Fairy Dust on Crack: aka Lobster Risotto

My friend, Gulliver, has been wanting to make a trip to France, Andorra, and Monaco for awhile now.  The stars finally all aligned and she was able to get up here from North Africa at a time when it was feasible for me to make the Andorra leg of the trip with her.  thecamelridingcowgirl joined in the travel party for one last hurrah with me before she leaves France this next week.  We drove halfway on Friday night to break up the drive a bit.

By the time we arrived at our hotel (since we waited to leave until after work), it was pretty late, and we were famished.  We asked our hotel receptionist if she could recommend a restaurant in the area.  Without asking what kind of food we wanted or our price range, she looked up a place on the internet and sent us on our way to le Yucca.

I joked that I hoped it wasn't yucky.  Hardy har har.

The parking lot was empty.  Not a good sign for a restaurant at 9pm on a Friday night.  We went inside, and it was also empty.  I'm not exaggerating (as I am prone to do)--there were absolutely no customers.  

A hostess approached us and explained that they were booked completely full for the next two days, and in order to prepare for that, they were closed for the evening.  She asked how we'd found their restaurant and we told her our small story.  She apologized, gave us a card, and told us that if we were ever in Perpignan again, to be sure to visit them.

We went back out to the car, discussing what we ought to do for dinner at that point.  thecamelridingcowgirl and I are pretty accustomed to good eatin's on our travels, so McDonald's seemed like a let-down at this point.  While we were discussing it, the hostess ran back out into the parking lot to talk us.  "I spoke with the chef, and he would pleased to cook for you this evening, if you'd still like to dine with us."

We all three looked at each other in shock.  This is unheard of in France!  We were so honored by the niceness, that we agreed without any discussion...or knowledge of what we were getting into!  By the time we were given a menu, we knew we were committed and there was no turning back...despite the price or type of cuisine.

I won't show the photo of the menu, but let's just say: this was the most expensive meal I've ever had in my life.  And absolutely one of the most delicious, that was worth every single penny.  

Course #1: small cracker appetizers.

Course #2: Smoked Scottish salmon with a frozen marshmallow soaked in citrusy yumminess, topped with a violet flower.  Whoever thought to put a marshmallow with salmon was a genius.

Course #3:  Fig stuffed foie gras with kumquat chutney served on dried fruits and nut bread.  This just got real.  I used to say that the best foie gras I'd ever had was the one that the Wise family wife had made...but she just got beat.  I hate it when homemade is no longer winner, but fig stuffed anything is going to win with me any day.  Kumquat anything is also going to win.  The two together?  Winner winner chicken foie gras dinner.

Course #4: Lobster risotto with asparagus tips and a sauce made of some item that I have no idea what it means because every translator I've put it into doesn't even recognize the word.  At one point, I asked, "What is IN this?!" Gulliver responded, "Fairy dust and cocaine."  That's just how good this was: fairy dust on crack, served in a white top hat bowl, displayed to look like a dancing crustacean.  I can't even make this stuff up.  If I ever get a tattoo (which I won't), it'll have two words: lobster risotto.  This will be served at the Wedding Banquet of the Lamb in heaven, mark my words.

Course #5: The traditional cheese course was anything but traditional.  They'd taken a soft goat cheese from the Catalan region called Mato, and then creamed and frozen it like ice cream.  They served it over a white chocolate cookie crumble, with a syrup (like maple syrup) from a local Pyranees tree called the Canigou.  When the waiter asked me if I enjoyed it, I replied, "I'm dead.  I've died and gone to heaven."  He laughed and said it wasn't possible, since there was still heaven left to be had with dessert.  "It must be the 7th heaven, then!" I joked, and he said he would be the angel to take me there.  I love when the French get jovial.

Course #6: Before bringing out our desserts, they brought us the fanciest sporks we'd ever seen.  In fact, I've never seen one of these outside of the US, nor one that was not plastic.

The dessert was a sort of creme brûlée and a chocolate orange cake that just blessed my heart.  I might have even said, "God bless me!" to which thecamelridingcowgirl replied, "I think He already has..."  When the waiter returned, I told him I was plum out of words.  (Okay, I didn't say "plum" out of words in French, because they'd look at me like I was plum crazy.  I embellish for your entertainment.)

Course #7: (which I didn't get a photo of) was just a lovely decaf espresso.  Perfect ending...except the experience wasn't over.

As if the evening had not been completely splendid already, the chef came out to greet us (another thing I've never had happen before).  As we began talking with him, we learned that he is a Master Chef here in France, and this year, he was selected as 1 of 8 to represent France at the Master Chef conference in the US back in March.  What?!  We just were privately served by one of the top chef's in France?!  Yeah we were!

He gave us a gift of the book listing all the master chefs and their restaurants for France as a parting gift.  I wish I could have gotten our picture taken with him, but I was so nervous with not knowing the protocol of talking to the chef that I didn't want to seem like the cheesy tourist that I am.

It was one of the most delicious and memorable meals I've ever had in my life.  All I would say for days was "lobster risotto."  It was the perfect ending to an already wonderful day, and the perfect beginning to an awesome weekend to come.  Stay tuned for more...

P.S.  All photos were taken by Gulliver, as I forgot both my camera and my phone charger.  There's a first for everything...