Pic may well be the best restaurant in the World. Now, there's a bold statement, but you'd be hard…read morepressed to identify a finer place. Pic is my pick for the best there is, anywhere. I urge you to bust the piggy bank and pick Pic too.
Be advised that dinner will deliciously last 4 1/2 hours.
Settle in the bar and do your stomach stretching exercises. Before your wiggle into your elegant wing back chair a tiny Shrimp Papaya Tart, Peanut Marshmallows, Vegi-chips and a few Yuzu Bon Bons shows up. To call these bar nibbles is sacrilegious. Push the handmade linen cocktail napkin under your Aperitif, nibble away and wait for your table which will be ready when you are. (Topped off, I was ready for the check by the last Yuzu crumb).
You will be ushered to your table by a phalanx of staff. The tables are far enough apart to park your Maybach between them and there is no rock loop of Francis Cabral's Greatest to interrupt the professional servers waiting to wait on you. They are standing by, hands on cloches, ready to uncloche in unison and reveal the Veal or whatever the next course of magic will be.
Pic is in the same league at The French Laundry and even though TFL is arguably the best in the USA (and it is) Pic makes it seem like the French Laundromat. Pic is what you'll find at the end of the rainbow.
Leaf through the Menu cards that describe what's coming. There is professional cover girl photo of each dish as if it were a Japanese food stall in Tokyo Station.
There are 3 set menus from Petit to Superhero. (See my bib, shovel and expando shorts? I am Food Man). Read the menu. Four years at the Sorbonne and three years at the Langley Language Immersion Program won't fully describe what you're about to have.
An Amuse-Bouche of micro curls of Carrots and Beets settled into a Carrot Puree opens the door to culinary paradise. It resembled a beautiful Best of Show flower. And, each plate is made especially for each dish. Aren't yours at home?
After your Champagne (Pic's own Billecart-Salmon Brut), the Somm and a helper will bring the Wine List. Remember to lift with your legs as it weighs as much as a bag of bowling balls. It is daunting at over 100 pages which is more than I read in 7 years of graduate work. At home I open the fridge, twist the spigot on the carton and, voila, the wine drips into my Dixie Cup. I suggest you smile at the Somm and say in your best pidgin French."Fais moi, s'il vous plait".
Even though your menu has a menu-ette of courses the Chef will send out surprises such as a lovely Brie D'Maux with Vanilla (a ramekin of melted Brie Soup with a savory Tuile). Oooh baby was that spiritual just like you was at the Pope's own High Mass. Say a small prayer that you can finish. Never mind, just enjoy the bottomless basket of rolls and breads. Lemon Bread, Coffee Bread, Gluten Free Bread for the Californians, and mini Baguettes all served with cultured butter from a willing neighborhood cow laced with Madagascar Pepper and Tonka Beans. By now, your stomach will have stretched to the size of Goodyear Blimp or the cow that gave it up for you.
Half way through the meal out comes the Chinese White Tea to energize the taste buds. Now that those babies are perky again, out comes a meat course. Then you get another palate CPR dish. A cold Plum in Rose Sauce with Meringue.
Think of this as the ultimate honeymoon where you want to take your time and savor everything.
1. Assorted Baby (seedless) Tomatoes (how'd they do that?), Murcott Mandarins, Chloe Berry, Sage Consumme, with Olive Oil Ice Cream. Tomato haters, I defy you to hate this dish.
2. Berlingots (mini pasta purses) stuffed with Smoked Banon (local cheese) which could have been Julia Child's last request...or mine.
3. Langoustine, Dashi, Honey, Kerorima (Ethiopian Grains of Paradise), Angelica Pepper, with Yuzu Zest. You'll never order Walnut Shrimp in Mayo at Man Fook Lo again.
4. Oysters with Coffee, Whiskey and Rhubarb Compote sounds like a nasty child made it up but it is truly divine. The sauce is made table side and then goes to the kitchen where it is transformed into it's final stage like having the neighbor kid put your IKEA dresser together.
5. John Dory with Abalone, Sage, Lemon Balm, Leeks, and Cream. Yup...it's the Balm.
6. Blue Lobster (probably the water was cold) with Smoked Dashi, Raspberry-Barberry Chutney and Lavender (from the Amenity basket in the room?)
7. Smoked Squab, Vanilla, Roasted Barley, Phuc Ouoc Pepper was as complicated as a Breguet Tourbillon.
8. Sweetbread Medallions Sauteed in Coffee, Gruyere Caramel, Baby Artichoke and Fried Capers.
9. Lamb with a hedgerow of Artichokes.
10. A Cheese Cart the size of a school bus filled with artery clogging wonders. And to my Internist I say "Bite Me".
11. Chocolate Honeycomb fit for a Queen Bee.
12. Raspberry with Cinnamon, Chocolate, and Coffee Cream. You'll scream.
13. Bilge Pump and EMT's.
Pic is my pick.
