La Chevre d'Or
It is a bold statement for a bold dining experience. I had the best meal of my life (at least to date) at La Chevre D'Or in Eze, France. My husband and I decided to take on the culinary adventure for our 2nd wedding anniversary. The experience started with champagne and nibbles on the patio area. The view stretched for miles... across the mountains and out to the sea. It was like a dream. After savoring every sip of the champagne from a 2005 vintage and enjoying our little snacks we headed up to the main dining area. We were seated in a gorgeous spot where we could see all the way to the port down below. After looking over the options, we decided to go for it and get the eight course menu. We are so happy we did. Almost every single bite was new, innovative and simply delicious. The first course sounded simple. Local vegetables seasoned with vinegar and marinated with mushrooms. Every bite was fresh and invigorating. It was a great way to start the meal. The second course was actually the only disappointment of the night. Crab with shredded tomato and white balsamic vinegar was a solid dish. But it didn't stand out the way all the others did. There was very little crab and it didn't have enough seasoning. But when we got to our third course, we were in dining heaven. The mushrooms, fricassee, pigs' feet and smoked celery were on another level. The flavors were outstanding. The mushrooms were seasoned and cooked perfectly and the way they were wrapped in this velvety, white sauce was enlightening. It was my third favorite course of the night. But the absolute best bite came from the fourth course. The duck foie gras was thinly sliced and sauteed with truffle ravioli and aged parmesan. Every single bite was rich, buttery and yet delicate. The truffle ravioli and parmesan added even more intense flavors to the dish. I can't imagine a better combination of flavors. I love truffles and I love rich food! I told my husband right then and there I've never eaten anything better. The next few courses were also top notch. We dined on a filet of brill poached in lightly salted farm butter. It was simple and yet powerful. Then we had royal pigeon, roasted and smoked with celery and a black currant glaze. It was our first time to try pigeon. It was very tender and yet hearty and bold. Then we savored the Brousse Du Rove cheese with olive curd, oil and marmalade. The cheese is made from fresh, unaged goat's milk. It's soft and sweet. The sauce and dressing also provided some savory flavors, which really made the course stand out. After a couple chocolate truffles, we finally dined on the dessert course. It was my second-favorite of the night and my husband's top pick. The menu says "our version of a lemon tart." You can see from the photos above that the chef had a lot of fun with this one. When it was first presented, we were told to take the lemon slice at the very top to cleanse the palate. Instead of a real lemon slice (which it replicated so well) it was a handsome treat. Then the waiters pulled away the glass cover and gave us instructions on how to cut the lemon. At this point, my husband still believed it was a real lemon. Ha! But once we opened it up, there was a glorious cake inside full of decadent layers of white chocolate and cream. It was a blissful experience. And like all of the courses, we gobbled up every bite. Then we were offered a few extra goodies and some coffee. After about four hours, the meal of our lives was complete.
