加载中…Sofitel Wanda Beijing
(2008-09-02 14:16:12)
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杂谈 |
Sofitel Wanda Beijing(2)
English
Version: Randy Lee Svendsen
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The Wine List: A black
book, 2 inches thick with gold lettering of a bunch of grapes and
the words “Carte Des Vins” on the cover, is an imposing
introduction to what promises to be an interesting list of wines
within. Introductory notes state “Fine bubbles of
Champagne, notes light and full of flowers of a Riesling, silky of
a famous Bordeaux, France gives a renowned wine diversity across
the world. Effervescent, sumptuous,
liqueur-like…the wealth of French wines allows a lot of
weddings. By preparing our wine list, we liked to
make you discover or to rediscover the big diversity which gives
the French vineyard by inviting you to in a ballade fond of good
food of exception.” This list begins with an
assortment of before dinner cocktails. The first
group is a choice of 4 Champagne cocktails, including the famous
French 75 made from Champagne, Gin, triple Sec, and lemon
juice. These are followed by 14 classic mixed
drinks we have all heard of before. These
refreshing libations are all available at RMB 168, followed by 2
soft cocktails at RMB 80. The wine list itself is
a very nice selection of 296 wines, all but one from
France. It begins with wines be the glass, and
the first group is Champagne & Sparkling
Wines. Here we have a Green Point sparkling wine
from Australia at RMB 58, followed by 3 from Champagne, a nice
Philipponat Reserve Rose at RMB 130, a Moet &
Chandon Brut at RMB 130, and a Gosset Brut Grande Reserve at RMB
220. Next are 8 white wines from Alsace, Burgundy, Rhone Valley,
and Loire Valley priced between RMB 80 for a 2005 Coteaux Du Layon
from Loire Valley and RMB 270 for a 2001 Puligny Montrachet from
Burgundy. Finally, there are 7 red wines from
Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley priced from RMB 110 to
140. Having 19 good wines available by the glass
gives the single diner enough choices that pairing the wines with
food is easily accomplished. Furthermore, the
single diner is not required to buy a whole bottle of wine. I found
this list of wines by the glass to be excellent.
The next section has 28 very nice options of Champagne to choose
from ranging in price from RMB 618 for a Philipponat Brut Royale
Reserve to 5,360 for a 1985 Krug. Going through
this list, I feel the prices are reasonable for these good
Champagne offerings, especially at such a fine French
restaurant. Although the usual houses are
represented, I was happy to see several less often seen choices
from Gosset, Duval LeRoy, Philipponat, Perle D’Ayala, Deutz,
Drappier, and Krug. The next grouping is Rose and
White Wines representing Provence, Burgundy, Alsace, Bordeaux,
Sauternes, Loire Valley, Rhone Valley, Cotes Du Luberon, Cotes Du
Ventoux, Vin De Pays D’oc, Languedoc, and Vin Du Sud
Ouest. This is a truly excellent selection of 79
fine French white wines across many varietals, regions, and price
levels. This is, of course, followed by the Red
Wines representing Loire Valley, all regions of Bordeaux,
Beaujolais, Burgundy, Buzet, Minervois, Corbieres, Languedoc, Vin
Du Sud Ouest, Cotes Du Ventoux, Cotes Du Roussillon, Rhone Valley,
Coteaux Du Tricastin, and Alsace. Again, 85
excellent choices at reasonable prices from RMB 350 through the
usual mid-range of prices, and topping out at RMB 49,200 for a 1988
Chateau Petrus. The most expensive wines on any
good wine list are usually from Chateau Petrus. I
must admit that I have never been lucky enough to taste
it. I was also happy to see 2 half bottles
offered from Bordeaux at RMB 350, another benefit for the single
diner who prefers wines from Bordeaux, but not a full
bottle. Finally, at the end of the wine list are
4 familiar after dinner cocktails. I have to say
that this wine list is reason enough to come back to LE PRÉ
LENÔTRE. I do look forward to exploring its
offerings further.
