Losier – フレンチの最高峰、ロオジエ

自称美食の女性たちと「三つ星レストランに行こう」と春先に話がまとまって、カンテサンスに電話してみたが、予約どころか電話もつながらない。これを請け負ったメンバーのひとりが執拗に電話機に向かい、かろうじて確保できたのは5月のキャンセル待ちという有様だった。紆余曲折があって、今日の昼食をカンテサンスではなくロオジエですることになった。これも1ヶ月以上前の予約で何とか確保したものだ。
店の中はアールデコ的にモダン・シックなしつらえで、サービススタッフが異様に多い。フランス人も一名。僕のような無階級派には息苦しいが、それなりの身なりで周囲の高級な空気に溶け込むのが賢明だろう。
さて食事だが、まず出てきた数々のパンはどれも美味しかった。いずれの料理も最高級店の名に恥じない手の込んだ味とプレゼンテーションだったが、前菜の中ではニジマス、メインではフォワグラを添えたリゾットが一番良かったと思う。ブイヤベースは貝や魚の身だけが皿に盛られ、後からスープをそこに注ぎ込むのだが、同じ食べ方ならサンフランシスコのFifth Floorの方が味は上だったと思う。ここまででほぼ腹一杯のところにデザートの三段攻勢が待っている。これは圧巻と言っておこう。急げば1時間半と言われたランチだが、我々は2時間半かかった。



In the early spring with three female friends who claim themselves a gourmet, we decided to visit a three-star restaurant. I tried to phone Quintessence for a booking but the line was always busy. One volunteer sat before her phone to continue this effort and her marginal reward was wait-listed for a cancellation in May. After some more struggles, we ended up to have lunch today not at Quintessence but at Losier. This booking was also a tough win working more than a month in advance.
Inside the restaurant was modern and chic with art-deco flavor, and unusually large number of service staff including a French was waiting the guests. In order to enjoy this prestigious air, it would be wise to be dressed properly for your occasion.
Now regarding the dishes, the wide selection of bread was excellent. The sophisticated taste and presentation of each dish was superb, really in the class of art, and I think the best choice for the starter was trout and for the main dish was risotto with foie gras. They served bouillabaisse first with fish and clams on the dish and then pour the soup in it. Bouillabaisse in the same procedure was better in Fifth Floor in San Francisco. Up to this point, we were pretty much full, but the tri-stage attacks of dessert were to follow. I would report it only amazing. This was 2.5 hour lunch in a weekday.