June 12, 2005 - Les Enfants, Louis XIII
Let Cultures Clash and You Have Fireworks!
by Johnelle Snyder
It was not the Fourth of July or even Bastille Day when the Minneapolis Bailliage met at the stylish Louis XIII restaurant – but the evening was still full of fireworks! It was June 12, 2005, and the weather was lovely for our champagne reception on the patio of Louis XIII in Edina, Minnesota. The bubbles that popped for us that evening were Domaine Carneros Brut 2001, a California sparkler owned by the French house Taittinger.
As we sipped our champagne, three gigantic full-bosomed women gazed down upon us from the unique façade of the restaurant. They were reproduced from a seventeenth century baroque painting entitled “La Chambre des Muses”. This rendition has them a bit more covered in a nod to the Scandinavian sensibilities of Minnesotans. Venturing inside the restaurant we continue to be surprised by its sleek white marble bar, kissing booths shrouded in linen, a prominent portrait of Louis Treize himself, and gigantic steel and glass wine racks arranged to glow “XIII”.
Taking the glass elevator to the lower level our group was about to settle in when our host exploded on the scene; David Fhima, Executive Chef and Owner of Louis XIII is a clash of cultures unto himself. Born in Casablanca to a French-Jewish mother and a Sicilian father, he was schooled in London. Given that mix, it should not be surprising that he describes Louis XIII as a contemporary French-Asian influenced eatery?! Nor was it a surprise that he had two young chefs at his side. A truly good chef believes in mentoring and so Andrew Suthers , ages 21 and 22 respectively, were introduced to us by David as integral players in the preparation of this evening's courses. David Fhima then proceeded to describe the menu we were about to enjoy with such passion we were afraid he could not possibly deliver such an amazing culinary feat – but deliver he did.
The first course was St. Pierre au beurre blanc et risotto. The potato-crusted St. Pierre was light and delectable. Otherwise known as John Dory, this New Zealand flat fish is a delicious blend of tastes marrying the flavors of sole, lobster and halibut. The fish was pan seared and crusted in russet potatoes with a lovely lemon grass beurre blanc to cover. Positioned on a bed of golden fig risotto the course was perfectly paired with a Chateau de Maligny Chablis 2002 known for its subtle hint and mix of citrus flavors.
As with any good fireworks “oooohhh’s” and “aaaww’s” filled the air as the second course arrived. Riz de veau provençale et petit legumes was an exciting change in direction. The sweatbreads, we learned, were a two-day preparation involving a milk soaking and a blanching process. Our taste buds soared as we enjoyed this veal delicacy on puff pastry with a port wine demi-glace and a sweet corn purée. A more wonderful accompaniment could not have been found for this amazing dish than Domaine du Chevalier Graves 1986. One of the top three Graves, this hearty Bordeaux proved rich in fruit and oak but added intense cedar wood and tobacco overtones. It beautifully melded with the strong flavoring of the sweatbreads' preparation.
The thrills continued and took a surprisingly unique turn by returning to white wine and another fish course. After all is this not what the Chaîne is all about – “pushing the purée” or should we say “the envelope”?! A wonderful buttery Chardonnay Mersault “Les Chevaliers” Matrot 2001 was a perfect catalyst for the exploding Asian influenced flavors of the Black Sesame crusted Tuna-Thon Japanais et pomme de terre douces. This exquisite preparation of tuna seared rare and placed atop taro root and a Japanese style sweet potato was made all the more spectacular with a lobster sauce of coconut and red Thai curry. Applause for this display of fireworks was long and loud.
Following mixed greens, our evening concluded with a Buttercream Cake, which was truly the “coup de grace” and again we continued our culture clash by pairing this scrumptious cake with a German dessert wine Deinhard Beerenauslese '02 known for it’s zesty apricot tones.
And so we all agreed that is was “Bravo to the Brave”!! Chef David Fhima had promised and delivered a spectacularly exciting and delicious gastronomical experience by clashing cultures and exploding myths!