Celebratory lunch

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My friend Kevin got married today. Although the actual ceremony and the party is not until next week - in Reims, no less - today was the day that the happy couple put their signatures on that all-important piece of paper at the Marriage Registry.

He very kindly invited me to help celebrate the happy occasion with a lunch at the Mandarin Grill + Bar. I of course was only too happy to oblige...

We started by toasting with a glass of 1996 Cristal. What a beautiful Champagne! I didn't know the vintage at first, but felt that the wine was just giving up so much... Quite pleasant on the nose, with plenty of oxidation, that wonderful caramel, nice toasty oak... slight acidic on the palate at first, but mid-palate you find it's actually quite balanced with a bit of sweetness. An amazing Champagne for this age.

The amuse bouche was classic El Bulli - a result of Chef Uwe's stint in that amazing kitchen. The beetroot caviar was sweet and refreshing. The taste and texture were both bang on. The crème fraîche at the bottom was interestingly flavored with horshradish, with just a hint of a kick.

I started with the risotto, with pan-seared scallops and flavored with saffron. The scallops were naturally fresh, didn't get much out of the foam, but it was the risotto itself that was a big surprise. The rice variety used was orzo, which doesn't make for a starchy risotto. The rice grains retain their shapes and the texture is bouncy. Therefore it's not possible to make it al dente. Second, the taste of the whole thing - in spite of the red bell peppers and the saffron - just reminds me of macaroni and cheese. I swear I tasted cheddar.

And the portion was surprisingly big for a starter, which kinda makes me wish I had ordered the garden salad...

I was expecting a palate cleanser, but instead a small bowl of beef cheeks with Hollandaise mash was placed in front of me. Oy! This is turning out to be a heavy lunch! Fortunately the waitstaff took it away while I was distracted in conversation, so I only had about half of it...

The sea bass was presented in a colorful manner, like many other creations by Uwe. There were different sauces and some were delivered in freeze-dried powder form, which is another signature of molecular gastronomy. The fish itself was nicely pan-fried, drizzled in a sweet sauce made from dried fruits. The mash on the side was flavored with aubergines. Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish this, as I was already pretty full...

I had a small piece of beef tenderloin to get a taste. When this was presented, I could smell the smoke (not the carbon dioxide from the dry ice) from afar. The obsession with smoking your meats (or fish) seems prevalent among the top fine dining restaurants in town.

I thought I had turned down dessert, but this ice cream-filled chocolate concoction was placed in front of me anyway... I must say that it was very yummy. The separate bowl contained mandarin orange mousse, with a layer of caramel chocolate mousse on top, then topped with frozen mandarin orange pulp.

The texture of the pulp is interesting, because it kinda looks like granita but then you put it in your mouth and realize it isn't.

By now I started to develop a case of food coma, but I managed to nibble on a few pieces of the marshmellows that just looked really inviting...

I'll be reporting on the happy couple's wedding bash from France next week.