August | 2010 | Rue Spontini

For my 23rd birthday in Paris, one of my best friends from home, Emma and her new husband Jean took me out to the nicest dinner I have ever had. Unfortunately I only have one picture to document the night, and it just so happens to be blurry. I was too nervous to take pictures of my food…the place was not what you would call a touristy resto. Instead, here is the in depth email I sent to my parents recalling every detail of my first true French meal…one I will never forget!

The email: (sidenote: I am a describer of art, not of food…so bear with me!)

Last weekend was a dream come true! I will start by describing my birthday dinner, which I have complete faith in saying it was the best meal I will probably have in my entire lifetime. Seriously. When we got there they were filming a movie right outside the restaurant. Unfortunately, I didn’t find out what movie it was but the lights were shining into the windows the entire time we ate. Emma told me that Woody Allen had eaten there night before, no big deal or anything.

But anyways, on to the food….for starters we had bread, perrier, the best white wine i’ve ever had AND champagne. (Jean ordered everything since it is his favorite restaurant, I know nothing about food, and I couldn’t read the menu). Our first course was my favorite; some kind of crab meat in 3 balls with thinly sliced radishes on the top and the bottom and I can not even describe the flavor. They were phenomenal, I could have stopped there and been easily satisfied.

The 2nd course was like a frothy creamy deliciousness in a martini glass with an egg, parsley and these tiny mushrooms at the bottom. I thought I would hate it since I hate parsley and mushrooms, but guess what? It was DELICIOUS and I loved it.

Our third course was the flakiest, butteriest cod in the yummiest sauce imaginable. Emma really wanted their mashed potatoes cause it is what the place is famous for and I mistook the mashed potatoes for butter and almost put it on my cod. The mashed potatoes made me realize where the phrase “melts in your mouth” comes from…they were not even mashed they were like whipped, buttery goodness. But they were SO buttery and SO good that I could only have about 3 bites. I was tempted to unbutton my white jeans at this point…white jeans were a bad choice.

And now on to the dessert…no, it’s not over yet! For dessert Emma and I got this cup of chocolate something or other with a ball of fudge in the middle…that is my best way of describing it, it was amazing, obviously. Jean was on a diet, so he ordered sorbet. It was basil flavored which I thought was repulsive until he let me try some…it was surprisingly remarkable with a zing to it!

NEXXT…the whole place sang me “joyeux anniverssaire” and they brought out a cake for me. I could not have eaten one more thing but it would be rude not to so I took one bite…it was chocolate carmel and toffee with chocolate rings on top. I took the rest of it home and ate the entire thing the next day. After that, Jean ordered me this dessert wine or something. It tasted like sparkling cider but sweeter and 100 times better. He said American girls love it but he told me not to drink it like sparkling cider cause it is secretively really strong, I heeded his advice.

LASTLY, we all had an expresso…I need to start getting used to that French tradition. They have an expresso after every meal. I have never eaten so much good food in my life. Sorry to spend so much time describing the meal, but it truly was a culinary experience for me! I will never forget my 23rd bday dinner a la Jean Bureau!

Are you hungry yet??