Hi Garmavsfood family! How are we lovely people? You guys out there enjoying summer? Eating, drinking and living your best lives? Well I hope you are. North Sea jazz festival was freaking brilliant! The Dutch know how to throw a good festival. The acts –Ms Gladys Knight, Kamasi Washington, Jorja Smith, Janelle Monae and Ms Lauryn Hill.?!!! Chileeeee I was not ready boi! My whole life was made on Sunday 14th of July. Your girl has been out here doing the most with family and friends.
I heard of Petrus by chance, I got an email about it and didn’t really take much notice. All I knew is the association with Gordon Ramsay. Besides when I think Gordon Ramsay, I think television shows with lots of cussing and if I am being even more honest, I automatically reference Heston Blumenthal. Now no disrespect to Heston, but his establishment still leaves me slightly raw. Anyway, I searched the interweebs and found out that Petrus served French cuisine. My first reaction was oh snap! I hope it is nothing like Le Millenaire – the most uninspiring French Michelin star restaurant on the planet. Ever the optimist, I went ahead an confirmed our reservation, initially requesting an à la carte dinner. I had my doubts, i mean it was a French modern cooking! Don’t be judiging me family!
Perusing the menu, one of the items said foie gras! I could not resist asking if the Chef would do a taster menu. You are probably thinking what? just on the back of foie gras being on the menu? well yes! Not had foie gras in a while and we love us some foie gras! Larry (our head waiter) obliged and confirmed that Sous Chef Alex was more than happy to give us a taster menu. Ha! Ask and Ye shall receive, can I get an Amen?
The 7 – course taster menu, amuse bouche and dessert included, was paired with wine. We had 2 different types of snacks and soup for the chef’s introduction. The soup though? looked like a layered compote. However, it was not sweet like the dessert compote but more savoury. Both snacks were pastries filled with goodness. The first was like a miniature croquet and the second was like a biscuit with cream and slices of courgette looking vegetable. As an introduction to Chef Alex’s cooking, let me just say that from first bite, it was clear that he was not playing. As my Nigerian people will say “Chef Alex sabi’ meaning Chef Alex knows his *ish! I didn’t want to get to excited because usually amuse bouche’s are created to be delicious, I was holding out to see how the other courses were going to be.
Along came the foie gras?! And lord it has got to be the most flavourful foie gras I have eaten, and I have had a fair bit of foie gras I tell you. This one packed a punch. The foie gras was sautéed served with almonds and cherry sauce which was poured over the foie gras and almonds using a spoon. The sauce added not only the rich colour but an intense taste as well. Visually it was as delicious as it tasted. The accompanying wine was a Domaine Hauvette Petra, 2016 which was crisp and dry balancing the intense flavours.
Oooooo… we are getting warmed up now! We could hardly wait for the next dishes. Up next to take centre stage on our table was the Orkney scallop made with kombu, bacon, egg sabayon. The egg sabayon was a thick sauce forming the base for the scallop which was garnished with kombu and bacon. The soft buttery delicate taste of scallops did not take from the richness of the egg sabayon – it was a delicate dish! The Miranus Xarel-lo white wine was crisp with acidity and easy on the palate and was great with this dish.
We all know there is no fish and chips without cod fish. It is a staple which I think most of us kinda love. I mean it is slathered in batter and with ketchup plus some chunky chips, what’s not to love eh? The cod served in here was awesome too. Cornish cod with heirloom tomatoes, fennel ragout, basil penisse and lemon verbena. I was slightly hesitant about the fennel. Why? well y’all know my love / hate relationship with onions right? Fennel forms part of that family. I always turn to Neal to ask him if I like fennel? He is soo OVER it ha! Plus, I did not have to worry about the fennel, matter fact, I welcomed the fennel, the gravy sauce as well as the brundlymayer brut that accompanied this dish!
The Challans duck? PERFECT! the plums, fennel, jus? it was P E R F E C T. The pudding was the icing on the cake. The darn thing came looking like the prettiest sunflower plated up!
I remain in awe of how tasty this menu is! It is one of the few menus where each dish was an explosion of flavour in your mouth. I said to Neal, Le Millenaire need to come up here and take lessons, right? Then, Larry then invited us into the kitchen!!! I will never tire of seeing kitchens of restaurants that create the most amazing dishes or getting an autograph / signature! Let’s just say that my wall of fame is filling up nicely!
Petrus! Flavour should be your middle name!
Cheers
Ndidi & Neal
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