TAPENADE

7612 Fay Ave, La Jolla (858) 551-7500

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the evolving fine dining scene in San Diego.  The past 12 months have borne witness to the openings of Jack's La Jolla, Cavaillon, Addison, Blanca, 1500 Ocean, and Market, all welcome additions to our restaurant arsenal.  We have reaped a bumper crop, and the future of fine dining in San Diego looks bright indeed.  This recent trend is exciting, and I believe it is actually rooted in two major events that occurred in the 1990's.  June of 1994 saw Bernard Guillas take the culinary helm of the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, including the landmark Marine Room.  Four years later, Jean-Michel Diot came to San Diego and opened Tapenade in La Jolla.  The ensuing success of these chefs and their respective dining establishments paved the way for the restaurant renaissance San Diego is enjoying today.  With this in mind, I visited Tapenade twice in January, to see how Chef Diot's Grande Dame was faring as she approached her ninth birthday.

Tapenade started my meal off with a tasty, complimentary, vegetarian amuse bouche.

 

This refreshing starter is cleverly served in Chinese soup spoons.

Next to arrive was a basket of fresh, crusty french bread.

The bread was served with the restaurant's eponymous olive spread.

The condiment was finely ground, and had solid black olive, caper, and anchovy flavors.  This little pot of gold did not last long.

I found the appetizer section of the menu quite intriguing.  The following were the selections I deemed most notable, and several of them reflect that my visits were at the height of the Perigord black truffle (tuber melanosporum) season. 

Salade de Betterave, Roquette, Fromage de Chevre ($11.95).  (Yellow and Red Beets with Arugula Lettuce Salad, and Warm Goat Cheese).

Here, red and yellow beets are joined by a salad of arugula lettuce and warm goat cheese.  The sweetness of the beets complimented the rich flavor of the goat cheese.  I also loved the presentation of this offering.

Terrine de Poireaux, Truffe Suprise, Vinaigrette Truffes ($24.00).  (Young Leeks Terrine, with Black Truffle Suprise).

This terrine was studded with tender pieces of leek, and wrapped in a leek "skin."  Generous slices of Perigord black truffles were shaved over the top.  The terrine had an excellent flavor and texture, and the strong, earthy shaved truffles and truffle vinaigrette put this over the top.  Just look at the beautiful, finely veined truffle slices.  Whole, fresh Perigord blacks ran $70.00 to $100.00 an ounce this past season.

I had noticed truffle risotto paired with Maine diver scallops as an entree.  Chef Diot graciously agreed to prepare the risotto by itself as an appetizer for me.  Risotto aux Truffes Noires ($18.00).  (Black Truffle Risotto).

The rice grains had that perfect toothsome give that I look for in risotto.  It was rich, creamy, and infused with black truffle bits, as well as topped generously with truffle shavings.  The drizzle of demi glace added further complexity and depth of flavor.  This truffle season I have had the good fortune of enjoying truffle risotto at Per Se, Babbo, Spago Beverly Hills,  and Michael Mina.  Tapenade's rendition is in the same league as these heavy hitters.

Homard aux Truffes et Celery Remoulade ($24.95).  (Maine Lobster Medallions, Celeriac Remoulade, and Fresh Truffle Dressing).

Here, Chef Diot formed a disk shaped base with celeriac remoulade, placed a layer of lobster medallions on top, and finished this with a fresh truffle dressing and shaved truffles.  I love mayonnaise with lobster, so the remoulade and lobster combination worked well for me.  The celeriac provided a mild celery flavor, and the dressing added an earthy tone.  This was an excellent starter with interesting, and enjoyable flavor interaction.

Oeufs Brouilles aux Truffes Noires, Asperges Vertes ($24.00).  (Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Perigord Black Truffles, and Green Asparagus).

Scrambled eggs and truffles make a delicious pairing.  In truffle producing regions, this combination is commonly referred to as "the truffle hunter's breakfast."  These hunters are some lucky folks.  The eggs were cooked perfectly.  They were silky smooth, very moist, but not wet, and loaded with rich, earthy truffle shavings.  As an added treat, Chef Diot presented some of the eggs in a croustillant (seen at the right rear of the plate).  The chef first drains a chicken egg, then using it as a mold, packs it with butter, and freezes it.  Next, the egg shell is removed, the frozen butter is rolled in bread crumbs, and then deep fried.  To finish, the top is cut off, and the interior is packed with the truffle scrambled eggs.  This was a fun preparation, and completely delicious.  If you like scrambled eggs, you owe it to yourself to try them with truffles.

