OK, this is reaching way back into the mists of time, but I just wanted to include in my blog a writeup of the best meal I've ever had. Back in 2001 I wasn't taking photos of every course, but I was taking notes! And here are. Sadly, Lucas Carton downgraded their fare and décor, and they lost two of their Michelin stars, but the memories linger.
Lucas Carton, 9, place de la Madeleine 75008 Their current website: https://www.lucascarton.com/ And Michelin's 2023 writeup: https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/ile-de-france/paris/restaurant/lucas-carton
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For my aperitif I had my favorite Kir Royale (champagne with a little Crème de Cassis). This was the most delicious one I've had…not sweet like many of them, but clean and clear and fruity. The amuse-bouche that was served while I was studying the menu was a tiny bowl of delicious oyster soup (a couple oysters, shallots, crème fraîche, white wine, vegetable stock) and a little oval toast with some diced white vegetable on top (possibly white eggplant). Small individual baguettes were brought throughout the meal as needed.
For the first course they made a wreath of large watercress leaves on a plate. Inside the ring was a pool of warm creamy polenta containing small dice of truffles. On top were two very large (about 2-inch diameter -- I would have loved to see the truffle from which these came!!!) 3/16-inch slices of black truffle. The plate was drizzled with a little bit of very ancient balsamic vinegar (I'm guessing about 50 years old) and a few drops of oil. The aroma rising off the truffles warmed by the polenta almost made me cry and certainly sent me into a state of prayerful thanksgiving…such a deep, earthy, pure, dusky aroma is almost impossible to imagine. The contrasts of texture and flavor and acidity all worked brilliantly. This course was served with a glass of 1985 Champagne Dom Perignon (white and red fruit flavors, a little exotic fruits flavor, a little toast flavor, tiny bubbles) -- absolutely brilliant!
The second course consisted of two very large, sweet, perfectly seared scallops, each topped with a slice of truffle (about 1-inch diameter by 1/8-inch thick). It was sitting in a pool of a shellfish sauce that also contained thin slices of truffle. In the center of the plate was a mound of smoky-tasting (as if they had been roasted or grilled), quite salty braised leek julienne…I haven't figured out how they made the leeks both smoky and braised. This was served with a special tiny truffle baguette. Again, astonishingly fresh ingredients (the scallops were the purest I've ever tasted) and harmonious contrasts and intoxicating aromas sent me to another world! The wine for this course was a 1990 Domaine Bonneau du Martray (white and exotic fruit flavors with a touch of vanilla).
Chicken and truffles were the theme for the third course, but oh such chicken! The breasts of a Bresse chicken were removed from the bone and roasted to perfection. They were placed around a ring of rice (which had been packed into a Savarin mold); in the center of the ring was the diced leg and thigh meat of the chicken, perfectly seasoned. This was all sitting in a pool of salty reduced chicken stock to which crème fraîche had been added. Truffle shavings were liberally scattered all over the dish along with splashes of chicken stock foam. The wine was a 1969 (!) de Meursault 1st cru which again tasted of white and red fruits but also had more pronounced flavors of apricot, honey, brioche and flowers. It had a thicker viscosity and higher alcohol content than the previous wines and was a little sweeter.
Dessert was mint meringue with ice cream and cookies. The plate was covered with a bed of shaved ice that was sprinkled with mint julienne. Large thin (about 1/8-inch) triangles of perfectly white, perfectly dry, melt-in-your-mouth mint-pepper meringue (I still haven't figured out how they infused the egg whites with the mint) separated three oval scoops of faintly licorice ice cream. Placed on top of all this was a piece of caramelized sugar lace. It was brought with a small silver tray containing large blanched almond and roasted pistachio tuile cookies, tiny chocolate cannelé cakes and a round crisp nougatine with dried exotic fruits on top. The wine was a 1995 de Rivesaltes Domaine Cazes (a late-harvest taste, a viscosity almost like port, with caramel flavor and color). As with all the previous courses, dessert presented the now-almost-jaded palate with more delightful surprises and contrasts and pleasures.
Perfect very hot, very caramel-tasting coffee came with a silver pedestal tray containing petit four -- chocolate-covered candied orange peel, chocolate-ginger mousse logs rolled in powdered sugar and creamy caramel triangles enrobed in chocolate.
The visual and auditory pleasures of the restaurant were glorious. Plates were white porcelain with an asymmetric platinum iris leaf motif. Sterling silverware was very heavy, with a chunky natural iris flower motif. The little silver bread and dessert trays had handles or pedestals with this same iris motif. The melodious chime of crystal stemware clinking on the waiters' trays was delightful. The tables were set just far enough apart, and the restaurant was divided into enough little sections, to make other guests' conversations and laughter unobtrusive. The original art nouveau wood and glass interior was stunning -- very organic shapes of leaves, vines, ivy, thistles and flowers were carved into the light brown/honey colored wood (chestnut?) pillars, wainscoting, framing for the leaded glass panels, etc.
The waiters were very attentive and helpful; although they spoke mostly French, there was one English-speaking waiter who was always available to help me. Without obviously watching my every move, they seemed to know when I needed more water or bread, when I had a question, when I was finished, when I needed my table moved to get out to make a trip to the restroom, etc. The overall effect of my 3-hour dinner was contentment, warmth, grace, harmony, peace, pleasure, humor and completeness. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
