MUMI's the Word! - Wednesday, 3 October

Today’s lunch was at MUMI, a new spot (open 15 months) that the always-insightful John Talbott has blogged about three times this year!  So I just had to try it.  Besides, it’s about 4 blocks from the apartment!

I was the second party to arrive, just after they opened at noon.  Within about 30 minutes the place was almost full.  It’s lovely and comfortable and friendly and quiet!  And, of course, the food was great.

I went with the four-course prix fixe (both appetizers, the main and dessert).  With a glass of a very nice 2016 Domaine des Sarrins Blanc de Rolle (a white wine from the Var area of Provence, having a medium-heavy viscosity and a round aromatic fresh essence of white fruits and almonds), the house sparkling water, and a coffee, my total came to 61.50 euros (about $73).  Score!

Two amuse bouche – a beautifully carved radish with salmon eggs and a subtle hint of mustard, and two Parmesan cookies sandwiched together with some red bell pepper purée. (It was served on a decorative bed of green coffee beans, not to be eaten, my server pointed out!)

Very tasty crusty sourdough bread with the best olive oil I’ve ever had, served in a test tube.  The oil (Domaine des Bastidettes) is made in very small quantities from 13 varieties of olives by a small firm in Arles – its beautifully balanced, complex, peppery flavors hit every part of your palate, and it’s not at all bitter.  Wow.  The host brought me a can to photograph.  Now all I need to do is find some before I leave town!

My first course – wonderful mackerel tartare (intensely flavored, oily but not overpowering given the lemon juice used to cure it) with three blanched small mussels (sweet, pure, tender – marvelous), sea asparagus (samphire), ice plant leaves, herbs, flowers, and halved mini cucumbers (about the size of an olive!), under a foam of undetermined origin!



My second first course – a one-inch slice of cauliflower roasted with Indian spices, cold cauliflower “cous cous” (from the core I believe, very finely chopped and lightly dressed), cauliflower purée, kumkwats, dates two ways (puréed and cut in small chunks - brilliant!), daikon, olives, and hazelnuts. Lots going on here, but it was subtle and it worked!




My main – roasted Pollock fish (a relative of the cod, quite firm, very flavorful) with orange segments, orange cream, orange foam, roasted young carrots, lentils from the Champagne region, braised baby leeks, some dollops of a fresh cheese (maybe fromage blanc mixed with yogurt – it had a bit of zing), and anise flowers (yum!)



For dessert, thin slices of Genoese sponge layered with blueberry confit and pastry cream, served with cream cheese ice cream, sablé cookie crumbles, meringue cigarettes and candied lime zest.



And then a “last bite” – lemon mousse and raspberry puree in a tiny crispy pate brisée "saucer."



Espresso with very fine natural sugar crystals


The host asked me how I heard about them.  I said from John Talbott's blog.  He said, oh yes, John was here again last week!  Phooey!  I keep hoping to run into him somewhere!