The Restaurant at the End of the Holiday

Well, I'm home.

After Barcelona, I had a day in Madrid, where (with the constant travel starting to get to me) I decided to eschew any sightseeing, historical investigation or other form of cultural or intellectual pursuit in favour of good old retail therapy. I spent the entire day clothes shopping. Then I got the train to Paris and did much the same thing again there.

Paris also featured two dinners of particular note: the first was a visit to Le Cinq, the restaurant of the George V (or George Cinq) Hotel. Le Cinq is one of Restaurant Magazine's World's Top 50 Restaurants, I think about number 29, so I was slumming it almost as much as when I was eating 10 cent street food in La Paz. The menu includes both light and grand degustation menus, of which the grand was nine courses and I received a copy of the menu signed by chef Philippe Legendre. The food at Le Cinq was breathtaking and the service unmatched anywhere I've ever been. All in all, the perfect meal, and a great way to end the holiday. I've put a copy of the menu at the bottom of this blog entry for any gourmands who happen to be reading.

The second meal of note was a vegetarian pizza the following night. This one was noteworthy mostly in respect of the case of gastroenteritis (or something comparable) that had me bedridden the following day. I don't think I have ever as violently physically ill in my adult life, and the vomiting and diarrhoea were so violent that I was unable to even keep water down for most of the day. The only saving grace was that I was in a hotel room rather than a hostel, as I expect the latter would have been more unpleasant by orders of magnitude for any fellow room members as well as myself.

Somehow I had managed to make it through Central and South America whilst both washing my teeth using the water, sometimes drinking the water, eating street food and hostel buffets, ordering food from roadside truckstops while travelling by bus, and then I get sick in Paris???? How the hell does that happen????

So, after an entire day lying sick and shivering and being overly acquainted with the bathroom, I headed off to London for some more shopping and to get my flight back to Sydney, and arrived home just in time for Easter.


So before I sign off, I'd just like to thank everyone who has sent me emails over the last three months, and to say how pleased I am that so many of you enjoyed the blog. I am genuinely amazed (and somewhat humbled) by how many people seem to have regularly or irregularly checked on my movements - particularly as I expected I'd be writing for an audience of about four people. Special thanks also to Will for remote IT assistance, Siobhan and Tara for accommodation in New York and London respectively, and Michelle for looking after my house for three months (and not accidentally burning the kitchen to the ground).


Now, as a parting message to you all, may I say: Get back to work!



Love, David.




From the Le Cinq menu, 14 March 2008

DEGUSTATION
The Gourmet Tasting Menu

Palm Heart from la Reunion island, Tricasting black truffle

French toast of Belon oysters and Oscetria caviar

"A la ficelle" poached leek in winter scent and black truffle

Fricassee of Dublin Bay prawns, lasagne with aged parmesan cheese

Milk-fed lamb from Pyrenees in sesame and mint cream

Roasted fillet of venison and his "gouge" with a Tricastin black truffle salad

Our <> cheese selection

Exotic fruits surprise

Manjari chocolate souffle flavoured with orange

Restaurant Magazine's Top 50 for 2007, as copied from Wikipedia

1. El Bulli, Roses, Catalonia, Spain (Best in Europe)
2. The Fat Duck, Bray-on-Thames, UK (Chef's Choice)
3. Pierre Gagnaire, Paris, France
4. The French Laundry, California, USA (Best in the Americas)
5. Tetsuya's, Sydney, Australia (Best in Australasia)
6. Bras, Laguiole, France
7. Mugaritz, San Sebastián, Spain
8. Restaurant Le Louis XV, Monaco
9. per se, New York, USA
10. Arzak, San Sebastián, Spain
11. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
12. Gambero Rosso, San Vincenzo, Italy
13. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Paris, France
14. Hof van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium
15. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark (Highest Climber)
16. Le Calandre, Padua, Italy
17. Nobu London, London, UK
18. Jean-Georges, New York, USA
19. Hakkasan, London, UK
20. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Paris, France
21. L'Astrance, Paris, France
22. Can Fabes, Sant Celoni, Catalonia, Spain
23. L'Ambroisie, Paris, France
24. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London, UK
25. Troisgros, Roanne, France
26. Le Bernardin, New York, USA
27. Martin Berasategui, San Sebastián, Spain
28. Le Gavroche, London, UK
29. Le Cinq, Paris, France
30. Charlie Trotter's, Chicago, USA
31. Dal Pescatore, Canneto sull'Oglio (Mantova), Italy
32. Daniel, New York, USA
33. Rockpool, Sydney, Australia
34. St John, London, UK
35. Chez Dominique, Helsinki, Finland
36. Alinea, Chicago, USA (Highest New Entry)
37. Bukhara, New Delhi, India (Best in Asia)
38. DOM, São Paulo, Brazil
39. Oaxen Skärgårdskrog, Oaxen, Sweden
40. Chez Panisse, Berkeley, California, USA
41. Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence, Italy
42. Cracco Peck, Milan, Italy
43. L'Arpège, Paris, France
44. River Café, London, UK
45. Oud Sluis, Sluis, Netherlands
46. Combal Zero, Rivoli (Turin), Italy
47. Le Quartier Français, Franschhoek, South Africa (Best in Mid East & Africa)
48. Taillevent, Paris, France
49. Bocuse, Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or (Lyon), France
50. Les Ambassadeurs, Paris, France