For a taste of Provence take a seat at Table 34

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For a taste of Provence take a seat at Table 34

The triumph of French cuisine in Seoul owes much to Table 34, one of the few French restaurants that survived the pioneering days of French cooking in Seoul ― the days when many Koreans mistook foie gras for rotten goo.

▶ open ravioli, petis pois, truffle puree and ragout of scampi; artichoke barigoule-style with balsamic dressing, and tomato in puff pastry.
Back then, Table 34’s award-winning European chefs were able to overcome the city’s prejudices with exquisite French dishes, such as a gorgeously prepared rabbit rillette wrapped in herb crepes.
Four years later, Table 34 is now attempting to take the reputation of French cuisine to another level, this time by temporarily handing their kitchen over to Christian Etienne, a Michelin-starred chef from Avignon.
On my way to try his Provencal specialties in this starkly minimalist restaurant on the top floor of the Grand InterContinental Hotel, I was beset by a question: Could this famed Maitre Cuisinier de France succeed in recreating authentic dishes from his own namesake restaurant ― at 10 rue de Mons 84000 Avignon ― in a hotel in Korea?
From now until early next year in the South of France, many restaurants offer “truffle weekends.” This is the time of the year when truffle enthusiasts from around the world travel there to indulge in truffle delicacies. Monsieur Etienne is best-known for his cookbook, “The Magic of the Truffles” (Ici La Press, 2001). It’s clear the presence of this famous earthy aroma is essential to appreciating Mr. Etienne’s skills, so I chose a starter featuring this Provencal black gold: open ravioli, petis pois and truffle puree and ragout of scampi (25,0000 won, or $23, plus 10 percent VAT and 10 percent service charge).

▶ pork chop with sage, potato and mushrooms; a rack of lamb, and brandade of cod.
My two tablemates ordered a Provencal fiesta: artichoke barigoule-style with balsamic dressing (18,000 won) and champignons sauvages (wild mushroom) soup with chestnut (15,000 won).
Mr. Etienne, who has an easy smile between dark curly hair and a square jaw sat with us to chat about his food. He said, in French, that Provencal dishes needed to be distinguished from conventional French cuisine based in Paris. “Provence draws greatly on influences from the Mediterranean, from Italy, Spain and Morocco. I’m here to recreate the region’s specialties for Koreans.”
As soon as our starters arrived, I was ecstatic about my choice. With green pea and brown truffle puree bursting out of ravioli slivers the color of yellow marigolds, the dish looked more like a palette for an artist preparing to paint a Provencal spring. The dish was a symphony of flavors from peas to truffles to shrimp, each one producing a distinct but harmonic note.
If there is a dish I dream about it is artichokes, which are rare in Korea but abundant in Provence. Mr. Etienne’s version of the dish was seasoned with balsamic vinegar and the subtle taste of the artichoke heart was hard to detect.
The next dish was much more vibrant and my palate quickly returned to France. Upon sipping a spoonful of creamy mushroom soup, decorated with tender chestnut slices, I felt as if I was walking through an autumn meadow, past a Monet alley of willows, with the scent of champignons in the air.
We naturally had a Provencal-style wine for our feast. The 2004 Jean-Luc Colombo Le Prieure Saint-Joseph (120,000 won), from the Rhone , combined well with the food.

▶ nougat with confit of fruits and apple tart with honey, rosemary and pine nuts. By Ines Cho

The chef said he had experienced no difficulties in Korea finding the fish and meat he uses at Restaurant Christian Etienne and which earned him a Michelin star in 1998, but it was hard to believe. For one thing, there is a big problem getting good tomatoes in Korea. For a master of tomato recipes, Korea cannot possibly provide the essential heirloom tomatoes like Couer de Boeuf (beefsteak tomato), Tigerella, Banana Legs or Dix Doigts de Naples.
The tomatoes used in some of these dishes were local varieties. The highly acidic and watery kind appeared as a confit in my fish dish: brandade of cod (salt cod), confit of tomatoes, garlic and thyme infused sauce (40,000 won). A baked, imported plum tomato was served next to a roasted lamb loin with herb bread crust (45,000 won). Our true appreciation for the Provencal touch came with the uniformly pink and tender interior of the lamb, flavored with a verdant herbal paste.
Pork chop with sage, oven-baked potato and forest mushrooms (45,000 won) looked like a hearty winter treat, but the chef didn’t seem to know how to treat Korean pork. The meat was too tough and dry inside.
When asked whether he would ever incorporate spices like chili, he said, “We make food to create feelings within, not stimulation from outside.”
Our trio of desserts (15,000 won each) ― a nougat with confit of fruits; apple tart with honey, rosemary and caramelized pine nuts, and chocolate truffle ― were made with a harvest from the woods.

▶ Christian Etienne
“Pine nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, we can find all of them in Provence,” the chef said, exuding the conviviality usually found in a small French town. Outside the window we were surrounded by skyscrapers but by the time we left Table 34, we felt like we had been kissed by the Provencal sun.
The master chef has gone home now, but Table 34’s clientele have been shouting “Encore!” to his aromatic dishes offered at the prices they would have paid at Restaurant Christian Etienne ― so it’s no surprise the hotel is extending the promotion until the end of January, 2007. Four-course lunch sets are available at 45,000 won and 55,000 won.

Table 34
English: On the menu, spoken.
Tel: 02-559-7631
Hours: Noon-2:30 p.m. for lunch; 6-10 p.m.; closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Location: On the 34th floor of the Grand InterContinental Hotel in Samseong-dong.
Parking: Available.
Dress code: Business or elegant.


by Ines Cho

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