an amazing dining experience

Today, I had a reservation at Guy Savoy - a 3 star michelin rated restaurant located in the 17th arondissment (but soon to be moving to the 6th). To say that the meal and actually the entire dining experience was fantastic - is putting it mildly.

I don't think I have ever eaten at a 3 star michelin rated restaurant (frankly, I don't know if I've eaten at a 2 star rated either) but when I started on this adventure in Paris, I promised myself to take advantage of the fine cuisine in the city - so please pardon my indulgence today.

Guy Savoy has a nondescript entrance that you could easily walk past without noticing if you didn't know what you were looking for.

We were greeted by the hostess and subsequently by two or three other waitstaff. (I went with my new friend Vanessa, who is also a recovering lawyer). As we were seated, a sommelier brought up a drink cart of aperitifs for our choice. Champagne of course!!

While we sat sipping our champagne and eating small toast points with foie gras on toothpicks, we perused the menu. I had barely started looking at the menu when the waitstaff brought a small stool to the table - and picked up my handbag and placed it on the stool - I kid you not, they made sure my bag was not on the floor. All I could think was, where am I? It just seemed unreal.

As we decided on our options, we were brought another amuse bouche from the chef, a cool soup in a bowl that resembled a double sided espresso cup - and on the other side a brilliant tuna tartar in a small pastry.

Then came the bread cart so we could choose from the various types of bread they had available today - with options on the table for butter with salt and unsalted butter. I was informed that the seaweed bread I chose would be better with salted butter. A few minutes after we buttered our bread - one of the waitstaff took the butter dish and replaced it with one that had not been use - I have never experienced anything like that before (and may never again) - but it was definitely an insight into the way the other half lives.

Next, we arrived a tiny and incredibly sweet plate of baby peas on a puree of same with a few drops of veal stock and excellent olive oil, a poached quail's egg that the waiter teasingly slit open with the point of his knife and a light scattering of mustard cress. It was delightful.

Vanessa and I both ordered one of the specialities of the house as our entree (appetizer) - artichoke and black truffle soup - it was sublime - and made even more so by being served with mushroom brioche - fresh and warm, buttered with truffle butter - which by the way, the waiters buttered for you.

We asked the waiter to choose our glasses of wine and he suggested a wonderful fruity yet substantive pinot noir - it complemented both my pigeon dish and Vanessa's chicken really well. This was followed by the cheese cart - we chose five different cheeses assisted by the waiter responsible for the cheeses (seriously). Even though we shared a dessert, it was not just the strawberry - I don't even know what to call it - it and served in a glass dish, on top of which was fine strawberry sorbet, with cubes of cooked strawberries around the side - I don't think I ever really appreciated the strawberry before, and a bit of chocolate ganache (we agreed that any more would have been too much chocolate), but also the earl grey sorbet and a tiny, delicious sample of a subtle apple tart ("tarte fine", on a very thin puff pastry, with apple sauce and then very thin apple slices on top, lots of butter and sugar involved in proportion to the apple - but it was fanatasic. We were also offered ice creams and marshmallows and options from a dessert cart.
This for me, was a dining experience like no other. There was not a thing I could have wanted that was not offered to me - including offering to call us a taxi, however after a 3 hour lunch, a walk was in order.

I apologize for the numerous pictures (and I was quite embarrassed as I took them) but to see the food is the only way to do the entire experience justice.