We wanted a good French dinner--we've been crazy with meals since we arrived, skipping lunches, skipping dinners, averaging just two meals per day.
So I checked TripAdvisor, and the #1 recommendation in Versailles was a "cozy" restaurant named Le Table du 11, and it was within easy walking distance of us.
That's sounds good, I thought and asked the front desk to see if we could book reservations. And they were surprised that,yes, they were able to get reservations. Our first hint that we were in for something special was the desk's comment that we were very lucky--usually you need to wait three months for a reservation.
But we were still totally unprepared for the meal (we just thank our lucky stars that we both dressed up) and though it was a bit like throwing pearls to swine, the meal was astonishing to us.There are not enough superlatives in the English language.
We were not surprised to learn that the young chef, Jean-Baptiste Lavergne-Morazzani--just 24 years old--had already earned his first Michelin star. That's an incredible distinction, and, frankly, no surprise. The food was something to experience. Stunningly beautiful to look at, technically perfect, the seasonings were fresh, the combinations creative, every mouthful had a variety of textures and melt-in your mouth delicious yumminess. We had a meal to remember--a seven course dinner with three wines, white, red and a pear cider. The serving staff were charming, to boot.
I've taken photos from the restaurant's website, and I encourage you to click on the link to appreciate the range and creativity of this chef. Here's what our meal consisted of:
An amusé-bouche--think of it as an hors d'oeuvres. The white ball with caviar on top was a fish-infused cheese filling with a fine crust topped with caviar. The little packet was described as a mini-pizza--cream cheese filling, basil paste on top with tarragon leaf. Yum!
Then a second amusé-bouche in a bowl--carmelized corn in the bottom, then a corn pudding, popcorn and, on top, an oyster-leaf. (no picture of this one.)
First course: the vegetable course--carrots, tiny red, purple and orange carrots, with carrot pickles, carrot pureed, and cheese wafers--and a little drop, goutté of peanut butter for contrast.
The two fish courses:
Scallops in onion emulsion with a coquette of endive.
Then, eel with shredded celery and an amazing perfect little potato cake--perhaps 1.5" in diameter--with wllted spinach inside and an egg yolk on top. (no picture, alas)
Then the meat course: chicken thigh meat, chicken supreme, with herbs and sticks of roasted potatoes. I had truffles on mine for something over the top!
Then a cheese course--a creamy camembert with a steamed Vietnamese bun and shredded celery with a sweet Asian dressing.
Then the first desert course: some kind of buttery wafer, surrounded by a garnish of flowers, Corsican mandarin oranges and lychee nuts and a slip of sorbet crowned by a translucent disk of hibiscus sugar. You can see the disk in the last photo, but the effect is hard to see. It reminded me of those little Asian paper umbrella's that would be stuck in your drink at a raffish angle. It was charming.
Finally, a creme dessert--a crunchy base, with chocolate bits, cream on top. Sinfully good.
Oh, and chocolate truffles to finish. A incredible meal, a meal to remember.