bouchon

bouchon
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (45/143)
though the cuisine at bouchon appears so straightforward classic french bistro, you can taste the craft and precision of expertise that went into it. what i came to appreciate here was not the inventiveness of the menu, but how good good technique can be. with all the craze over molecular gastronomy these days, it's easy to get distracted.

our meal began with bread from their bakery and butter and a white bean dip. the white bean dip was fabulously creamy with hints of the herbaceous olive oil that was drizzle on top. excellent with the toasted mini sourdough rounds. we shared a beet salad with mache, rhubarb, and asparagus. good but not exciting.

the entrees from the list of specials we ordered ended up being the highlight of the meal. the bf had the salmon sous vide on ratatouille. sweet tomato-y vegetables. this is the one of the few instances when i like vegetables mushy. salmon was delicate and flavorful. i had the pork shoulder which was shiny from a sweet glaze and laid on top of a ragout of corn and arugula accented with sweet currents. pork was wonderfully tender. the glaze was perfect. the zippyness of the arugula, the slight sweetness of the fresh corn and the more intense currents were all excellent.

i would recommend bouchon for a solid meal. the hostess was a little stand-offish, but our waiter was great--amicable and responsive. fine restaurant with a somewhat more casual atmosphere. it was a lovely evening for dinner on their patio. even on a weeknight, it was packed. we didn't have reservations, but were able to get seating immediately.