[NOTE: This review is pulled from my personal blog and  re-edted for this site.]

It was K.C.’s birthday yesterday and we went to Mélisse  for dinner. It was by far one of the most memorable dinners in my life. Mélisse is in Santa Monica, CA and the Executive Chef is Josiah Citrin. Mélisse was voted one of the Best Restaurants by Food & Wine Magazine in 2000.

The entire staff was dressed in dark, crisp suits. The place is cozy and most, if not all of the tables, had couples at them. The lighting in the room was very subdued, supplemented by the candles on the white tablecothed tables. The “assistant wait staff” wore crisp white shirts with black vests and ties. They crumbed and cleaned the tables after each course and re-deployed new plates and silverware at each change as well. There was soft music in the background amoungst the soft chitter-chatter of the other patrons there that evening.

Here was our menu:

Amuse
Compliments of the chef: Smoked Salmon and Parmesan on Pastry Wafer

First Course
K.C.: Blue Fin Tuna Tartare, Cucumbers, Mango, Avocado Mousseline, Yuzu-Chili Sauce
Scott: Sweet White Corn Ravioli, Smoked Bacon, Clams, Truffle Froth, Summer Truffles

Second Course
K.C./Scott: Mixed Organic Green Salad with Shaved Market Vegetables, Parmesan in a Summer
Truffle Vinagrette

Third Course
Compliments of the Chef: I honestly can’t remember, but I think it was a Cold Celery Soup in a shot glass served with Smoked Salmon Tartare

Fourth Course
Rostisserie Chicken “For Two” Stuffed with Summer Truffles, Asparagus, Potato Puree
They require 1.5 hours of cooking time for this dish. Once the chicken is done it is brought whole to the table on a carving table. The chicken is carved in front of you. In small copper pots are the other items that go with the chicken. They assemble and plate your dish right in front of you. First comes the potato puree that is mounded in the center then with the bottom of the spoon, an indentation is made in the middle and then as pressure is being placed on the spoon, swooshed out like a big apostrophe. The carved breasts with truffle shavings under the skin are placed just off-center to the puree. At the 2 o’clock position they then place baby asparagus that have been blanched in some kind of broth and the stalks have been trimmed with a vegetable peeler. At the 10 o’clock position is a wonderful serving of roasted porcini mushrooms. Then to top it all off, a chicken mushroom/truffle sauce. This was delightful. The breast was perfectly moist. I couldn’t get enough of the combination of the truffles and mushrooms. I also had a bottle of Chardonnay with dinner. The wine was fruity and somewhat dry. Perfect with the chicken: Talbot Chardonnay 2000.

Fifth Course
Legs Served with an Asparagus and Celery Root Salad 
The legs that were carved at the table were brought back to the kitchen and the meat removed and shredded. Then with vegeables shavings of asparagus and celery root, the shredded chicken legs are mixed together along with a light creme sauce. This time, Summer Truffles are grated over the top at the table. Another indulgence.

Sixth Course
Earl Grey Tea with Sugar and Milk and A Trio of Seasonal Sorbets (Raspberry, Lingonberry and Lemongrass)
That’s right, Lemongrass. This was another surprise of the evening. I never thought to take something savory like Lemongrass and turn it into something sweet. Light, refreshing – it was EXCELLENT with the Earl Grey (hot).

This is probably the second time in my life that I have eaten in a fine a restaurant as Mélisse. The attention to detail went beyond any expectation that I had prior to my visit. My palette is still developing, but I am learning to appreciate the subtleties in different flavor combinations. 

Mélisse
1104 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-395-0881
Reservations highly recommended