Tomorrow is Bastille Day and I am so excited to celebrate it with Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa at Signatures Restaurant!
In anticipation, here’s a snippet of my last visit to Signatures, where I had the opportunity to meet – and eat an incredible meal made by – Chef Éric Briffard, Michelin-starred Executive Chef & Culinary Art Director of Le Cordon Bleu Paris (and also the former Executive Chef at my favourite hotel ever, George V Paris)! In addition to receiving two-Michelin-star rankings at two Parisian restaurants, Briffard has won numerous other awards, such as the coveted title of Meilleurs Ouvriers de France as a recognition of his craftsmanship, and Paris’s Grand Vermeil medal, that city’s highest distinction.
As expected, the meal was absolutely exquisite and the experience unforgettable.
The meal started with spot prawn and potato in shrimp broth with parmesan shortbread and gougères au Gruyère. The salt of the “breads” paired wonderfully with the sweetness of the shrimp. A generous amuse-bouche, this whet my appetite and had me wanting more.
Next came an oyster course (and possibly my favourite course!). This indulgent trio consisted of a raw oyster topped with a seafood chip, an oyster-vegetable tian and oyster gelée with sturgeon caviar, delicately placed in a pool of asparagus milk with licorice. The flavours were exquisite – a fabulous medley of some of the finest ingredients in the culinary world.
Duck, foie gras, and popcorn are some of my favourite foods EVER – and they were all on one plate at the same time! Featured here is seared duck foie gras with popped corn and pepper purée “confetti”. The plating and contrasting textures made this a fun dish to eat.
Very much to my delight, seafood continued with Quebec lobster (claw, tail and head) poached in vin jaune, with kumquat, bok choy, and sea asparagus. I read that Vin Jaune is actually white wine that is made in the Jura region of eastern France. It is like an unfortified dry sherry. The lobster was melt-in-your-mouth tender, the veggies crisp and refreshing (I think that sea asparagus is my new favourite vegetable?). The sauce was so delicious that I actually mopped it up with freshly baked baguette.
Milk-fed, seared and then slow-roasted into tender goodness would describe the veal chop from the meat dish. Apricot and verbena added sweetness and acidity, while potato fondant and chanterelles added a rich earthiness.
We were spoiled with TWO desserts!!!!!! The first was an Iranian black lemon sorbet with a silky Earl Grey foam. According to my research, black lemons are actually dried limes with a unique sweet-tart flavour that isn’t comparable to anything else. The tanginess of the sorbet with the sweetness of of the foam was invigorating, especially after five other courses!
The second dessert, strawberries and flourless chocolate torte, was hidden under tuile topped with lemongrass black currant pepper ice cream on top of a crisp tuile cookie. The presentation was inventive and the taste followed the sweet-salty-tart flavours of the rest of the meal.
But wait! There was more! We finished the night with espresso and almond madeleines, a little mignardise to say farewell.
The meal and experience was made a little more wonderful when I had the opportunity to meet the Chef. It was such an honour to meet him and to tell him how much I enjoyed his meal. I hope to visit Le Cordon Bleu in Paris one day soon!
Thank you very much to Signatures Restaurant and Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa for this amazing experience.