15 Miles of Fine Dining

Last night I had the pleasure of enjoying an once-in-a-lifetime dining experience. My husband and I joined friends at the “Chef’s Table” at Jean Robert at Pigall’s restaurant. The Chef’s Table is located right in the kitchen of this Mobil 4 star restaurant. Chef Jean Robert de Cavel prepared a meal for us that was approximately 9 courses beginning to end. Since today’s 15 mile run was never far from my mind last night and the meal itself lasted longer than today’s run, I’ve decided to tell you about both our wonderful dinner and my run. Come along for the experience. We’ll see who finishes first today: dinner or me.

Our reservation was for 7:00. We arrived at the restaurant and were ushered directly into the kitchen. The table, which was set for six, is located in a corner of the kitchen. Table cloths are linen and plates and silverware are the same as for diners in the main dining room. We were the last couple to arrive and were immediately served Evian water. Now, my preference is Eau de Ohio River over ice, but since this wasn’t my party, I went along with the Evian. I was hydrating for today’s run – this was going to be an expensive 15 miles!

The occasion for our dining adventure was a birthday celebration. Our host ordered a bottle of wine. I wasn’t doing the ordering, just the drinking. It was a California cabernet I believe. The wine was delicious. I clocked in my first mile in 11:08.

Our waiter gave us the option of either ordering from the traditional menu or letting Chef Jean Robert decide for us. After some discussion we decided to go with the flow and be adventurous. It was time to free our minds!

First course, served by the chef himself, was an oyster with a little slice of beet. A dollop of crème fraiche was plopped on the top. Delicious. Mile 2: 11:01. Today was gorgeous, sunny, crisp and clear. I was enjoying a Neville Brother’s CD. Lovely.

Second course, also served by the chef, was a small piece of goat cheese (was it fried? It looked like an oyster at first) served with slivers of endive, prosciuto, and pomegranate sauce. I believe there were some mushrooms involved too giving it a very smoky flavor.
Mile 3: 11:05.

Between the second and third course, our host asked for bread. The bread, we learned, is baked in house. It was delicious, however, not very forward thinking to order it in light of the seven courses to follow! About this time, another bottle of wine was ordered and I finished mile 4 in 11:22.

Third course: squab. That’s all I remember of it. It looked like red meat but turned out to be pigeon. I’m sorry that I can’t remember anything else about it. We were served about three small slices each. Mile 5: 10:41. One third of the way done! I had an apple cinnamon Carb Boom. Those things run rings around any other gels. They are actually very good.

Fourth course: Salmon tartar atop papaya with caviar and an organic little bitty quail egg. This was served with a thin slice of crusty toast. Like a crouton/melba toast combo. Mile 6: 11:16.

Fifth course: Foie Gras. A couple of our party, my husband included, didn’t eat this one. I tried to tell them it was just chopped liver, but no dice. Take it from me, it was delicious. The chef likes to serve the bread with this course. So we had fresh baked cranberry walnut bread. Mile 7: 10:44. By the way, I am kicking ass on my run so far. But I haven’t entered the hill country yet.

Sixth course: This was a fish course served with some mushrooms and couscous. At last, carbs! Unfortunately, I didn’t care for this one at all. I was getting full anyway, and I needed to save room for dessert, so no loss as far as I’m concerned. Mile 8: 11:37.

Seventh course: A sliced sea scallop underneath a wilted lettuce leaf. I didn’t like this one either. Mile 9: 11:07.

Time for another bottle of wine, I believe. Yes, I think we will have another California Cab. Again, I don’t know what the wine was, but by now, things were getting kind of fuzzy anyway. Also, my run is starting to go downhill. Or should I say uphill?
Mile 10: 12:55. Another Carb Boom.

Eighth course: The meat course. Our table was right next to the meat station of the kitchen. All evening I had been watching a chef prepare lamb chops and fingerling potatoes. Now it was our turn! Three little tiny slices of meat were set before us with a fingerling potato and some kind of sauce (of course! This is a French restaurant. Everything was served with a sauce or emulsion of some kind). Did we get lamb? No! We got venison! I must say, it was delicious. Mile 11: 12:33. I’m deep in the Amberley hills here.

By now, it was 10:30 and we were full and lethargic. It was time for some coffee to pick us up for the dessert course to follow. Mile 12: 12:46.

Ninth course: Dessert. There were six of us, so we were served six different desserts. Chocolate Macadamia cake, pear tart with espresso sorbet, pumpkin mousse with a pumpkin muffin (this was my favorite), molten chocolate cake, crème brulee, and a plate of four different sorbets: plum, papaya, coconut, and some kind of berry.

I finished the last three miles of my run in 11:47, 11:14, and 11:18. Definitely thoughts of desserts must have lifted my spirits!

Total time spent eating dinner: 4 hours.
Total time spent running 15.16 miles: 2:54:24.