The Lenten season is over. Spring is finally here. Easter has come and gone.
And with that, I bring you - Easter brunch at Lacroix,
the bastion of French cuisine housed in the luxurious Rittenhouse Hotel.
Lacroix was founded by the eponymous Jean-Marie Lacroix, who holds a revered spot amongst Philly's culinary elite. Now retired, executive chef duties were previously held by Matt Levin, who then went to the now defunct Adsum and after that, Square Peg. Ultimately though, Square Peg and Chef Levin parted ways. In any case, Chef Jon Cichon currently holds the executive chef title and as you'll see - the Chef and his staff do a marvelous job of creating a tasting of extraordinary bites and flavors.
Easter Brunch ($95 pp)
Since I'm sure you're all here for the foodporn pics and not the banter,
I'll limit the rest of this entry to pictures and just a few words.
Build Your Own Bloody Mary ($11)
The aforementioned bar to build your bloody mary's!
Caviar Service
From top left clockwise, paddlefish caviar, wasabi tobiko, salmon roe, and white fish roe.
Jumbo Shrimp and Sushi
Spicy tuna, vegetable, and eel sushi. Oysters were available as well.
Bread Service
After the gauntlet of amuse-ish bites, it's on to the gauntlet worthy of entree status.
Truffled Sausage Stuffed Pork Loin, Pastrami Spiced Veal, Sesame Crusted Lamb Rack
Sauteed Wild Mushrooms
Herb Nage
Asparagus
Crispy Potatoes
Cheese
Cured Meats
Waffle Station
Chocolate Fountain
Fruit
Pork Pate Slider
Pomegranate-Shallot Jam
Savory and sweet. I couldn't stop with one. So I had three.
Grilled Octopus
Heart of palm, Passionfruit
Sausage Beignet
Red Beet
Quinoa, truffle
Fried Chickpea Gougere
Butternut Squash
Lamb Croissant
Blue Crab Salad
Oyster
Paddlefish Caviar
Smoked Fish
Jumbo Shrimp
Eel Sushi
Garlic Skewer
Soba Noodles
German Parsnip Salad
Grilled onion, mustard seed, dill
Asparagus Shooter
Almond Crusted Runny Egg
This was a treat - while perfectly crusted - it was a bit bland at first.
But once you got some of the yolk, it was bland no more.
Duck Prosciutto
Lardo?
Escargot
BBQ Spiced Scottish Salmon
Diver Scallop Sausage
Foie Gras and Cheese
I prefer my foie pure - the cheese was over the top for something that was already hefty.
Ham
Truffled Sausage Stuffed Pork Loin
Pastrami Spiced Veal
Tender, peppery, reminiscent of ... you guessed it - pastrami!
Sesame Crusted Lamb Rack
Perfectly prepared, this was tender, juicy, and well crusted.
Duck Confit
Unadulterated duck - pure decadence with a crispy skin. Excuse the perfectly cooked applewood smoked bacon below it.
Crispy Potatoes
Fleur de sel
Had to come back for seconds - these were perfect 'home' fries.
Cheese Plate
And with this, dessert begins!
Waffle
Thai Thea Macaron
Condensed Milk
Lime-Strawberry Shooter
The lime 'rind' is actually white chocolate!
Creme Brulee
'Milk and Cookies'
Liquid Nitrogen Station
Liquid Nitrogen Milk Chocolate
Caramel Innards
And with that, Easter Brunch est fini.
The Easter Brunch at Lacroix is certainly a memorable experience. Typically with a buffet, the choices are laden with mediocre bites. Here, the bites are elevated and unique flavors are highlighted. The dishes aren't all complex and with good reason. When you have quality ingredients, there's no reason to muddy the waters. Lacroix lets them shine.
www.lacroixrestaurant.com
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