The Menu: The cover of
this menu is made from an ivory colored textured cardboard with a
raised square in the middle with the restaurant logo in gold
centered within. Complementing this gold accent is the same color
as the pale gold twisted rope and tassel binding the menu
together. The 8 pages inside are the same color
but smooth with polished flecks scattered all over the
surface. The cover page says MENU in the center
and FREDERIC MEYNARD CHEF DE CUISINE centered at the
bottom. Inside, the first page describes the
Menu Decouverte Du Pre, which is a 3 course set menu offered
for RMB 480 or 680 with selected wines. The first
course is The Duckling, thin sliced with beef consommé with ginger,
and herbs ravioli. Following is The Brittany
Lobster, cooked in cocotte, “Paimpol” bean with truffle, and
rougail juice with rosemary. The meal is finished
off with The Coffee “Robusta”, on a biscuit with dry fruit
mascarpone cream and thin layers of chocolate
milk. The next page offers the Menu
Degustation Du Pre for RMB 888 or 1238 accompanied by wine
selections. This is a 7 course set menu that the
chef recommends be served for the whole table so everyone receives
their servings at the same time. It begins with
The Duck Liver, pan-fried with shitake and chestnut, spring onion
“Royale”, and lemongrass emulsion. The next
course is The Dublin Bay Prawn, as a ravioli with aromatic herb,
buttery cooked cabbage with truffle and crustacean
juice. This is followed by The Cod Fish, studded
with smoked salmon, eggplant marmalade with spices and “Poutargue”
cappuccino. The meat course is The Lamb, oriental
style preserved shoulder and grilled rack with thyme, garlic cream,
and ceps mushroom risotto. Next is The French
Cheese Selection, which begins the transition to sweeter
desserts. This is followed by The Rose and
Hibiscus, strawberry zephyr accompanied by lemon
yogurt. The final course is The Chocolate
“Sensation”, caramel emulsion, chocolate cream, cocoa sherbet
“Grand Cru” chocolate millefeuille.
The remaining 5 pages are Ala Carte offerings,
beginning with Appetizers priced at between RMB 148 and
168:
Smoked Salmon and Caviar, with small potato
waffle and sour cream with dill.
The Goose Liver, medium cooked with spices,
fruit chutney, and toasted brioche bread with
mendicants.
The Crab, with acidulated apple and avocado
flavored with coriander and citrus.
The Duck Liver, pan-fried with shitake and
chestnut, spring onion “Royale”, and lemongrass
emulsion.
Next are Soups
at:
The Duckling, thin sliced with beef consommé
with ginger, and herbs ravioli. RMB
110
Scallop and Oyster “Speciale”, in “Espelette”
chili perfumed broth with young garden leaves.
RMB 138
Main Course Fish and
Shellfish:
The Dublin Bay Prawn, as a ravioli with
aromatic herb, buttery cooked cabbage with truffle and crustacean
juice. RMB 268
The Sea Bass, pan-fried with virgin olive oil,
broad bean mashed and vegetable fondant, and Burgundy red wine
reduction. RMB 238
The Cod Fish, studded with smoked salmon,
eggplant marmalade with spices and “Poutargue”
cappuccino.
The Lobster, cooked in cocotte, “Paimpol” bean
with truffle, and rougail juice with rosemary.
RMB 568
Main Course
Meat:
The Lamb, oriental style preserved shoulder and
grilled rack with thyme, garlic cream, and ceps mushroom
risotto. RMB 268
The Pork Head, slowly cooked with spices,
potato fondant and kromesky, and young vegetables with
truffle. RMB 248
The Saddle of Rabbit, stuffed with mustard seed
and comte cheese, penette and green asparagus, with crisps of
smoked bacon. RMB
248
Kobe Beef, pan-fried, macaroni with truffle and
parmesan cheese, and small stuffed green in
juice. RMB 588
Sweets offered for RMB 98 to
118:
The Chestnut, on a crunchy meringue with puffed
rice, chestnut cream and whiskey ice
cream.
