Until now I still don't know how to properly describe my experience at Aphrodite.
It felt so fanciful, random and bizarre, like I was in a circus.
The preparation and presentation were innovative and at the same time whimsical, which provided much amusement and entertainment to all the senses.
I just wish the food tasted more special to match all the theatrics.
There's a nice outdoor area filled with greeneries
But tonight I just wanted my own private space
I ordered the Revolution menu so I could try more dishes from this one Michelin star restaurant by Chef David Faure.
The "Harry Potter" welcome cocktail is champagne served with dry ice.
Sip it with a vanilla stick straw.
Faux Oyster was actually a slice of aubergine with kiwi underneath. I was instructed to eat this first
to get the texture of oyster. (That little "pearl" is a lemon ball!) Next up was the bread and butter
topped with oyster leaf for the taste of oyster. Finished the course with a very light fish mousse
filled with the delicate taste of the sea.
And then, the dragon show!
The waiter mixed some foam into the nitrogen bucket to create a "meringue"...
…which he put on top of the "pissaladiere," a local Nice specialty made
with onions and anchovy.
He demonstrated the right way to eat this with smoke billowing out of his nose.
"See? The dragon," pointing to himself. He then proceeded to make one for me
and laughed and complimented me while puffy white smoke came out
of my nose and mouth. "You're a beautiful dragon, Miss!"
This dinner was starting to get really amusing.
Macaroni and Cheese. But there was no macaroni, just tomato tubes with burrata cheese, basil,
pesto, black vinegar and tomato crisp.
Bread that is not bread
Domaine Magellan Le Fruit Defendu 2011
Daube spheres with crunchy carrots. As soon as my teeth sank into the jelly, its thin skin ripped
and intense beef and red wine flavors exploded in my mouth. I stopped at one.
Textures and Temperatures. Mussel ravioli 70 degrees. Chorizo ice cream -20 degrees.
Served with a rich and creamy bourride jus.
The next dish arrived covered in this LED fishbowl
He waved the bowl in front of my face so I could inhale all the woody smokey aroma to prepare
my senses for what was to come
Iberico Pata Negra with grilled asparagus
I never had pork this bloody but this was so perfect it tasted almost like beef
Fourme d'Amberta cheese ice cream with arugula salad and bread
And then, another nitrogen magic show
Pour the liquid nitrogen into the peach juice
Mix frantically
Ta-da!!!
Smooth and creamy peach sorbet. Yum.
And then Chef David Faure himself came to the table with his pretty wife to make me a…
drumroll, please!
Fried egg!!!
Egg white is coconut panna cotta, yolk is mango sauce, black pepper is vanilla from Madagascar
Sadly, it looked more exciting that it tasted
Deconstructionism: Faux Caviar or Irish Coffee?
Blini topped with spiked cream and coffee "caviar" = Irish Coffee
Sweets: White choco ball with pop candy, wasabi chocolate,
fruit jelly without fruit flavored gingerbread, strawberry balsamic cone,
limoncello spoon
The wasabi chocolate (that didn't taste like wasabi, by the way) came with this raspberry paste
in tube so you could squeeze and eat as much as you like
After 4 hours, the bill arrived tied to this pink balloon, which the waiter unknotted
and passed to me, instructing me to inhale all the helium then speak to him.
And I did.
"Beautiful Daisy Duck," he said, chuckling as he walked away.
Aphrodite: 10 boulevard Dubouchage 06000, Nice, France. Tel: +33 (0)4 93 85 63 53
