Have you ever wanted to go to a restaurant and order "one of everything" from the menu? That was what we did tonight at Paramour the French restaurant at Now Sapphire.
They started with a bread service of an onion bread and cheese bread.
The onion bread was very much like a crossaint. Flaky and buttery, with great savory onion flavor. The cheese bread was the standout. It reminded me of something I had at Unico 2087 last year - although this version topped it. It was sort of like a cheese blintz. But instead of a ravoli-like texture it was a buttery biscuit. Warm, almost sweet cheese inside. Based on this, I expected great things to come.
The three appetizers were Beef Tartare, Grilled Vegetables and Fruit and Mediterranean Ceviche.
The clear winner was the ceviche. There was a steamed mussel and two shrimp that had been poached in a savory broth and served in a shell. Ceviche wasn't quite the right name for this dish. But it was delicious. Tartare was also a standout. The beef had been finely chopped and combined with onion and garlic - but not enough to overpower the beef. Served with some homemade caraway seeds crackers. And of course the addition of a runny poached egg brought it all together. The veggie and fruit were tasty although I would have preferred that all the fruits and veggies had been grilled. It seemed that only the zucchini had been grilled. All the well prepped veggies were on a long schmear of goat cheese which helped keep the dish savory especially with all the fruits.
The soups were the classic French onion and a vegetable veloute - essentially a cream of vegetable.
The onion was my favorite. Where most onion soups focus on a salty broth and gooey cheese, this version really concentrated on the rich onion flavor. Such deep notes in the broth. It was served with a crouton which had a gruyere cheese. The vegetable soup had a strong essence of celery with some notes of peas and onions. A very creamy, rich soup. I would order both again.
Entrees were Salmon Fillet, Pork Tenderloin and Shrimp and Scallops.
The salmon was my favorite. It is very hard to get salmon cooked medium rare. Too often it is cooked to medium well where any moisture is left on the flat top. Even cats would turn their nose. Here the salmon was so moist and delicious. One of the best pieces of salmon I have had. Over the top they had poured a thyme and orange buerre blanc. Such a creamy sauce. But the orange zest really cut the richness of the salmon. And little additions such as the dehydrated lemon, petite peas and mini corn added some needed texture to the dish. And the beurre blanc brought it all together.
The pork tenderloin was very good. Moist and tender pork slices wrapped in smokey bacon. The menu said it also had peaches but it was actually apples. And they were very welcome since pork and apples are such a great combination. I only wish there had been a few more apples for some sweet to contrast with the smokiness. A very good dish that I would order again.
The shrimp and scallops dish was good. It was very much like a shrimp scampi with a deep garlic flavor. But not overpowering the delicate seafood. The scallops were the standout. Here is a another protein that is hard to get medium rare. Overcooked scallops are almost as bad as grilling a burger to its death. These were a perfect medium rare. The shrimp were also well cooked and cleverly served in an asparagus spear. Such a great idea that I had not seen before.
Such a great dinner tonight. Never be afraid to order "one of everything". Especially when you are dining with adventurous eaters.
