凱蒂食記：monsieur L : 台北真的是一個充滿美食的城市，但美中不足的是不夠多西式料理，尤其是法式跟義式。很開心上禮拜發現了一家燈光美，氣氛佳，食物優，服務好的法式餐廳！隱居在民生社區的巷弄裡，裝潢簡單優雅，高椅背的沙發讓我懷念起以前在紐約工作一整天，下班後打扮的漂漂亮亮，跟姐妹們聚會的晚餐。
今天點的是monsieur L 的套餐，現在正是白蘆筍的季節，所以前菜跟湯都用白蘆筍來搭配。前菜是白蘆筍佐冷鴨肝凍，之前我比較喜歡煎的鴨肝，但最近天氣炎熱，清爽的冷鴨肝配上主廚特別用心特製的高湯凍，還有賦予口感的小黃瓜，好像別有一番風味，更和我胃口。
第二道上的是白蘆筍湯。原本很擔心會是濃郁的奶油湯底，但幫我們服務的美麗女孩跟我們解釋，這道湯完全沒用奶油，而是用白蘆筍慢熬，再搭配上軟嫩的半熟蛋以及肉質結實的田雞腿，這真的是很豐富的一道湯品。
接下來就是pasta的時間了，鮮甜的胭脂蝦誘人的躺在小巧可愛的甜豆仁餃子上，真教人捨不得吃。美食當前，我怎麼可能錯過我最愛的手工pasta呢！pasta口感果然沒讓我失望！胭脂蝦與甜豆的結合，讓我感受到大自然新鮮的美好！
主菜一直很掙扎要海鮮呢？還是我在肉類中的最愛：羊呢？最後🐑脫穎而出。肉質非常好，而且推薦給害怕羊味的人，這算是我吃過羊味偏低的菲力了，雖然我個人偏愛味道重一點的啦哈哈。
最後，另一個吸引我前來的原因就是—他們竟然有souffle！而且是我最最最愛的開心果口味！超懷念souffle雲朵般的口感！好吃的souffle真的是可遇不可求，竟然被我遇到了！真的很開心！更難得的是monsieur L裡竟然有專門的甜點師傅！下次一定要試試他們的 earl grey巧克力蛋糕！
Katherine's food diary: Monsieur L: there's a lot of nice restaurants in taipei however not that many authentic French or Italian cuisine. Luckily I came by one last week. Like a hidden gem in mingsheng neighborhood, Monsieur L reminded me of restaurants I would go to with my girlfriends in New York after a long day of work. Restaurant that is comfy, served good food and service.
I had their set menu which had traces of white asparagus in various courses, as it just became in season. My starter was foie gras terrains accompanied with white asparagus. Usually I prefer seared foie gras as oppose to terrain, but this dish was actually more appetizing as the weather is getting hotter. The terrain was dressed with slices of cucumber and special jelly made by the chef. It tasted light on texture but rich in flavor, perfect dish to welcome summer!
Second dish was cream asparagus soup. When I saw 'cream', I was afraid it would be literally cream based. However the soup was creamy from asparagus itself from long hours of stewing, not a tad bit of actual cream was used. The soup was presented with a soft boiled egg and fried frog leg on the side to add more excitement to the already wonderful soup.
Next dish was pasta, which was light and sweet with fresh jumbo shrimp placed on top of three cute sweet bean tortellini. Can I just say how brilliant this dish is and how much I miss fresh home made pasta!
And then came my main dish which I had difficulty deciding between seafood or meat. In the end, I went with my favorite meat kind, lamb. And I'm glad I did, the lamb was extremely tender and juicy.
Lastly was the major reason that triggered my visit to Monsieur L: soufflé! And it's not some ordinary soufflé! It's my favorite pistachio soufflé! It's really hard to come by a nicely baked soufflé, let alone pistachio flavored! Certainly the taste did not let me down. It so soft as of I'm traveling in clouds with my mouth opened. I'm honored Monsieur L had a professional dessert chef, cause usually it's hard to accomplish when the scale of the restaurant is not yet as developed. I already know I need to pay another visit soon and next time, I'm ordering the earl grey chocolate fondant!
