Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!  

I was recently invited to a blogger dinner at Bagatelle, the popular French restaurant in the Meatpacking district. There, I had a fantastic time with the team of Blue Polo Interactive, Inc. (Jocelyn, Michael and Josh), as well as my fellow bloggers, Malini, The Restaurant Fairy, and Christine. There, we got to meet with Chef Sebastien Chamaret, who gave us an exclusive tour of the busy kitchen.

The dinner was around 7pm and, for my first time there, I did not know what to expect, although one of my colleagues, Jérome, warned me that there might be some dancing on the tables at some point...Not so surprising as bagatelle means frivolous in French. I, of course, noticed the elegant decor, with white being predominant, and beautiful chandelier adding some chic to the place. I could also not miss the impressive bar and the even more impressive bottles of champagne sitting on one of the sides.

After a certain time, enjoying our meal, the lights got dimmed and the DJ started entertaining a crowd that got more and more excited as the evening went. I left at 11pm, but apparently, it was only the start of what would become a real party.

We, of course, accompanied our dishes with a nice selection of wines, recommended by their sommelier, Thibault. Before the dinner started, I decided to cool myself down with a nice glass of Riesling.

Then, for dinner, we switched between white and red. For white, we went for a Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru 2011, Clos Saint Marc.

For red, we had a fantastic Bordeaux: a Saint-Estephe, Chateau Lafon-Rochet, Grand cru classe 2005:

The wine was excellent, and the only problem of the evening was to find space on the table for the food, with all these different glasses...

First, they brought us some bread (you cannot have a French meal without bread!) with some ricotta that added a fresh note.

Then, the appetizers came. You might not have gone to a dinner with a blogger, but understand that we were all camera ready to get a shot, standing up to be able to get a good photo, without spilling any wine or water.

We got:

Gnocchi truffé a la Parisenne de Nicolas, or homemade gnocchi with black truffle pesto and truffle sauce. The gnocchi were light and fluffy, with the aroma of truffle making you want to eat the entire plate. 

Tartare de thon Bagatelle composed of ahi tuna tartare, avocado salad, lime soy vinaigrette and taro chips.

Ceviche de Saumon Sauvage, or marinated Wild king salmon, kumquats confit & yuzu emulsion (beautifully presented in a scallop shell and so refreshing, with a perfect acidity):

Chou frisé or baby kale with dry cranberries, ricotta salata, pickled shallots and sunflower seeds. It was good, but I definitely enjoyed more the gnocchi and tartare. I mean, how many times did you read that I ordered a salad for lunch or dinner?

Then came the entrées:

First was the Filet de saumon sauvage grillé or grilled wild salmon. It was served with asparagus and a Hollandaise sauce. 

The second fish was a halibut or Filet de Flétan, served with fava beans, crushed fingerling potatoes and a hazelnut salsa. 

Both fish dishes were good; however, my favorite was the salmon that had a delicious crispy skin.

Next was the coquilles Saint-Jacques rôties or scallops, served with baby artichokes, fennel “farrotto” and orange-saffron emulsion; it was one of the favorites of the people sitting around the table. 

After the sea, came the land. First was the Canard a l'orange et citronelle. It was duck breast with a succulent confit leg fritter, glazed baby turnips and an orange and  lemongrass sauce.

But my favorite was definitely the Poulet fermier roti et truffé, served with country style potatoes. I mean, that chicken and these potatoes were simply incredible and I did not miss a bite, including the tasty chicken skin.

When we thought it was time for desserts, two dishes came...First was the pizza a la truffe noire or pizza with black truffle, creme fraiche and scamorza cheese (Italian cow's milk cheese, similar to mozzarella).

And then, the Chateaubriand or beef tenderloin, served with truffled mash, peppercorn and red wine sauces. This is for two people, but I admit that I would not mind not sharing...

At this point, I regretted not wearing my stretch pants, especially when desserts came...We to to try:

The chocolate mousse:

The tarte tatin (my favorite; that crust was delightfully buttery):

The ile flottante (egg white poached meringue with creme anglaise, almonds and caramel):

But the most spectacular is their giant sunday that comes with sparklers, accompanied by music, sometimes clapping and clamoring of the other guests.

That ice cream was giant! Look at its size compared to the chocolate mousse! We just had time to snap some photos and so asked for more sparklers so we could take a video.

I finished the meal with a decaf espresso, although people around the table were stunned that it could even exist, or that someone would have the guts to order such a thing. 

This was a fantastic dinner: great company and good food in a restaurant that is worth knowing. Bagatelle is definitely unique and has this great atmosphere that would make you think that you are far away, on vacation somewhere...

Thanks to the Bagatelle and Blue Polo Interactive team for organizing this wonderful event.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share or post a comment. Merci!