Shoot that Poison Arrow

La Maison des Tartes Presents: Valentine's Day: Everything is Chocolate but Dessert.

WOW! That kind of says it, don't you think? When I first heard about this dinner that Vince Pianalto and David Lewis were hosting, I got really excited. I couldn't believe my luck, and I thought, "I'm on some kind of 9 course meal jag or something." Since I wasn't really interested in trying to drum up a romantic date for the occasion, I started asking around for friends to go with me. The food sounded too spectacular not to pull together a group of people who I knew would appreciate the spectacle of an interesting theme and a multicourse meal in our very own Fayetteville. After a bit of guest list juggling, my fantastic meal companions included [clockwise from the top] Steven Gibbs, Kathy Thompson, me and Ellen Cato Crouthers. I hope they won't mind my speaking for them and saying that we had a super spectacular evening.

If you've never been to Maison des Tartes at night, you really have to go. The shift in lighting to candles really makes all the difference in the world. It was cozy and inviting, the red table cloths brought a really nice touch of formality and class to an otherwise open and lofty coffee house feel. With David playing the rôle of maître d' and sommelier and Leilani as our practically fawning waiter, it was an altogether different sort of experience from your typical Saturday morning coffee and pastry or Sunday morning brunch. Towards the end of the evening Vince and David were even met with a standing ovation.

Let me get my small disappointment out of the way first, and it requires background info too. I had prepared foie gras for Christmas Eve dinner, and upon the advice of my French friend Antoine, we were meant to pair a nice glass of Sauterne with it. In the end, we had a great substitution of an Ice Wine, but it left me curious about what I'd missed out on, never having tasted a Sauterne before. I was really excited when I'd seen that Maison keeps a Sauterne on their wine list, so I'd looked forward to the pairing at last. Alas, the wine supplier didn't come through. The good news was that David suggested a really amazing white: J. Vidal-Fleury, Côtes du Rhône, 2004, Ampuis, France. At thirty dollars a bottle, in a restaurant no less, the wine was out of this world. Go out right now and buy a bottle of this wine!

In discussing the menu with my foodie friend Paul in Chicago, he was intrigued enough to want to fly in just for the meal, but timing and plane fares unfortunately didn't work out in his favor. One of our primary musings was whether the never endling lists of flavors Vince was planning to put together would be "pull-offable." When we read through the menu, we started to think about all the ingredients for one, then the fact that every dish is gonna somehow include chocolate for two. It all seemed very intriguing and exciting, but we felt a touch dubious. We couldn't have been more wrong. Whether or not I loved loved loved a dish, every one had very clearly managed to get the chocobalance pretty much right on.

Below, the foie gras.

For me, there were two super stand out dishes. Number one: the Quail Terrine, and thanks to two of my fellow diners, I got to taste it. It was super delicious, and I loved the presentation with the little bone in. T'was a little meat pop to suck on. In fairness, it was a real rival to the foie gras option, which I loved. I thought the sautéed bananas on the side was truly inspired. The Mole Negro Oaxaqueño was delicious, but that quail really grabbed my attention.

Amazement number two: Cheeses and Chocolates. Ok ok, I know that for bread in this town, Maison des Tartes is clearly the stand alone perveyor, but what really mattered for this dish was the chocolates and cheese. Two hand crafted chocolates and one brazil nut praline with bittersweet chocolate, each paired with a different cheese. This was a mind blowing experience for me. We all tasted them in tandem and toasted our little choco-cheese combos like they were tiny glasses of wine. The pairing of full on, refined chocolates with an amazing assortment of french cheeses is a flavor idea that has changed my life. Please experiment at your leasure at home. I certainly will be.

Hopefully Vince will bless us with the addition of his amazing fleur de sel caramels with lavender blossom as part of his usual offerings. One word: YUM!

I loved my lamb chops and the snapper option was also tasty. But oh my god, the chocolate mustard crust!


The two remaining dishes were interesting but problematic. Langoustines and Shrimp on a Raft of Celery and Cucumbers in a Chocolate Chocolate Sea featured the one shining moment of green for the evening--pea shoots, but the flavor combo was too varied and didn't quite meld for me. Kathy really liked the leeks, but I found them on the overcaramelized side.

The oxtail broth had the interest of the asian pear and the fresh marjoram, but I really missed a bolder meat flavor.

Click here on the photo to enlarge for reading purposes.


Well then, dessert.I don't know how, but I at first forgot to take a picture...then after two bites remembered. I had to reassemble from my fellow diners' plates. At the time it was really funny to go helping myself to everybody's plates, but in a fit of anxiety last night, I woke up thinking, "What the heck have I done? Could I have been more rude?" Jeez, thanks friends.

In parting, Steven Gibbs has a now famous quote amongst us, "I LOVE love."