Wine, sabres and lots of good food
When French restaurant Le Beaulieu decides to host a gala event, expect surprises
“It’s all going to be very special,” says chef/owner Herve Frerard.
Tonight, Le Beaulieu is offering “When Sword Meets Fork”, an eight-course champagne dinner preceded by a pre-dinner reception hosted jointly by Le Beaulieu and the Confrerie du Sabre d’Or.
It’s true that the Confrerie has appeared in other Bangkok locations in previous years, but it’s always enjoyable to watch experts perform the ceremony dating back to Napoleonic times when the military would open a bottle of champagne with a sabre.
This time, you even have the opportunity not only to watch the ceremony but also to be initiated in the art and become an official “Chevalier Sabreur”.
For the eight-course dinner, Frerard, along with Dutch celebrity chef Marco Westmaas, is offering a range of dishes paired with the award-winning champagnes of Bruno Paillard.
A dish of king crab, for instance, is served with a Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blanc 1999; the Wagyu beef is served with Chateau Ripeau, Grand Cru Classe St Emilion 1996.
Westmaas, though, has a few surprises of his own. At 40, he has already made a name with his Elzenduin Beach restaurant near The Hague for his innovative cooking methods and interests in new and different tastes.
One of his interests is lupin, which we know as an ornamental flower. The seeds of some lupin species, however, can be made into a flour, which can serve as a substitute for meat or even soy.
After a month or so in Phuket, where he’s been serving up his lupin creations at local restaurants, Westmaas has brought his dishes to Bangkok. At the Le Beaulieu dinner, guests can sample two of his specialities as the amuse bouche (served with a Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blanc).
“You won’t be able to tell that these dishes are vegetarian, not meat,” says Westmaas.
Here’s an enjoyable evening of culture, good food and good champagne, and all in Le Beaulieu's new location in the Plaza Athenee’s Tower, with plenty of parking.
Dining delights
_ When Sword Meets Fork” cocktail reception and set dinner costs Bt5,900.
_ Cocktail reception and set dinner and “Chevalier Sabreur” sabrage initiation is priced at Bt13,900 (inclusive of the Brotherhood’s "reliquaire"). By reservation only.
_ Le Beaulieu French Restaurant is on the Ground Floor of Athenee Office Tower, Wireless Road, Bangkok. Call (02) 168 8220, email [email protected] or visit www.Le-Beaulieu.com.
