So I heard that chef Laurent Quenioux left Bistro K (see our wonderful old entries: here, here), taking his creative fusion French tasting menu with him. I read that Bistro K is now traditional French. Few weeks ago we got an email annoucement that Quenioux’d guest chef at Los Feliz’s Vermont Restaurant for four nights. They host Guest Chef Dinners on Tuesday and Wednesday occasionally. So we RSVP immediately.
I’ve never been to Vermont before. Seems like most of the older patrons got the courses menu (they came for Laurent Quenioux like us?). Very good bread~
No doubt, we got the $80 Six Course pre fix Dinner
($120 with wine pairing):
1st: Venison tartar – soy sauce gel, quail egg and sea urchin. The soy sauce gel managed to contrast the sea urchin to bring out its amazing sweetness. We pour the raw quail egg on top of the venison tartar, very good!
2nd: Halibut Cheek – lobster saffron infusion, zucchini blossom, and pork blood sausage. The lobster sauce is a bit too salty (without other flavor/texture to counter-balance). Pork Blood sausage is hot and melty~
3rd: Diver Sea Scallops – oxtail jus, liquorice powder, slivers of foie gras and corn flakes. Silky smooth and rich foie gras, alright on the scallop (jumbo ones tend to be more rough texture) and very tasty oxtail. Yet the true shinning ingredient is the supporter cast: liquorice powder. It compliment and even enhance the foie gras and left you a wonderfully golden, minty sweet aftertaste that lingers on and on.
4th: Kid Goat Salad – marinated and served with beet millefeuille. Not much impression.
5th: Lamb Loin stuffed with roasted pistachio, turmeric and coriander jus, roasted pasilla chiles, very spiced and Moroccan flair. The lamb is tender.
6th: Dessert. Forgot to write down what it is. It is so riched with aroma and flavor of Jasmine tea, very good!
I can’t wait to find out what chef Laurent Quenioux will be up to. A rumored new restaurant in Hollywood area?
The first dish is so Japanese! What is the green dip for the bread? Portion looks small, were you full?
$80 sounds expensive, but wine-pairing for $40 is quite a value! In Japan wine usually costs as much as the food.
where *is* laurent quenioux now, anybody know???
thanks!
Hi harper, we’re not sure what’s next for Laruent Quenioux, but he’s having another guest chef night at Vermont restaurant on july 8th and 9th. Anyone who’s interested should check out! The six course dinner sound amazing:
Uni and Oyster
Warm sea urchin tapioca pudding, oyster in yuzu martini, Scented green tea paper stirrer
John Dory Beignet
Razor clams, porcini mushroom in duck fat, last of the season white asparagus,
Langoustine
Poached bone marrow and nopales, Spanish chorizo
And rabbit albondigas