I was excited to visit the gastronomic Michel Rostang as I had heard so many amazing things about it. Visiting Michel Rostang is not just any other dinner visit, it’s like a visit to the opera. You can really make a special occasion of it. I read the menu and some reviews earlier in the day.  I found myself hoping that I wasn’t building an unreasonable expectation.  The dining room was small, but I could see that there were a few other rooms that were cordoned off for private parties. The feeling of being in a smaller room gave a feeling of intimacy that was nice. The décor was elegant and modern with a crisp, clean feel. Our waiter James came by with a variety of champagnes to start off dinner. I had a Guy Charlemagne Grand Cru; its dry fizzy demeanor was just what I needed to set the tone of the evening. Our maitre d’ Matthew arrived to introduce himself and in the process he dropped off an amuse bouche with a halved red grape coated in goat cheese and finely crushed pistachios. This tiny bite was so fantastic that it was almost a tragedy that it went so quickly. Next to the grape was a grape juice filled sphere that exploded in my mouth. We were definitely off to a good start.

The of promise of big things coming in small packages continued as we received le foie gras de canard. The foie was almost paper-thin and the diverse seasonings would have each been pronounced on their own, were added in slight amounts to give a teasing essence that was just right. The thought occurred to me that if I had eight more courses to come, this was going to be an epic outing.

The next course was so visually impressive that I had to pause before enjoying it on another sensory level. Le Supreme de Pigeon, a fine tartelette of foie and cerises compote. I slowly sunk my spoon to the bottom of the glass until I felt the hard bottom as to ensure that I would capture each flavor. The compote was Valencia, which gives the promise of freshness as the cerise is the only ingredient in the plate that grows in the winter. The combination of the three flavors was remarkable as they merged to one flavor as opposed to a shifting of traffic between flavors. The man who thought to bring this all together must have experimented or be a lucky genius.

One of the most anticipated things on the menu for me was the Langoustines crues et torteux. When the dish came to the table, I was first presented with a scoop of sorbet in a tall cylinder with a deep concave surface. The hot tomato soup was then poured over the sorbet. The cold sorbet was sweet as it was engulfed on the spoon by the hot and savory soup. Every bite of this dish was truly as wonderful as the first. This is something that I could see a thousand other restaurants failing at.

I make no secret that I’m powerless to resist a good foie gras and I have encountered a new favorite. The foie gras medallion was seared on the sides and served standing upright with a cool center and a crisp ring on the edge. On the side was thickened blueberry compote atop a hazelnut mousse. Coupling the fruit and rich nutty flavor with the foie gras was so good that my eyes started to swell with tears of joy. There’s never been a dish that’s brought me to tears before, this one did.

While I had signed on for a tasting menu, I did request to add the le filette de Saint Pierre. The confit had a smoky taste as if it were charred before being turned into a smooth filling. The creamy sauce covering the stuffed pasta had an essence of lime that rang though after you had tasted the sweet corn and the rich cream in the sauce. Next to arrive was the grand finale, a Michel Rostang specialty: The Truffle Sandwich. This sandwich was so simple yet magnficent in its taste and flavor. The sandwich consists of toasted buttered bread and truffles. The taste was divine. I was literally reeling after this amazing feat in sandwich making.

James returned with a cheese cart and an immense knowledge on the matter. This guy’s passion for providing a remarkable experience was as refreshing as lime in water. At Michel Rostang, every single dish was superb. I had to say no to the cheese though. If you’ve not been to Melisse, make a reservation soon. Chef and owner Michel Rostang is a man with very few peers in this town. I can’t wait to go back.

Michel Rostang 10 Rue Gustave Flaubert 75017 Paris 17e arrondissement, France 01 47 63 40 77