Salli Vates' Second Anniversary: L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

When my companion and I visited Paris this summer, we had wanted to dine at Joël Robuchon's restaurant. (As it was booked solid, we indulged instead at Dominique Bouchet. Heaven help that man if he ever decides to open a restaurant in New York, because with his initials, he'll step right into the DB controversy.)

Although we just missed M. Robuchon, who was in NYC last week for his seasonal reimagining of the menu, we were able to secure a reservation at L'Atelier tonight. The occasion was our second anniversary, which we celebrated with a sublime late summer meal. (I say "late summer" because although it's October, the autumn menu doesn't start till next week.) As we oohed and aahed at each successive course, I felt like a child on Christmas Day... what colorful present would arrive next?

After toasting with glasses of Amancaya Cabernet, we began with a layered foie gras Parmesan foam. Light yellow mini-bubbles mixed with a layer of unctuous, rich crimson. Then came our four chosen small plates (we'd elected to choose our own tasting rather than go with the 8-course). Frog's legs were tiny, delicate fried drumsticks served with dollops of garlic cream and basil pesto. Sugar-sweet langoustine was nestled inside a thin twist wonton skin. Coriander-spiced eggplant rolled with tuna was topped with Parmesan, tiny onion rings, and long strips of chive. A sculpture of buffalo mozzarella and grilled vegetables was also accented with basil pesto, and the zucchini and sundried tomatoes were powerfully flavorful.

(It was difficult not to fill up on the rosemary focaccia and little baguettes. The butter was French Echire.)

While we waited for the main course, our charming server, Opu, indulged us in food and Four Seasons-related trivia. Apparently, a perk for some Four Seasons employees is a free stay in any Four Seasons Hotel! But before we had a chance to ask for a job application, our amadai and rouget arrived. What is amadai? A fish which only swims in Japan. (Ours also swam in a tangy yuzu broth, complimented by fried leeks and lotus root.)

My two red-skinned rouget fillets were surrounded by a little festival of vegetables... browned cauliflower, bright green favas and snow peas, pale artichokes, fennel. My companion's portion looked rather small in comparison, so I made sure to share.

When I saw the dessert menu, I exclaimed, "No chocolate?" Opu explained, "The summer dessert menu does not include a chocolate selection, but don't worry... the pre-dessert is a chocolate cream with milk foam, and the selection of tartelettes includes chocolate ganache and chocolate peanut as well as apple and cinnamon." So, I ordered the feather-light, eggy almond souffle with almond ice cream, almond brittle and poached pears, and stole bites of chocolate ganache from my companion's plate. (Only fair, I thought, as I'd been so generous with my main course!)

Finally, we were presented with a surprise: a plate of miniature chocolate macarons with the words "Bon Anniversaire" drizzled in chocolate. We did get our chocolate fix after all!

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon: Four Seasons Hotel, 57 East 57th St., (212) 350-6658.