Mimolette

Continuing from my last post, the updated situation pertaining to SOPA and PIPA is a delay thanks to the evolving power that social media holds. I can see a slightly more muted but still hacktivist-inflammed backlash to the shutdown of Megaupload. I understand that there are rampant copyright violations, but there are also many legal files that are wiped out in the process.

But let's face it in a truthful way that few people aside from piracy political parties would openly express beyond cyberspace but into real life in public, which is that few people care about hurting the feelings of the MPAA and RIAA for the "lost money" that they probably do not justifiably in the free market sense deserve to gain. As a consumer, I've stated before that I'd alternatively want to spend money where I think is more deserving, such as local theatrical performances or local restaurants.

In terms of the latter, after a discussion of restaurant etiquette and food vocabulary such as mimolette cheese, casu marzu (colloquially termed "maggot cheese") and phasmatodea (colloquially termed "stick bug") with a student today, I went to Bistro Pastis with a non-diminished appetite. Although I won't post up images due to their poor quality from this romantically-inspired close-quarter candlelight dinner fine dining French establishment with no room for live music as seen in the Dine Out Vancouver location last year, the imagined smell of truffle froth is captivating enough to cause anyone to froth in terms of lustful salivation. In non-imagery terms, I recommend this restaurant.

I did enjoy the truffle froth in a friend's potato and leek soup alongside brioche croutons and another friend's escargot. My own appetizer was a terrine de campagne meatloaf dish with a hint of cornichons and croutons in a bite-sized pickled salad. Although I'm not much of a meat person, it was nevertheless tastier than the mushy meatloaf as seen in a minute-long advertisement this morning. It was also the most exotic appetizer to order and it did present an opportunity for me to speak in a pompously elitist style of French, complete with its Parisian accent, though my comprehension of the waiter's remarks in French does require significantly more work.

For my main dish, I ordered the pan-seared ruby trout on top of a warm potato salad, haricot vert, oven-dried tomatoes, and bacon vinaigrette. It was more about the plating positioning than the serving size. I proceeded to eat the supplementary food before the trout itself and savoured each bite, though the dining experience sans the lively conversation about my pompously elitist ways for this dish only took ten minutes.

Furthermore, I enjoyed a friend's potato gratin that went alongside his grilled flank steak Bordelaise, mushroom, carrots, shallet, and red wine sauce. I also grabbed a quick bite of another friend's creamy polenta inside the caramelized onion and porcini stuffed chicken breast with Brussels sprouts. Yet another friend, stable enough in money to order the $38 Dine Out option alongside a glass of fine Chardonnay wine, allowed me to try his duck confit that was similarly elevated on top of gravy-infused pomme frites. It's authentically French and thus remarkably expensive, especially compared to Salade de Fruits, for its small portion even in this Dine Out window of opportunity.

I'd say that the dessert size was a giant in comparison. I ordered a Crêpe Suzette au Grand Marnier with vanilla ice cream and tried some of the dark chocolate mousse with almond biscotti that a friend ordered. In hindsight, I would've gone with the mousse for its profound richness, but I can't particularly complain about a flambéd caramelized liqueur dish.

In terms of liqueur in an anise-flavoured fashion, due to its namesake, I tried a glass of Ricard Pastis '51. Even with increasing dilution with a specialized jug of spring water after every sip, the minty microemulsing magic by way of the ouzo effect left a soothing taste in my mouth after consuming the highly-sweet, highly-salty, and highly-oily but nonetheless rich taste of all of the dishes.

Although mimolette may be an exception, I wouldn't necessarily say that the rich taste of French food must be acquired. If that's the case, the restaurant would not be as packed as it was today, with people knowing full well that it would be expensive, costing me a total of $47 including tax and tip. Another friend paid in excess of $60. The total bill for six people arrived at somewhere around $215 excluding gratuity. Despite the delay in payment service that's hopefully shorter than PIPA and SOPA due to possessing only one mobile portable credit and debit card machine, my last words to the waiters and waitresses cleaning our table were, "Nous retournerons."