(this is a quick post regarding my meal during Oct 2006.)

I thought Senderens might be a decent diversion from the formal dinners that were planned for the remainder of the trip. A former 3-star chef takes off his suit and throws on a pair of jeans so to say – Alain Senderens changed the format of his Lucas Carton restaurant from a formal 3-star restaurant to a more fluid, less formal restaurant the allows him to let loose. It sounded like a good idea at the time.

1. Cream Foie w/ Basil & Olive Oil
Layered in a shot glass, cold foie @ bottom, warm basil, and an olive oil foam. Instant impact, this is what one expects/wants from an amuse bouche – this might turn out to be a great meal indeed. Very Good.

2. Clam Ravioli w/ Citrus Butter & Thyme
I’m not a huge clam fan but I am a sucker for delicate pastas. The past was very delicate, cooked perfectly, with a creamy beginning followed by what could be described as a slight ocean breeze. The citrus gave it just a touch of brightness. Very Good.

3. Veal & Langostine w/ Vermicelli
French langostines are a must-order and this combination looked quite interesting. Both were cut very thinly, laid on top of each other, with lemon, onion, parmesan, and horseradish. The meats complemented each other, the horseradish gave it some kick, and the vermicelli added some much needed texture. However, it became overkill after a few bites – this would be much better as an appetizer – where’s Thomas Keller’s culinary theory of diminishing returns when you need him? Good.

4. Fried Shrimp w/ Anchovy Mayo
A “what were they thinking” dish – greasy, puffy batter, completely overcooked shrimp, served on top of more greasy/puffy fried vegetables. This lacked all finesse, any refinement, but not grease. It’s hard to figure out which was worse – the execution or the conception. Bad.

5. Risotto w/ Cepes
A fine risotto, nothing offensive, but it was by no means a perfect risotto. Good.

6. Variety of Ice Creams
Vanilla, dark chocolate, ginger, lychee – all soft, nice texture – the ginger in particular was great – an essence of ginger. Good.

7. Rhubarb Compote
A compote of actual rhubarb stalks, not very sweet, I actually liked this. It’s too rare you find a dessert than isn’t drowned in sugar. Good.

Overall, the menu is a minefield. There are some gems and if you’re familiar w/ Senderens’ cuisine, you could probably order correctly. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to sample Senderns’ cuisine in its prime so I was forced to take the bad with the good. You can’t take shortcuts – this meal exemplifies the need to try a chef’s cuisine at his prime in his prime location – the cheaper outposts are cheaper for a reason.

Given the choices in Paris, I probably wouldn’t repeat but I think you could have a very good meal here if you knew what you were doing.

- chuck