The Rose and Hibiscus, strawberry zephyr
accompanied by lemon yogurt.
The Chocolate “Sensation”, caramel emulsion,
chocolate cream, cocoa sherbet “Grand Cru” chocolate
millefeuille.
The Rhubarb, strawberry compote, puff pastry
filled with almond cream and iced
“calisson”.
The Dark Chocolate, soufflé dark chocolate tart
with Grand Marnier with sweet and cheesy
sherbet.
The Coffee “Robusta”, on a biscuit with dry
fruit mascarpone cream and thin layers of chocolate
milk.
For my dinner, I decided to choose 4 courses
from the Ala Carte menu, all of which are described
above. Elsa delivered the bread, which is baked
on site and offered in either hard or soft style.
I tried one of each with the fine French butter offered either
salted or sweet. Finishing my Champagne with the
bread and butter, I looked forward to my next glass of
wine. I was well cared for all night by Audrey
Hellio, Le Pré Lenôtre Manager, who personally selected all my
wines by the glass, and her staff Hubert Hou, Teo Wei, Daniel Jing,
and a trainee from a hotel school in Switzerland, Jean-Patrick
Lizot. Audrey brought my first wine, a 2004
COTEAUX DU LAYON - Domaine de la Roche from the
Loire Valley, which I enjoyed with my first course, The Duck Liver,
2 pieces of foie gras surrounded by a thick foam.
The wine was perfect, sweet and full, with a nice lingering after
taste to follow up the full flavors of this dish.
Louis Zhang brought me some more bread, which I accepted
happily. My second course was The Duckling,
served as duck slices in a bowl with the ravioli, beans, and
mushrooms. Audrey followed up with a cup of hot
beef consomme and poured it over the other ingredients, and then
poured my next glass of wine, a 2002 GAILLAC- Château Les
Méritz-Fraîcheur Perlée - Dom.Philippe-Gayrel from the South of
France. The ravioli burst into vegetable flavors
and was really good with the wine. The consommé
was strong and flavorful and a nice accompaniment for all the other
ingredients in the bowl. Satisfied with these
flavors, I was excited about my next course, The Lamb, which was
served in 2 ways, the chop on a plate and the shoulder in a bowl
with the risotto. The chop was delicate for lamb
and a great accompaniment of thyme in a line on the plate was
powerfully spiced to enhance the lamb’s naturally refined
flavors. The wine, a 2005 6ème SENS - Gérard
Bertran from Languedoc was very smooth and went well with the chop
and it’s accompanying flavors. The other serving
of lamb, the shoulder on top of the risotto, was full bodied and
cheesy, even better with the wine. This was my
favorite course of the dinner. Mushrooms, lamb,
risotto, and the wine were a perfect combination, nicely seasoned
with cumin. My last course was The Dark
Chocolate, served with a glass of 20 year old GRAHAM Tawny
Port. This soufflé had a hard crust with a soft
center and was served with sherbet and expresso.
Following with the port, it was a nice way to finish off the
dinner.
Overall, this is a classic French restaurant,
decorated in the best tradition of ornate, though still practical
interior design. Sometimes I just need to go to
an elegant French restaurant, just because it is French, and I
anticipate I will have what I am looking for in fine cuisine, wine,
and service. LE PRÉ LENÔTRE is no exception in meeting this
expectation. I know I can return whenever I have
this urge, and I will do so more often because I like the people
who work there. I look forward to seeing them all
again very soon. I hope Sofitel Wanda Beijing and
LE PRÉ LENÔTRE will join our GRAND HOTELS Reader’s Club
soon. I believe this restaurant will appeal to
our readers.
With Happiness,
CHEERS!
My Best as
Always,
Randy
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