{"id":2335,"date":"2010-07-01T20:37:53","date_gmt":"2010-07-01T18:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.highendfood.org\/en\/?p=2335"},"modified":"2010-07-01T20:37:53","modified_gmt":"2010-07-01T18:37:53","slug":"frankfurt-francais","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culinary-insights.de\/de\/frankfurt-francais\/","title":{"rendered":"Frankfurt - Franz\u00f6sisch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes it is just a pleasure to literally watch how a chef develops. Almost in slow-motion, dishes pass by and tell a story of modernization, of self-discovery… Like a sculptor a chef needs time to set his unique picture, his style free.<\/p>\n

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Restaurant Fran\u00e7ais<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At Fran\u00e7ais<\/a> in Frankfurt, Patrick Bittner<\/strong> is a fine example how this evolution can actually happen. Having dined there in regular intervals (and increasing frequency I have to admit) one observation is clear cut: whereas his cuisine in 2008\/9 was very good but rather classic<\/a> the first star in November 2008 was a big turning point and milestone in his development. Bittner had been working towards this goal for some years \u2013 so the moment of liberation was quite substantial.<\/p>\n

How has this impacted on Patrick Bittner’s cuisine?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Since then, the whole team just loves to cook and creates more and more new dishes that demonstrate an evolving clear-cut handwriting, namely the playful and seamless integration of fresh\/sweet elements and undertones in the respective dishes. The effect of this id\u00e9e fixe is mostly surprising, refreshing and keeps the diner receptive throughout the course of the menu. Another significant development is that Bittner begins to use modern plating instead of his previous dense stacked presentations. First, it makes the dishes look lighter and allows him to use a broader array of elements and flavours. In the end the dish has increased complexity and allows the diner to vary his degustation and try the ingredients in different combinations. To be sure, the current phase will be transitory but it clearly shows the direction.<\/p>\n

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Appetizer 1: Cannellono<\/strong> of Mozzarella de Buffalo, Tomato Confit and Basil Espuma<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our last menu started with a couple of high quality appetizers<\/strong>: an intense celery vanilla soup, a spoon of creamy cucumber, a superb small crab from B\u00fcsum and mustard air, a second spoon of refreshing iced Virgin Mary with stripes of celery and a cannellono of mozzarella de buffalo, confit of tomatoes and basil espuma. Interestingly, there is no given order – one could just wander around and, from time to time, snack from the crispbread with caraway and Arabic spices that added some nice crunch and depth.<\/p>\n

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Appetizers Part 2<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The two amuses were very representative of the recent development and programmatic for the evolving style: a fantastic tuna belly <\/strong>served as a sashimi with wakame<\/a> algae, lemon air and coriander mayonnaise. Some dried orange zests on the tuna belly added a surprising crisp freshness. Excellent to outstanding.<\/p>\n

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Tuna Belly<\/strong> - Wakame Algae \/ Lemon Air \/ Coriander Mayonnaise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The second amuse was also very compelling: a wonderful piece of Orkney salmon<\/strong>, marinated red onions, heart of palm<\/a> and avocado. The interplay of the slightly sour onions, earthy heart of palm, sweet-sour citrus sorbet with the iodic and fresh salmon worked amazingly well. In particular the small sesame caramel stick made this dish special as it added not only crunch but also some cereal-like note that broadened the aroma spectrum. Excellent to outstanding.<\/p>\n

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Orkney Salmon<\/strong> - Marinated Red Onions \/ Heart of Palm \/ Avocado \/ Citron Sorbet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first course was brilliant \u2013 having eaten literally tons of foie gras terrines in recent years we must say that there a few examples that are really remarkable and still on our minds. As simple as the combination of foie gras<\/strong>, green pepper, elder and yoghurt might look it was a complex masterpiece: especially the effect of the use of yoghurt as a softening and mediating element between the foie and the elder. The green pepper worked like a taste enhancer, a natural catalyst that accentuated the elder flavour and added complexity to the foie terrine. Confit of elder and the elder\/rosmary ice cream set a respective counterpoint to the rich and dense terrine. Outstanding! <\/p>\n

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Alsatian Foie Gras<\/strong> - Elder \/ Yoghurt \/ Green Pepper<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next up was another stunning dish: a carpaccio of splendid langoustines<\/strong> with braised lukewarm pork chin, pink grapefruit, green asparagus and, as an ingenious add-on, popcorn of pork. Simply wonderful \u2013 we would have never thought that this one could work but it impressively did. The pork chin was amazingly tender and didn\u2019t dominate the subtle langoustine at all \u2013 both formed some kind of symbiosis as if this combination would be the most natural one. Chapeau, Mr Bittner \u2013 these are the dishes every foodie is longing for, out-of-the-ordinary, masterly executed and very to the point. <\/p>\n

