Le Rigmarole was opened in 2018 by Jessica Yang and Robert Compagnon, received a Michelin star, then the couple decided to have 2 children and finally the pandemic occurred.  They gave up the starred option and began making quality pizzas.  In the fall of 2023 they decided to once again offer their tasting menu, now as a lunch option Wed. through Friday while keeping the pizza option on Sat. through Mon. dinner.    The couple met while working at Guy Savoy and they are a dynamic pair with both cooking but she also providing drink service, including lots of natural wines. With just 30 seats and most of them at the counter, it’s a fairly intimate setting.  There is no set menu, Robert simply asks what you like, don’t like and if there are particular things you want to eat. The two prices on the menu are mostly about the ingredients you want to have not the quantity.  With a small amount of conversation, they devise a menu suited for your tastes and hunger level – so your neighbor may get something completely different than you or the same preparation with a different main ingredient.  As Robert handed out the courses Jessica would choose a different wine to try with the next set.  Much the cooking is on a binchotan grill.  Unique and fun, but most importantly the food was very good.  As lunch went on we found ourselves visiting with others at the counter as well as the chefs.  Another restaurant blogger Mel went there recently and has even more photos but certainly put this lunch on your bucket list.

Set-up

 

Food

Most meals seemed to start with 3 bowls of pickled vegetables.  Carrots, cabbage and white radish were all quite tart but also tender in texture.  Each was good with the right amount of pickling flavor.

 

Fried asparagus were lightly breaded and fried to perfect crispness.  Hot and delicious with fabulous crisp and flavor.

 

Sea Bream tartar was seasoned with lemon and chive.  It was wonderful fish that was perfectly seasoned.

 

Grilled cuttlefish with spicy housemade yogurt was yummy good.  The grill flavor came through nicely and the spice in the yogurt gave the fish an excellent accent.

 

Pollock (cod family) was plated with spring turnips.  The perfectly cooked fish was lightly grilled and great but the turnips really stole the show in the sweet and buttery sauce.  This was a divine dish.

 

Chicken ‘sleeve’ is the meat between the breast and wing.  It was cooked with mustard and herbs.  A nice chew to the meat was set off with the seasonings.  Great flavor.

 

Pasta filled with ricotta in a garlic and ramson (leaves) sauce.  The pasta was cooked nicely and the pieces had a good amount of stuffing.  Set that off with some wonderful garlic and onion flavors and you have a winner.

 

Grilled tomatoes with seasonings were yummy.  Tender and delicious little warm bites.  They were great.

 

Chicken hearts were grilled.  Slightly chewy yet tender – another great snack.

 

 

Grilled lobster with simple pasta was next.  The lobster was cooked with the shell down so the juices stayed in and then mixed with the al dente pasta and butter.  Divine.

 

Chicken meatballs were on a raw milk cream with pita bread.  The meatballs were on a spinach cream and were great alone or with the lovely flat bread.

 

We still wanted to try chicken butts (left) which he had and he suggested we also get a skewer of chicken toro (right).  The fat and skin are attached to these which make them rich but also quite delicious.

 

For dessert he chose tres leches cake but added coconut milk to make it cuatro leches.  It was topped with a pepper meringue.  Very moist with tons of flavor, it made a perfect sweet ending to the meal.  I really wanted to lick this bowl clean.

 

With the bill came some house made chocolates that were also quite delicious.