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If Caviar Be the Food of Life
PARIS - Heady and intense, expensive, delicate and
robust, it is rationed by the spoonful. Caviar, the
lightly salted eggs of the sturgeon found in the Caspian
Sea, sparkles and tingles on the tongue, conjuring up
fantasies of sensuousness, celebration, ultimate extravagance.
So what could be better than to begin the fin-de-siecle
celebration at the new Petrossian Restaurant, right
above the famed caviar specialty shop that has graced
the Boulevard La Tour Maubourg since 1920. The restaurant,
decked out in mirrors and shades of gray, with a youthful
staff of varied experience, is probably one of the best
spots to study - if that is a word mere mortals could
use - this delicacy.
On a recent weekday evening we feasted on a caviar
tasting called ''Le Prince Gourmet,'' which included
nothing less than 20 grams (not much if you are thinking
in terms of apples and oranges, but a lot in terms of
caviar) of the three basic varieties of Iranian and
Russian caviars: beluga, ossetra and sevruga. One could
create a feast on one's own turf, but how much better
it is when served out of glass and silver caviar carriers
while someone else makes the blinis and toast and keeps
them warm. (If you like to eat a lot of caviar, you
won't pay much more here than you would in the shop
below, so why not take advantage of the service?)
We had our caviar with a fine Veuve Clicquot Champagne.
The beluga - the largest variety and the most expensive
- was delightful. Nothing beats that gush of purity,
that moment you hold the grains in your mouth, crush
them with the tongue and explode their essence onto
your palate. But I remain faithful to ossetra, with
its subtle, nutty flavor. The eggs always seem firmer,
with no trace of ''fishiness'' that one sometimes finds
in other varieties. And I would never turn up my nose
at Petrossian's sevruga, the smallest of the trio: young,
fresh, almost lactic in flavor.
The caviar was served with plump and puffy blinis,
toast and a touch of creme fraiche, all one needs -
if anything - to accompany the precious mouthfuls. for
every budget While a full tasting begins at about 1,080
francs ($170) a person, Petrossian has something for
every budget. The noncaviar menu needs some attention,
however, because the dishes' names can be confusing.
One could end up with three courses of cured, salted
fish, as I did when I ordered dishes that gave no hint
of containing smoked fish and ended up being almost
nothing but.
The best bet was an appetizer of six little tastes
(five at lunch), ''Assiette de Tentations,'' that included
smoked and marinated sturgeon topped with a sherry jelly
and sevruga caviar, and an excellent fish tartare on
beet chips. But many of the main courses - the steamed
St. Pierre, for example - were far from memorable. And
some dishes I would not even want to gamble on: Reblochon
cheese and langoustines? Two of my favorite foods, but
not together!
Philippe Conticini, the pastry chef, has some bright
ideas here, but they don't really get a chance to shine
- many need a 3-D view to be appreciated and would best
be served in a glass vessel but are hidden in porcelain
bowls. His creations range from audacious to delicious
to wacky. The finest was his pistachio cream paired
with a rich cherry coulis offset by a sprinkling of
salted pistachios.
Petrossian Restaurant
18 Boulevard La Tour Maubourg
Paris 75007
Tel: 01-44-11-32-32
Fax: 01-44-11-32-35.
Credit cards: American Express and Visa. 320-franc
tasting menu. A la carte, beginning at 350 francs, not
including wine or service.
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