Restaurant Alliance was visited by Frankie in March 2017 and again in April 2019, both fantastic meals. It was good to see Chef Toshitaka Omiya and Shawn Joyeux who together started this restaurant in 2015. The small room holds just 8 large white clothed tables that all have a view of the kitchen in the back of the room. Music was in the background that adds to the soothing colors of the interior and the comfy stuffed chairs. The staff are welcoming and it was fun to try the place at lunch this visit. Lunch offers a shorter 3 or 4 course menu but the 6 or 9 course menus from dinner are also available. A cheese course is additional and optional. We tried the lunch menu for which they offer pairings but Joyeux was able to pick a couple of wines by the glass to accompany our 4 course meal. Omiya and Joyeux have also opened other ventures but this place is their soul – the heart of their alliance.
Set-up
Food
Some snacks came out to accompany our champagne as we studied the menu options. A spring roll with ginger was light and a cabbage roll was filled with honey and brocolli. Both soft and fine.
A cheese gougere hit the spot and was delicious. It came out with some spicy breadsticks which were indeed spicy and crisp.
Amuse bouche started the meal. A cone filled with foie gras cream was excellent. Crisp and nicely filled, it’s a taste treat. Carrots and orange were in a lollipop format. Fresh and cool.
Next was a ball of fried lobster seasoned with lemon and ginger. It was hot and wonderful.
Peas, red sorrel leaf and strawberries was the first course. A lovely combination in which the very sweet strawberries were the star.
Morels with confit potato, onion and white mushroom emulsion were served with housemade foccaccia bread. Here the perfectly cooked potatoes were enhanced with crunchies on the outside while staying soft in the interior. The flavorful mushrooms added to this lovely combination. The focaccia was soft and great for getting the last bit out of the bowl.
Bread service continued with white and/or rye slices of bread with olive oil butter. I had to try both and the rye was much denser but both were moist with lovely large air holes.
John Dory was topped with celery, sea greens and an olive oil based sauce. The fish was almost translucent and lovely with the flavors of the sea.
Pigeon breast was served with cabbage wrapped leg meat and toasted leg, juniper and liver. The breast was perfectly cooked while the meat in the cabbage was more stewed. The caramelized toast was topped with tasty bits of liver. An amazing sauce was good for all parts.
A transition course included beetroot, hibiscus and sorrel. Some smoked yogurt was in the middle. It was a nice way to move from savory to sweet.
Dessert was a combination of rhubarb and nettle in several ways. The ice cream was surrounded by sweet rhubarb that was still slightly stringy. Nettles made the curved accent, all tied together with sweetend rhubarb sauce.
Last treats were melon ice cream with melon jelly with a little cake underneath. it was nice and cold. A chocolate cream was whippy on the top with a stuffed chocolate cake underneath. It was topped with crunchies. Lastly was a kiwi gel coated with lots of sugar. It was intense.
A parting gift were a pair of fennel seed and carrot muffins that were quite good.
