And then there is the ultimate dessert , the thinnest , the crispiest , the most buttery of crusts with a delicate fan of apple slices all baked to a deep autumnal brown .
Apple Tart
At dinner , the current crepe preparation with its fluffy cauliflower filling and deliriously seductive and wondrous Gruyere cheese sauce is a must . At night , the foie gras gets dressed for evening with sautéed apples and calvados .
In fact , the whole menu feels marvelously and rightfully autumnal . A stunning and rich saffron fennel sauce , its earthy orange color highlighting sautéed scallops – a visual feast . Tender squab is accompanied by assorted mushrooms and a roast of colorful baby carrots – a plate of elegance with a crispy fried carrot frond garnish . An elegant square fillet of halibut accented with just a touch of citrusy sauce , a mosaic of thin baby zucchini slices all sitting pretty on a panisse . With its crispy exterior and smooth , nutty interior , the chick pea delight from southern France is so perfect it almost stole the show from the fish !
Every item on the menu calls my name . There is the perfect bordelaise sauce on the succulent Angus ribeye that has all the right accompaniments – roasted bone marrow and potatoes cooked with foie gras fat . Risotto with butternut squash and a soft egg , quail with lentil and duck sausage , lobster with fennel bread pudding . I want to return again and again . Five- and seven-course tasting menus are available should you be so tempted .
And then there is the ultimate dessert , the thinnest , the crispiest , the most buttery of crusts with a delicate fan of apple slices all baked to a deep autumnal brown , topped by a scoop of rich french vanilla ice cream and a sweet calvados sauce . So , so , so good it hurts .
From start to finish – flawless .
LUCIENNE AT HOTEL ALESSANDRA
1070 Dallas St . | Houston , TX 77002 713.242.8555 | poirier @ valenciagroup . com
www . hotelalessandra-houston . com / lucienne
Photography by Shannon O ' Hara
24 LOCAL | 12 . 2017