Returning Forum readers will know, of course, of my admiration & respect for Chef Jean-Claude, Host Tof, & — IMO — the island’s finest gastronomy. The service is among the island’s finest . . . perhaps its best. Apart from that aspect, however, I’ll reiterate my respect for Jean-Claude’s meticulous preparation, modestly elegant presentations, and use of premium ingredients. A recent evening captured all of it.
An amuse bouche of Razorback Clams was one of the most startling & delicious plates that I’ve EVER enjoyed, A “first” for me, & I could have made an entire meal of these delicacies! Lush, sweet, tender, juicy . . . and fragrantly prepared in herb oil (my sense — tarragon, shallots, leeks, with white wine). WOW WOW WOW! I‘ll never forget this first-time -- for me — dish.
Wine always is an especially important aspect of my culinary dining . . . and L’Esprit affords the excellence of host Christophe (“Tof”) in this regard. Without question, understanding the “match” of my meal with a wine selection, Tof exceptionally proposes a superlative pairing. In this regard, even though I’m often dining solo, I always order a bottle . . . rather than by the glass. It’s because I find luxury in choosing a little more in my glass — sometimes a little less -- than pricing by-the-glass when I take home what I don’t finish at dinner. (Always tasty at breakfast, lunch, & at an afternoon swim!)
My ”starter” of the evening was, once again in this week, white asparagus . . . truly an exceptional seasonal item, which season is rapidly coming to its end. The hollandaise sauce was the lightest that I’ve ever known. Perfect (!) for me.
My choice of main course was a robust, memorable sole . . . prepared & served in bite size portions with simple, healthy, savory sautéed vegetables. (Various physicians at Mayo Clinic, who counsel me on healthy dining, would be cheering!)
What‘s a meal without a sweet closure! At this evening, it was a triple scoop of chocolate mousse sorbet. (A rare indulgence!)
Concluding, because there have been questions about L’Esprit’s fixed-price menu — which, as has been noted, changes nightly — I attach the offerings of my recent awesome evening.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will say that if I never went to another SBH restaurant, my choice would be L’Esprit. Perhaps we’ll meet there! Meanwhile, sincerest kudos to Jean-Claude & Tof for their refined styles & sensibility in mastering culinary technique & artful execution of the same.
An amuse bouche of Razorback Clams was one of the most startling & delicious plates that I’ve EVER enjoyed, A “first” for me, & I could have made an entire meal of these delicacies! Lush, sweet, tender, juicy . . . and fragrantly prepared in herb oil (my sense — tarragon, shallots, leeks, with white wine). WOW WOW WOW! I‘ll never forget this first-time -- for me — dish.
Wine always is an especially important aspect of my culinary dining . . . and L’Esprit affords the excellence of host Christophe (“Tof”) in this regard. Without question, understanding the “match” of my meal with a wine selection, Tof exceptionally proposes a superlative pairing. In this regard, even though I’m often dining solo, I always order a bottle . . . rather than by the glass. It’s because I find luxury in choosing a little more in my glass — sometimes a little less -- than pricing by-the-glass when I take home what I don’t finish at dinner. (Always tasty at breakfast, lunch, & at an afternoon swim!)
My ”starter” of the evening was, once again in this week, white asparagus . . . truly an exceptional seasonal item, which season is rapidly coming to its end. The hollandaise sauce was the lightest that I’ve ever known. Perfect (!) for me.
My choice of main course was a robust, memorable sole . . . prepared & served in bite size portions with simple, healthy, savory sautéed vegetables. (Various physicians at Mayo Clinic, who counsel me on healthy dining, would be cheering!)
What‘s a meal without a sweet closure! At this evening, it was a triple scoop of chocolate mousse sorbet. (A rare indulgence!)
Concluding, because there have been questions about L’Esprit’s fixed-price menu — which, as has been noted, changes nightly — I attach the offerings of my recent awesome evening.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will say that if I never went to another SBH restaurant, my choice would be L’Esprit. Perhaps we’ll meet there! Meanwhile, sincerest kudos to Jean-Claude & Tof for their refined styles & sensibility in mastering culinary technique & artful execution of the same.
..(I am a (NE) clam lover in all forms and I remember that someone on the Forum put a picture of a clam pizza which I dream about trying, on its home field, of course!) Razor clams are most definitely a different animal, literally and figuratively, for me and I tried really hard not to scream, "This is NOT a clam!" to the server, but I did keep my cool! Glad you enjoyed your evening and that we got to enjoy it right along with you! J-C and Tof hold a special place in our hearts; there are few chefs that can be happy with their place in cuisine life for so long and can generate so many desires to return to a tiny island, no matter where you come from and where you roam. There's no place like SBH..(to borrow from Dorothy!)
