text: I had very high expectations going in and I was not disappointednnIve eaten at a lot of amazing places I was raised foodie and very little intimidates me But I will have to say I was kind of on the defensive when I came herennFirst of all it was a little awkward as I was dining solo My dinner companion had bailed on me so I was going in on my own Additionally I did not make a reservation and just sauntered in Glad I had an extra sportcoat with me The ambiance was amazing beautiful exactly what I expected The two hostesses were tall gorgeous women in couture dresses As I was mustering up courage to enter I pulled the two huge front doors way too hard almost causing a scene As I sauntered up to the stand quickly regaining composure I announced I would like to have dinner and did not have a reservation There was some murmuring and they asked me to sit in the lounge while they spoke to the manager I did not even have a chance to sit and they whisked me away to my tablennI was seated on the bench side of a table for two with a couple next to me and a third gentleman dining alone immediately next to them This is significant because I could not help but eavesdrop as it was so quiet in the restaurant and we were all in such close proximity The male half of the couple seated next to me was on the opposite side of the table and the bastard would not stop looking at me during my meal which was frankly just weird and did detract from my overall experiencennThey asked me if I wanted a cocktail and when I said Martini they correctly assumed gin and asked for my preference I chose Hendricks and recommended they use a cucumber slice as a garnish The server came back with a perfect Martini in a crystal glass and he told me that the bartender said thanks for the idea of a cucumber garnish that it paired perfectly he said they would recommend it in the futurennI started with amusebouche of a tomato puree served over a custard perfect combination of flavors I must take a moment as well to mention that the table setting was beautiful all silver flatware perfect china and sparkling crystal vessels Whenever I would finish with a utensil or another dining implement they would spirit away the offending dirty item to an impossibly large silver tray in the center of the room which they would carry away only to immediately replace with another giant silver tray It was almost humorous when it was a lone cocktail glassnnNext they arrived with a huge cart full of dozens of freshlybaked breads I spent half of my time just being walked through what was contained on the cart Not wanting to spoil my meal I chose a modest selection although the gentleman manning the cart was insistent that I try more I settled on a fresh Gruyuere brioche and a roll that had bacon within Then another fellow came by and engaged in a complex ritual where he carved fresh butter from Brittony with a chilled spoon and put it on my plate with a little fleur de sel The bread was incredible unsurprisinglynnNext up I had the langoustine ravioli with truffle cream and chopped cabbage Not only was it a delicate flavor explosion it also had fantastic texture Thank goodness there were only three because I am quite sure I could have eaten a bucket of them The next course was a fava bean soup served over a rosemary foam again flavors were incredible and there was just enough to get the flavor but not too much During the meal the service was not only incredibly attentive but also not pretentious I really appreciated thatnnFor my main course I had a splendid duck breast with foie gras and almondstuffed sweet and sour cherries Easily the most perfect duck I have ever partaken of and the sommelier paired the perfect wine with it nnTo finish the meal I chose the Earl Grey rice krispy with raspberry milk mousse a nice blend of sweet and tart I ordered some fantastic coffee and they ended with the dessert cart where the gentleman who manned that cart foisted more and more treats upon me I especially loved the baba ahrum caramels and the jellies he offerednnI felt as one should after a repast like this completely sated Price be damned this is what culinary art tastes like