Vaisseau is the creation of Chef Adrien Cachot who appeared on French TV’s Top Chef 2020. It’s a medium-sized monochromatic place with black walls, shaded windows to the street, gray-blue carpet, black ceiling and black clothed staff. A few decorative lights are on the walls and an open kitchen is in the back of the space which is filled with 10 nice-sized tables. At lunch you can choose between a 3 or 7 course surprise menu and wine pairings are available. Many of the courses came out in several different dishes and at the end I was able to get a copy of the menu. Their gimmick is that they serve the dish without telling you what it is until they clear the plate.
Set-Up
Food
Bouillon VegeThai was a broth of vegetables in a most interesting bowl. It really allowed you to get your nose involved with the odor while drinking. Using ginger, soy, and miso to season the vegetables, it was warm and well flavored.
The amuse bouche were a Tartlette aux larmes which was a creamy tart filled with horseradish flavor and algae on the top. It was hot on the palate yet cool in temperature.
Coques citron vert were clams with gel and citrus in the clam shell.
Meringue Penja was a gray meringue that was spicy with pepper and very light.
Salad de choux was in a spoon because the center was liquid. Filled with liquid red cabbage and white vinegar.
Mochi cachot e pepe was a gnocchi like very glutinous ball with a parmesan and pepper sauce. The ball was like a very large tapioca in a really creamy, cheesy sauce filled with Szechuan pepper. Good but odd texture.
Epinard/Ail brulé was a green spinach with brown garlic and a jalapeño sauce.
Green asparagus and herbs was accented with a parmesan crisp. Some mango and jam were on the top of the aspargus.
Radish kebab was made with 2 type of radish in a white garlic sauce.
Pomme de terre karamucho and pil-pil were turnips and potatoes with a sauce of smoked paprika. The sauce was also made with the trimmings and some Espellete pepper.
A 3 clove Parker House roll with black tea butter was served hot. The bread was excellent but I didn’t care for the flavor of the butter.
Scallops with levure, vinaigre de riz and caviar osciétre was a raw scallop with creme fraiche and some gel. Some rice vinegar added part of the tart and the yeast ice cream added a sweet component. The caviar added caviar. It was good.
Some slices of brown bread were brought to the table. It was crusty and dense and warm. A good sourdough.
Cabillaud, riz noir, tripe and vin jaune was fish topped with a thick sabayon. Underneath was a meat-rice sauce that was excellent and filled with wonderful flavors. The silky fish was cooked perfectly in a bowl licking dish. The fish turned out to be cod and the meat juice also contained mushrooms.
Pied de cochon with vinaigrette was a mashed out round in a vinaigrette of green tomatoes. The pig’s feet dish was like a meat juice salad served chilled. It was nice.
Pigeon was presented in 3 different formats. One was from a Japanese barbecue with pistachio miso. The jus of the leg meat was another bowl. The final was leg meat chopped into a ball and wrapped in pastry with a very reduced sauce, the extra of which they left on the table. The grilled pigeon was great, the ball just okay.
Camembert with cider was the cheese course. It was foamy on the top with crunchy stuff on the bottom and a gooey middle. It was fine – more texture than flavor.
Tartine de sardine was the first dessert. It was chocolate mixed with caramelized sardine and black lemon ice cream. Beside it was a brioche cake. Mixed together it was good but the caramelized sardine spine came off rancid to me.
Chocologie was the name of the second dessert, a combination of ecology and chocolate. This was a dessert chef made for the TV and won 2nd place. It was supposed to resemble a trash heap including the plastic cup but all here was edible. There was mushroom ice cream, lemon gel, chocolate sauce, parsley, sponge cake, and cup made of sugar. There were multiple textures and tastes here which was interesting.
