It was a great pleasure to meet and chat with Chef Eric Trochon the other night.
And even more so to enjoy some of the dishes that have helped to elevate him to a) MOF status — that's Meilleur Ouvrier de France, one of the highest accolades given to craftsmen, especially chefs working in the long tradition of French cuisine; and b) one of the luminaries of the Paris "bistronomie" movement, which is bridging the gap between bistro and haute with creativity, heart and soul.
Chef Trochon is currently in residence at Girandole in the Park Hyatt Hotel — though only through tomorrow (Saturday May 11th is his last evening) — where he's offering two parallel menus, taken from his Paris restaurant Semilla.
1) "traditional", in which he takes old favourites — you could even call them comfort foods — and elevates them to fine-dining status; and 2) "modern", in which he takes classic dishes and gives them a few taste tweaks
Here's a run-down of those two menus, starting with:
• Foie gras chaud, pulpe d’artichaut à la vanille, bouillon d’artichaut / Pan-seared foie gras, artichoke puree with vanilla, warm artichoke broth
• Saumon mariné au cumin, bière blanche navet croquant vodka, condiment œufs raifort / Marinated salmon with cumin, white beer jelly, crunchy turnips infused with vodka, egg yolk horseradish condiment
• St Jacques d’Hokkai, pousse d’épinard, bouillon coco et curry / Roasted Hokkai scallops, sauteed spinach, coconut-curry bouillabaisse
• Epaule de porc, oignons rôti, jus gras et polenta blanche / Pork shoulder, roasted onion, aromatic jus, white polenta
• Créme prise, café blanc, baba bouchon, liqueur de citron / Coffee pannacotta, lemon marmalade, limoncello baba
• Riz au lait, “Dulcé de leche” / Rice pudding, “Dulce de leche”
And the highlights? For me it was the St. Jacques scallops; and the coffee pannacotta with the little ball of limoncello-infused baba on top! Wonderful!
Many thanks Chef!
Apparently his last evening is officially a sell-out, but there are likely to be a few tables for late sittings. Call the restaurant for the latest status; here's the website…
