La Tour d'Argent, Paris

the famous and exclusive La Tour d'Argent
*see I've said I will blog about it hehehehehehehe*

JS made reservations months ahead to secure a table and not just any table but a nice table overlooking a beautiful view. La Tour d'Argent is the restaurant that inspired our favourite cartoon movie Ratatouille. 2 years ago when we visited Disneyland Paris, the only mascot JS ran to was Ratatouillete hehehhee. Read about it *here*

founded in 1582 it was built as an inn for the kings
apparently King Henry IV alwiz dine at the restaurant and even gave this place its own emblem
I think this is the oldest restaurant I've ever been

JS was like a lil boy, clapping his hands, tapping his feet all the way to restaurant while I don't see whats all the fuss about until I reached its main entrance....oh my~~~~~
2 lovely hosts greeted us and took our jacket, checked our reservation before ushering us towards the elevator


wow is that Kennedy???? he was here?
his signature was on his photo


hey Mr. Clinton!!! u were here too!!!
the pic was taken at the very same restaurant


there were more and more pics and signed postcard on the corridor leading to the elevator


one of the King of Thailand in the 19th century?
wow this place is full of history and dignitaries visiting and dining here


Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip when they were so much younger!!!! gah!!!
walking through the very same door we came in~~~~~~
O.O
so u can imagine, even before any morsel of food pops into Monkey's mouth, she's already so impressed by its clientele :P


Finally we were inside the elevator hahahaha
the restaurant have a staff just inside the lift to accompany all the guests up.
It's a really small elevator just enough for 4 people I think? it's on the top floor and the journey was short with soothing classical music on the background.


the main dining room greeted us the moment the elevator opened its door
exquisite chandelier hung in the middle with intricate glasswork on its ceiling


We were then ushered deeper into the restaurant
there were so many staffs all very attentive to every single of their guests
as we walked past the tables, the whiff of their famous duckling soon consumed me...
While I think JS was having a tough time since he's not a duck person
He's so sweet, he ain't a duck person and yet he's here bcoz of me :))) Thank you baby~~~


Soon we were seated at an exclusive corner with the most beautiful night view
oh so this was what he's so excited about?
bringing me here and gotten us a really good table


the view from our table - the Notre Dame
wow :)))))))))
soon both of us were basking at the view of the Seine River


JS's most important ritual for every dining experience - the wine list
I think by far the thickest wine list I've ever seen
one will need an hour to go through and it's impossible not to go through everything

La Tour d'Argent has the most impressive cellar in the whole of France *some say in Europe*
and not to mention the most extensive, most expensive, most exclusive
it's known that most wine connoisseurs come here 2 hours earlier just to go through their wine list :))))

Oh JS, u should have asked the sommelier to give u a private tour of their cellar :))

well he's not paying attention to me anymore
but to the 9kg of wine list
-_-"
it's about 400 pages and they are known for old wines

it didn't take him long to choose our wine, bcoz JS already knew what he wanted
when he asked Monkey's opinion which bottle to order...I was aghast!!!
"WHAT??? We are not gonna finish it and I don't want to waste it!!! u know I need to work my ass off for a few months to drink such wine!!!!"

JS: "Don't worry, it's my treat" he added nonchalantly
Monkey growls at her corner

Cros Parantoux by Henri Jayer
so limited so exclusive and so RARE because the maker is no longer alive
Henri Jayer is famous fr his Vosnee Romanee cros parantoux...only 3,500 bottles a year from a very small parcel of vineyard...about 1.01 hectares.

when these type of rare wines are presented for diner, the Head of Sommelier came out to carefully open the bottle, under our watchful eyes. I was too in glee like a child to be treated a bottle of Henri Jayer :)))))) once in a lifetime :))


a simple slab of butter but don't let its look deceived u
it was so good I had 2 slabs :P
heeeeeeeeeeeee
its creaminess was so smooth, with a length that burst on your tongue and stayed in your mouth. At the end the slight saltiness playfully lingered.


soon we were glancing through its menu
it's not a very extensive menu, well u don't need to if you are a specialist
and here u must have their ducklings...you cannot claim that u've been to la tour d'argent without having it.


our amuse bouche of savoury madeleine and some other pretty looking and yummy tasting small bites. They called them canapes.


To me it's more than canapes....everything was so meticulously prepared
unlike the canapes I usually have at event...but then again events are mass feeding so the food is mass. This was art and gastronomic experience


Oh.My.Gawd....the wine.....
it was so good...I cannot believe that I had it!!!
yes I'm a different gal...I preferred a bottle from Henri Jayer than a Hermes Birkin :P

JS had a two way scallop
raw and pan-sauteed
so lovely and delicate

this was mine....an egg??? u must be wondering
yup an egg and not just any egg....in a soup of sweet french leeks

a sous vide-ed egg :)))))))))))
so heart warming and yummy-licious :)))

since the non-poultry eater was here, he settled with a good beef with caramelized shallots
he said it was really mind blowing good but I was too bz to take note

I was too bz with their famous duckling!!!!!
french still cook the best duck in the world!!!!

as I was eating pieces by pieces I was rolling my eyes in ecstasy...oh my god....oh my god...sooooo good. JS was getting irritated at my expression and tried one piece...
for a non-duck non poultry person...he declared it was reallllllllyyyyy awesomely good.
:D
served with kumquats, carrots and turnips.

each duck comes with a serial number....mine was 1,115,705. Yup they've served that many ducks but actually it's much more than this. The numbering of ducks only started in 1890
they could have served more ducks but the restaurant is so exclusive with not more than 40 tables?

the remains of the duck and its bones were squeezed and pressed using this medieval-liked machine called the duck press. All the yummy goodness from its bones and carcass were not spared.

so dearie duckie...u died for a good cause feeding Monkey. And u were cooked under the expertise of Chef Laurent Delabre and no parts of u were wasted. Amen duckie~~~~

the juice from the press was further cooked with cognac and some other secret ingredients...

the offal and other parts of the duck with juices from the press
it was deliciously good that I was complaining about its portion.

I must come back again!!!!!
so good!!!!

Since we were in a classical and traditional and heritage restaurant,
we must have the Crepe Belle Epoque

Prepared under our watchful eyes with next table admiring the works and skills
and the flame of coz...hahahahaha

see the bottle of orange liquor? it was really good :))

yumsss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so fine and delicate


Happy contented Monkey and even happier JS :)))))

petit four came in a beautiful stand

when will I be able to make tart with crust this thin?
so delicate to hold, I was so afraid any further pressure from my fingers will break it apart

before we left, we took a pix at the other main hall with all the exquisite dining wares around. And a very old gold table clock on the fireplace. Behind us was the map of Paris in the 17th century.
Notre dame sits on the little island in the middle of the Seine River.

soon we walked out to the chill of cold air.
Yes that's me holding a Goyard clutch but sadly the owner isn't me - it's JS...so it's a man-clutch. :P

anyway such a memorable dining experience, we will definitely return again the next trip to Paris. I still can't get enuff of its duckling. :)) Highly recommended.

the night view of Seine River :)))

La Tour d'Argent
15 quai de la Tournelle,
75005 Paris, France.
Tel: +33 01 4354 2331
www.latourdargent.com