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2011-12-11
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After much anticipation, went to the Krug Room for our annual Christmas celebration. The room overlooks the kitchen for the room and the Mandarin Grill, where Chef Uwe works his magic. The host explained that in face, there are seven chef dedicated exclusively to preparing the foods we were to eat tonight and we could watch the work from our dining table.The restaurant (really, an offshoot of the Mandarin Grill), features a set menu of 12-14 courses. We found the restaurant was very accommoda
The restaurant (really, an offshoot of the Mandarin Grill), features a set menu of 12-14 courses. We found the restaurant was very accommodating to one of our guests who had some food allergies and they provided alternative dishes that were similar to the ones the rest of us had, but without the problem ingredients.
Of course Krug is the featured beverage and the set menus all include some of the famous bubbly.
I won't cover every course but highlight some of the more interesting ones:The amuse bouche was a 'peanut' consisting of white chocolate with a filling of caviar. Sounds unusual but was an interesting taste combination with the briny caviar mixing with the sweet chocolate. The dish reminded me much of the 'twists' on simple foods done at Spain's famous El Bulli.
The first course was a "lox and bagel". Honestly, this one didn't work for me. The bagel was actually a doughnut but again with salmon and layered on top of a bed of cream cheese. Certainly tasted good, but didn't much special with this dish.
Next came a 'salad', which was a deconstructed salad with a plate of various ingredients served separately: italian dried ham, balik salmon, semi-cooked duck egg yolk, freeze-dried cheese, and vegetables. The dish is served also with a small crudite plate with what was described as a garden with 'soil' made from avocado (I think). The idea was to mix the vegetables from the 'garden', including the 'soil', with the ingredients on the plate. Again, some unusual taste combinations although the mixture wasn't so visually appealing once you mixed it all together. Separately though, it was beautiful.
Later came a course served in a peel-top tin. Inside however was anything but processed food: a perfectly cooked langoustine with a foamy sauce made from curry. Fantastic. The langoustine was juicy and sweet and went perfectly with the curry.
Next came a "lobster bolognese", which is exactly what it sounds like. Chopped brittany lobster with a tomato-based sauce. Instead of being served over pasta, it was served over a few fried potatoes as well as a shelled lobster claw. Very nice, although I'm not a fan of combining stronger tastes with lobster, which to me is a delicate shellfish that can easily stand on its own.
Next came what for me, was the highlight of the night: "macaroni and cheese". This was again a deconstructed version of the classic home-style dish. A single canneloni tube was placed on top of a bed of freeze-dried cheeses, and the canneloni was covered with a pile of shaved black truffles. THEN, the waiter poured warm, liquified cheese (almost a bechemel sauce) on top. The warm sauce reconstituted the freeze dried cheeses and brought out the fragrance of the black truffles. AWESOME!
The "main" course was described as a 'microwave dinner'. It was similar to a bento box with several small portions of a complete meal. The was a braised beef cheek, some 'peas' (which were actually small, green colored gnocci), a piece of sous vide prepared US wagyu beef, and a small 'baked potato'. The entire thing was drizzled by the waier with beef juice gravy with black truffle.One small gimmick, is that the "foil" wrapping the baked potato was actually edible. I wasn't able to figure out if it was gold leaf or some other substance but was interesting.
The dish tasted good, but a little too ordinary for me. On the night, this was one of the weakest dishes I felt.
Then came the desserts. There were three or four dessert courses, all beautifully presented. However, the highlight, and one of the things the restaurant is famous for, is their 'Krug on the Moon'. They clear the dishes and layout a silicone mat. The chefs then build the dessert right on top of the table. I guess its supposed to represent the surface of the moon, but its just a mish-mash of different taste and textures. It looks funny but worked for me. Creative and delicious.
On the whole, it was an interesting experience. The food was beautifully prepared and presented. My one gripe is that in their interest to create haute-cuisine "comfort food", they may have made it a little too ordinary at this price. However, I do feel the restaurant is worthy of the acclaim they're receiving and it should be on everyone's list to try at least once.As all the set menus include Krug champagne, the price tag is not cheap. But, if you enjoy fine champagne, in a beautiful surrounding, you should definitely try the Krug Room.
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