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| - This is quickly going to become one of my favorite spots on the strip. Quiet, yet boisterous. Elegant, but subdued. I've wanted to try Chef Boulud's food for a long time. It exceeded all of my expectations...which were very high.
The service was good. We had an attentive waiter, everything came out in a timely manner and every need was met. Nothing over the top and nothing that set DB apart from the norm, but good. The only gripe I have is that it would've been nice to have some more description of the courses as they came out. These aren't your typical "steak frites" or "onion soup" dishes. Some involved some serious thought and expertise and deserved more than just, "here's your calamari."
I loved the atmosphere. A fine mix of classic French decor, (tile floors and leather banquettes) and a contemporary, inviting ambience. It was luxurious, yet comfortable.
But what brings this restaurant to five stars is the food. We didn't get an entree; just a plethora of small plates and appetizers.
Lamb flatbread: perfectly crispy and rich. The buttery lamb was braised down with eggplant and Mediterranean spices until it was smooth and silky. The yogurt based sauce on top added just the right amount of tang to balance out the rich flavor of the lamb. It was garnished with micro cilantro that still had seedlings of coriander attached and diced apricots. Really added nice fresh and sweet notes so that everything was in perfect harmony.
Shellfish plateau: this is a guilty pleasure of ours. Nothing different from the norm aside from the ridiculous freshness of everything. We had oysters from both the east and west coasts (I can't tell you what kind they were because we weren't informed). They were plump, juicy and sweet. There was also king crab, lobster tail and shrimp. The mignonette was tart and peppery and was perfect with the oysters. They also served a beautiful "French" cocktail sauce which had the addition of mayonnaise and brandy. A nice touch that gave a lobster bisque-ish flavor to the perfectly poached shellfish.
Balik smoked salmon: my favorite dish of the evening. The house cured and smoked salmon was garnished simply with toasted caraway seed and sliced. It was so unctuous and creamy. Easily the best smoked salmon I've ever tried. There were little potato dauphinois puffs with the roe and a touch of creme fraiche in the middle. Light, but rich and unbelievably delicious. I wonder if they sell those instead of popcorn at movie theaters in France. The trio of salmon was finished with a decadent salmon rillette with a tiny toasted pumpernickel cracker on the bottom. So much technique was put into this dish. It was perfect.
Burratta salad: a simple and unique take on a tomato-mozzarella salad. The burratta sat atop a braised artichoke heart, which, in turn, sat atop diced tomatoes. It was surrounded by a salad of arugula with a sharp balsamic vinaigrette. Under normal circumstances, the acidity of the dressing would've been overwhelming. But this is why I was so impressed with this place. The chefs know how rich the burratta is and how much it craves to be cut by a little acid. Balance. It's all about balance.
Thai calamari: perfectly cooked. I know it's cliche to say something like that in a review, but more often than not, calamari is over cooked in many restaurants. The beer batter was so incredibly crispy and worked so well with the chewy texture of the beloved mollusk. The sauce was a play on thai red curry and had some good spice to it. It was all finished with pickled, bright red Fresno chiles and cilantro. A beautiful dish in sight and in taste.
Pommes frites: I had to get em. Nothing special here, but they were, of course, perfect. Served with ketchup, to my surprise. I asked for a side of aioli and was obliged. When in Rome!
Balance. Years of training and obsession with perfection. Countering textures and flavors. Sweet, spicy, bitter, sour, savory...they were all there. My hat is off to you, Chef Boulud. A perfect meal.
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