Our dinner at Les Magnolias was an exceptional experience…read more
Rather than doing the tasting menu, we opted for the standard dinner, in which every element (and there were a lot) was a statement unto itself. The amuse-bouche of radish on toast was a perfect opening for my own meal experience which had a heavy emphasis on micro greens and vegetables. There was a small flute of pea and lettuce cold soup. The staple 'chemistry-kit'-like sweet potato/white potato was something more than a starchy interlude, but a wonderful smoothie-like beverage that I could eat/drink daily.
But the standout of my dinner was the foie gras, which was obviously phenomenal. First, because it's foie gras. Second, because great foie gras dishes can only be found in France. Third, because the presentation was so beautiful, it might have taken twenty minutes to assemble...it was 3 cubes, wrapped in poppy seeds, in the middle of a matrix of micro vegetables of every color in the spectrum, with a mustard-poppy sauce. A sublime dish of 1001 flavors supporting the perfect counterpoint of toasty seeds with creamy fat.
I chose the lamb as a main course and it was paired with a single carrot. While perfect, I could have used a second piece, since in a dinner situation like this, my gluttony overcomes all reason. A dijon stuffed cookie followed, which was so simple and brilliant, my understanding of mustard was upended. The front end was very spicy, but the seeds, upon bursting were purely sweet and were a good complement for my current glass of wine, which was relatively dry.
Four pieces of cheese followed and then dessert was the chocolate (pictured). What set this multipart chocolate celebration apart was the basil and vanilla gelato (under the middle cookie), which completed the garden-centric theme of the meal as a whole.
I've been to a number of Michelin one-stars in the U.S., but nothing compared to the understated perfection of this meal. My next trip to Fontenay Sous Bois will absolutely include another visit.