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Brittany Langoustines<\/strong> - Pink Grapefruit \/ Green Asparagus \/ Pork Chin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bittner\u2019s creations of caviar and cr\u00e8me crue<\/strong> are already a kind o signature dish. Whereas I was not particularly fond of the combination with green apple granit\u00e9 in 2008, I was pleasantly surprised by the current rather traditional serving: a generous portion of superb Ossiertra caviar (really representative of this Grand House) worked perfectly with the light blini, the rich but not overpowering cr\u00e8me crue and a herbal and intense sauce b\u00e9arnaise slightly flavoured by a nice veal stock. Excellent to outstanding!<\/p>\n

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Russian Ossietra Imperial Caviar<\/strong> - Cr\u00e8me Crue \/ Potato Blini \/ Sauce Bearnaise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Bavarian crayfish<\/strong> was of amazing quality, fresh as just caught from a near-by lake, served in a brilliant sugo of crayfish stock and ginger, intensified by some carrot confit. The bacon & peas ice cream \u00e0 part catapulted us into heaven as the deep bacon flavour and the earthy-herbal peas worked like a underlying perfume and let the crayfish shine even brighter. Here, Bittner showed a deep understanding of proportions and flavour accords \u2013 a dish to be in love with.<\/p>\n

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Bavarian Crayfish<\/strong> - Young Peas \/ Ginger \/ Carrot Confit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Bacon \/ Peas Ice Cream<\/strong> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hard to top that we ahve to admit and the St Pierre<\/strong> gave us a bit of room to settle down and take a deep breath. A masterly executed dish, very tasty chanterelles coupled with a nice version of Frankfurt Green Sauce \u2013 excellent.<\/p>\n

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St. Pierre de Ligne<\/strong> - Mashed Potatoes \/ Chanterelles \/ Frankfurt Herbs <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Brittany turbot<\/strong> was a pure Mediterranean delight \u2013 succulent and just yummy, best products notwithstanding. Excellent to outstanding.<\/p>\n

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Brittany Turbot<\/strong> - Young Artichokes \/ Capers \/ Confit of Tomatoes <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For us, the main course was the weakest dish of this lunch, mainly because of the rich Caf\u00e8 de Paris butter. Clearly, it\u2019s homemade and very authentic (the brigade is kind of obsessed making it), but it overshadowed the fine suckling veal breast<\/strong> that was cooked sous-vide. For this subtle meat we would have preferred a modern playful use of this butter, maybe in the sense of how Elverfeld is using frozen sour cream in his Stroganoff interpretation. Overall a fine and very good main, especially the snail raviolo was a nice rustic counterpart to veal.<\/p>\n

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Suckling Veal Breast<\/strong> - Pointed Cabbage \/ Snail Raviolo \/ 'Caf\u00e9 de Paris' Butter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Obsthof Schneider<\/a> is a local producer of various fruits, especially different kinds of apple for the local Eppelwoi. The pr\u00e8-dessert<\/strong> is a wonderful showcase how different an apple can taste. \u2018Pomona\u2019 (for the sorbet) is rich and fruity whereas the \u201cWildlinge vom L\u00f6\u00df\u201d (for the Cidr\u00e8 as a the basis for the jellied soup) is more rustic, mineralic. Excellent and refreshing.<\/p>\n

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Obsthof Schneider<\/strong> - 'Pomona' Cr\u00e8me Sorbet \/ 'Wildlinge auf L\u00f6ss' as yellied soup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The pistachio \/ cherry dessert<\/strong> shows how p\u00e2tissier Oliver N\u00e4ve progresses: his creations become complexer and nevertheless less dense and thus overall lighter. This creation was just excellent using different textures and temperatures following a common theme, namely the marriage of pistachio and cherry accentuated by chocolate and yoghurt. Excellent to outstanding.<\/p>\n

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Pistachio \/ Cherry<\/strong> - Mousse \/ Dumpling \/ Youghurt Espuma<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The verdict<\/strong>
\n\u201cSplendid? Splendid, we must say\u201d \u2013 this was already an overall excellent to outstanding meal and clearly shows more potential if Bittner continues to follow his chosen path. In the meantime we should go there, relax and see how his cuisine gradually develops. From a Frankfurt perspective, Bittner is clearly the Number One slightly ahead of Mario Lohninger!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\n<\/br><\/p>\n

\n
Restaurant Fran\u00e7ais<\/strong>
\nAm Kaiserplatz
\nD-60311 Frankfurt am Main
\nTel:  +49 69 215-118
\nWebsite<\/a>
\nContact<\/a><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Opening Times:<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\n
\n 
\nMonday
\nTuesday
\nWednesday
\nThursday
\nFriday
\nSaturday
\nSunday
\n<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\nLunch
\n12.00 – 13.45
\n12.00 – 13.45
\n12.00 – 13.45
\n12.00 – 13.45
\n12.00 – 13.45
\n–
\n–\n<\/div>\n<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\nDinner
\n18:30-21:30
\n18:30-21:30
\n18:30-21:30
\n18:30-21:30
\n18:30-21:30
\n–
\n–\n<\/div>\n<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/br>
\n<\/br>
\n[wpmaps company=”Restaurant Fran\u00e7ais” street=”Am Kaiserplatz” city=”60311 Frankfurt am Main”]
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