This was my second time eating here and both times have been memorable with good food and a wine list that won’t quite. This time it was just my sister and I and we had a prime table right besides the fireplace (which is MUCH better than any table in the dreaded adjacent yellow room.) The Chave was on the list for 90 euro and we opted to not decant. In hindsight, we should have thrown this into a decanter when we arrived as it continued to gain weight as the evening went on.

All of the food was excellent, save for the starter of sardine in puff pastry which was so potent, I think I tasted it all night. The seared Foie with caramelized apples is stunning and worth the trip alone. This is the second time I’ve had the dish and I’m a fan. We followed this with a vegetable medley, leg of lamb and a potato risotto. The lamb was cooked perfect, albeit tough, but had great flavor and the risotto and vegetables were excellent as well. The cheese course was nice but this place has the best creme brulee ever… and the apple tart didn’t disappoint either.

• 1987 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
  Medium red, transparent color with slight bricking at the edges. This shows a perfumed, sweet nose of cherry, forest floor, earth and mushroom notes. The palate is medium bodied and has a silky, smooth texture, completely integrated tannins and a medium length finish. This was drank over a 3 hour period and not decanted with the last glass being the best. (88 pts.)