Gnocchis de Pomme de Terre et Poireaux, Truffes Noires ($24.00). (Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchis, Braised Leeks, Parmesano Reggiano, and black truffles).

At the heart of this dish are the house made Yukon Gold gnocchis.  They had a wonderful texture, light, yet with that signature creamy, Yukon Gold potato flavor.  The sauce was complex, rich, and fantastic, thanks to the cheese, demi glace, chives, and leeks.  Once again, the kitchen used a generous hand when it came to adding the black truffles.  I adore good gnocchi, and I absolutely loved Chef Diot's version.

Unfortunately, I am unable to provide you with my usual review of two entrees per meal, as I lacked the willpower to pass up the Tournedos Rossini on either visit. 

Joues de Veau Braisees au Basilic ($32.00).  (Milk Fed Veal Cheeks in Basil Sauce, with Creamer & Purple Potatoes, and a Savoy Cabbage Roll).

I am a huge fan of veal cheeks, and two big reasons why, are taste and texture.  These cheeks were like butter, and literally melted in my mouth.  The veal flavor was enhanced further by the basil sauce, which tasted like it was based off a brown veal stock reduction.

I also liked the Savoy cabbage roll.  It reminded me of an upscale Chinese egg roll.  If you are a fan of milk fed veal, I would highly recommend this entree.

Civet de Sanglier, Pates Fraiches aux Truffes et Celery ($30.00).  (Braised Wild Boar in Burgundy Red Wine Sauce, served over Fresh Papardelle Pasta with Celery Root and Black Truffles).

The braise produced boar that was tender, and full of good, gamy flavor.  The sauce had strong Burgundy and boar components that I enjoyed with the fresh, house made papardelle, and celery root puree.  While the truffles lifted this dish to a certain degree,  their contribution was less obvious than in some of the other menu offerings.   

Tournedos Rossini Sauce Aux Truffes Noires ($52.00).  (Beef Tenderloin, Perigord Black Truffle Sauce, Sauteed Duck Foie Gras, Truffle Potato "Dauphine," Sun Chokes and Turnips).

I am a big fan of just about anything Rossini.  Foie gras, truffles, demi glace, what is not to like?  The tournedos Rossini at Tapenade did not disappoint.  The USDA Prime fillet mignon was cooked rare, per my order, and had excellent texture and flavor.  The generous slab of foie gras was sauteed to perfection.  Both were raised to the next level by the Perigord truffle sauce which was bursting with deep, concentrated flavors.  The dauphine potatoes were shaped into logs, rather than the traditional balls, and studded with truffle bits.  Frying them in hot fat endowed them with a crispy crust, which gave way to a delicious, tender interior.  This entree is a real winner, and if you are a carnivore, you should think twice before passing it up.

I had one of Jerome Maure's desserts on each of my visits.

Poire Pochee, Espresso & Chocolate Custard, Caramel Sauce ($9.25).  (Poached Pear in Muscat Wine & Vanilla, Espresso Bittersweet Chocolate Custard, and Caramel Sauce).

The pear was infused with vanilla, and Muscat wine flavors. The chocolate custard was strong, rich, and tasted of espresso.  The house made caramel was thick, and tasted so good I could eat it on styrofoam.  I enjoyed this dessert a lot. 

Trilogy de Creme Brulee ($9.25).  (Creme Brulee three ways).

The three custard flavors were vanilla bean, lemon-thyme, and pistachio.  All three Brulees tasted great, and had nice, caramelized crusts, but my favorite was the pistachio.

The question remains, how is Tapenade fairing as it approaches its ninth birthday?  In a word, fabulous.  I enjoyed every menu item that I tried, (I tried quite a few), and several of them were absolutely remarkable.  Chef Jean-Michel Diot's technical skill, creativity, product selection, and attention to detail combine to create a truly exceptional culinary experience.  Chef Diot's passion and vision make Tapenade a restaurant that would not just survive, but thrive in major market cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Tapenade is doing its share to place San Diego on this country's dining destination map.

Lunch M-F 11:30am-2:30pm

Dinner Daily 5:30pm-close

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