lucky cuz when i got there, there were only a few of them, and when I left, they had dispersed. Phew!
Liz - OMG truffle, foie and puff pastry. heaven
Post a Comment