A religious experience

In my foodie world of fine dining and great food Maison Boulud is my mecca. Maison is not merely about the food, but about the entire experience. After arriving and being seated you are presented with the 2 volumes wine list, one red, one (quite smaller) white. The prices reach astronomical levels but I ordered a 500 kuai Malbec that was one of the best I've tried. I am nearly certain that ordering the cheapest bottle you would still receive a palatable wine. The wine was decanted and throughout the evening, as soon as one glass was near empty a server would appear and top off the glasses. This service was consistent throughout the evening. You never felt like the servers were hovering, but as soon as a plate could be cleared, a glass topped up, anything at all they were there.

The menu has a decent selection of starters and mains, along with some French classics. Deciding on the menu can take a while as everything sounds delicious. After ordering canapes were brought over, an asparagus puree and a delicious cream cheese. My starter of frog legs was surprisingly larger than expected. Along with fava beans and asparagus everything was cooked beautifully and a rich sauce seasoned the dish perfectly. My partners tuna confit was light, yet complexly flavored with fresh vegetables and herbs. Our mains were the most tender and succulent pork, baby pig on the menu, with a light and crisp skin. And a beef short rib, delicate and tender. As with all other courses, after we had both finished, the plates were cleared simultaneously, and silverware was set for the next course. The dessert menu, like the dinner menu, offered plenty of options and choosing between the fruit or chocolate based ones were challenging. Two chocolate desserts were both rich, and delicious, each topped off with flecks of gold. During and after dessert we also received fresh madeilines and a dish of multicolor macaroons. After the bill the waitress called for a taxi and we got fresh packaged muffins to bring home, a delicious treat that I got to savour the following morning.

Maison is a rare experience with food not only cooked well but executed on a level not reached elsewhere in the city. The atmosphere is luxurious, but inviting and relaxing. The service is flawless and there are small touches throughout the evening that let you realize this is not any average restaurant to say the least.