The Grande Dame of Champagne strolled into town to indulge in carnival! Veuve Clicquot held a special luncheon at The Four Season's lovely 5th floor restaurant Chemin A La Mer for select ladies who were invited to craft their own gorgeous Mardi Gras parasols before sitting down for a delightful lunch.
Chemin A La Mer's stunning city-wide view is only paralleled by their delectable cuisine. Hors d'Oeurves consisting of an artisanal bread basket with decadent Rudolphe Le Meunier Butter, A Crab au Gratin and artichoke spread, and truly amazing Baked Feta flavored with honey, lemon, thyme, and espelette were served with the flagship Yellow Label Veuve Clicquot.
The pretty in pink Veuve Clicquot Rose was served for the first course of Salad au Chevre de Fontenay and seafood-packed Creole Gumbo. This champagne was the the perfect of amount of sweet and dry for the hearty Gumbo.
Between the Grit Cake with mushrooms and rapini, Duck Confit with white bean pistou, and Pan Seared Jumbo Shrimp upon cauliflower rice gratin, the Veuve Clicquot Vintage 2012 shined and shimmered. The more robust flavor of the bubbly provided a sophisticated palette for the flavorful food. This vintage is Veuve Clicquot's 66th vintage champagne release!
No meal is complete without dessert... and more champagne! The Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee and the Apple Almond Galette served with vanilla bean ice cream were so rich and delicious that it almost took attention away from the Veuve Clicquot Demi Sec, a slightly sweeter and fruitier varietal made for such sweet treats.
As dessert wound down, a brass band burst into Chemin A La Mer's main dining room to get everyone up and moving! They led us downstairs all the way to the lobby bar dripping with crystals from the ceiling. It was like second lining in a glass of champagne.
