Well, it happened another time! After concluding a meeting in Gustavia, about 1 PM I decided to go to Café Gloriette. Unfortunately, I discovered that it’s September hours are 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Le Repaire was closed . . . not sure why — maybe a vacation? Le Select & Le Bar de L’Oubli don’t draw me for food. Cantina was open . . . and packed! So, as happened a couple of weeks ago, I found myself knocking on the Robuchon door. And, YES! A seat was available.
Armed with a great glass of Perrier-Jouët Rosé Champagne, I decided to go the à la carte route, rather than the prix fixe menu.
This visit makes 4 or 5 times that I’ve enjoyed L’Atelier in the past two / three months (lunches & dinners), so I thought that I’d seize the moment to offer thoughts.
The spaces (upstairs & down) are exquisitely designed, with stunning furnishings and service items. It competes very favorably with Fouquet’s St. Barths . . . even a tad better, I think. The quality of food items also is wonderful . . . not “to die for,” but really, really impressive.
Today I was offered an amuse bouche — delicious watermelon soup, topped with an emulsion of frothy, whipped egg whites.
. . . followed by a refreshing — on a very hot September St. Barths afternoon! — bowl of strawberry gazpacho with chunks of ewe milk cheese, delightful in every respect (especially because ewe milk, I learned, is compatible with dairy intolerance).
. . . “main course” (actually, another “starter”) was gluten free spaghetti in an unbelievably rich sauce of fresh tomatoes & basil (this item, I would say, was “to die for!”).
No dessert . . . looking forward to a dinner at a local friend’s home, which will be very special, I know.
Proverbial “bottom line,” I had a genuinely friendly conversation at the end of my meal with manager (& very beautiful) Agathe . . . explaining to her that my great appreciation of the place is tempered by some unevenness in the service. While there is a woman server who has helped me numerous times, whose attention to the experience that I have found has been notable on each occasion that I’ve been in the restaurant, there has been someone each time — usually a young male, second-string server, who lacks the appropriate tact & grace to rise to the level that L’Atelier ascribes to. Agathe engaged very well in this discussion, acknowledging that there still are ‘kinks” (my word) to be worked out.
On the whole, there’s no doubt that Robuchon rises to an incredible level on St. Barths. Not inexpensive . . . nor is SBH.
Armed with a great glass of Perrier-Jouët Rosé Champagne, I decided to go the à la carte route, rather than the prix fixe menu.
This visit makes 4 or 5 times that I’ve enjoyed L’Atelier in the past two / three months (lunches & dinners), so I thought that I’d seize the moment to offer thoughts.
The spaces (upstairs & down) are exquisitely designed, with stunning furnishings and service items. It competes very favorably with Fouquet’s St. Barths . . . even a tad better, I think. The quality of food items also is wonderful . . . not “to die for,” but really, really impressive.
Today I was offered an amuse bouche — delicious watermelon soup, topped with an emulsion of frothy, whipped egg whites.
. . . followed by a refreshing — on a very hot September St. Barths afternoon! — bowl of strawberry gazpacho with chunks of ewe milk cheese, delightful in every respect (especially because ewe milk, I learned, is compatible with dairy intolerance).
. . . “main course” (actually, another “starter”) was gluten free spaghetti in an unbelievably rich sauce of fresh tomatoes & basil (this item, I would say, was “to die for!”).
No dessert . . . looking forward to a dinner at a local friend’s home, which will be very special, I know.
Proverbial “bottom line,” I had a genuinely friendly conversation at the end of my meal with manager (& very beautiful) Agathe . . . explaining to her that my great appreciation of the place is tempered by some unevenness in the service. While there is a woman server who has helped me numerous times, whose attention to the experience that I have found has been notable on each occasion that I’ve been in the restaurant, there has been someone each time — usually a young male, second-string server, who lacks the appropriate tact & grace to rise to the level that L’Atelier ascribes to. Agathe engaged very well in this discussion, acknowledging that there still are ‘kinks” (my word) to be worked out.
On the whole, there’s no doubt that Robuchon rises to an incredible level on St. Barths. Not inexpensive . . . nor is SBH.