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| - Celebrated the holidays here with the work gang in the private dining room (December 4). I won't say I was disappointed by any means and yet I won't say I was thoroughly elated either. I would say my experience was elegant, organized, and overall good.
Firstly, I absolutely have to give big kudos to the super lovely gal that looked after me: Camille. She was simply amazing in ensuring my gluten-free needs were met. Personable and on the ball, she ensured I wasn't left out in a sea of 'gluten 20 ways' appetizers, bringing me delicious sans bun beef sliders. I was also served by another lovely gal by the name of Marie-Claire who had only been there two weeks and frankly, fooled me with her astute charm and incredible service skills. And now, let's talk about the food, shall we?
I began with the roast cauliflower salad with pomegranate dressing and roasted hazelnuts. Let me preface by saying that there is a certain expectation on my part when dining out at a swanky place like Cluny. I can make a plain cauliflower salad at home; I want something slightly fancy and full of effort when I dine out. Sadly, the salad was overly basic, lacking in flavour, and lacking discipline. It was apparent that not much thought went into the orchestration or presentation. Picture roast cauliflower, a few toasted hazelnuts, mint and parsley leaves, a few chives, and a handful of pomegranate seeds tossed together in a bowl and then plopped in another bowl (with little to no dressing).
I chose the grilled organic chicken for my main, having instructed to omit the gluten, and go crazy on olive oil and sea salt and pepper. What I got was a hefty portion of thick grilled asparagus and yellow zucchini with a small skin-on chicken breast. The vegetables were wonderful and full of char flavour. The chicken was undercooked and pink and I didn't think it a good idea to eat beyond the fully coked breast tip. I did communicate this and I will say that the gals were so wonderfully understanding and Camille apologized profusely and offered me other options. Service is A+ here.
Oh, before I forget, I had the most amazing gluten free bun here. It was absolutely perfect, brimming with hints of molasses and reminiscent of old fashioned sailor's bread. I asked for the recipe but I am told that the baker was not willing to part with the details. Naturally, I understand, having been a pastry chef myself at one time. But, gosh darn, that bread was incredible!
Dessert was okay. Naturally, I opted for the macarons (read my other reviews) and overall, they weren't too bad; a tad too chewy, but hey, not everyone can attain Ladurée or Hermé standards.
I did go around and ask my colleagues to share their thoughts on their meals. Here's a summary: almost everyone who had the tuna niçoise said it was salty, the tagine was very good (although I will say it was served in a cauldron-esque bowl and not actually a tagine), the tomahawk was enjoyed and so were the frog legs, the lentil soup was unanimously salty.
On a final note, the restrooms are impeccable and clean. I'd most likely visit Cluny again.
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