Petrossian: Make Way for Benjamin Bailly

Ah, after a bit of a hiatus we're back and just in time! dinaLA 2010 is just around the corner and I'd [Wesley] like to share my favorite dineLA 2009 experience at Petrossian in West Hollywood. This will be primarily a photo post because it has been a while and the notes I have are vague.

I joined a group at Petrossian gathered by Jo of MyLastBite, which included Danny of KungFoodPanda, Kate of FollowPK, and several of Jo's friends. My party decided to run the gamut of the dineLA menu with pre-game courses.

Chef Benjamin Bailly has been with Petrossian since May 2009. Before that he was a sous chef at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Vegas and Chef de Partie at Joël Robuchon in Paris. With his extensive past at top rated restaurants, I was optimistic and set high standards for the meal to come.

Caviar, Trout, and Salmon Roe served with Blinis and Créme fraiche

Cantaloupe and Beet Soup

Crispy Shrimp "Papillotte" - Passion Fruit, Sweet Chili Ginger Sauce

Seared scallops with a butternut squash and bacon emulsion

Foie Gras Creme Brulée

Note on the Foie Gras Creme Brulée: This was a first for me and the flavors were awkward at first - think of a creamy and sweet Creme Brulée mixed in with a buttery meaty undertone. As I continued to take few more bites, I began to realize the delicate balance between the contrasting flavors. A very intriguing dish.

This is where our courses from the Dine LA Restaurant Week begins:

Foie Gras Salad - Haricot verts, toasted walnut, black truffle vinaigrette.

For the record: Petrossian isn't stingy with their foie gras. With that said, the foie gras was huge! For me, the foie gras is too rich on its own, so the green bean salad is a nice complement.

Hand Sliced Smoked Salmon - Toast points, créme fraiche

Black Truffle "Mac n' Cheese" - Orrenchiette, bacon, parmesan

This was my favorite dish of the night and possibly the best mac n' cheese I've ever had. The orrenchiette is thicker than regular macaroni and offered a nice chewy texture. Smothered in Parmesan cheese and bacon, I savored every bite. On top, a black truffle slice which added a great earthy flavor. This is one dish that everyone needs to order at Petrossian.

Napoléon Tartare - Hand sliced steak tartare with a layer of caviar

Again with the generous portions! The amount of caviar stuffed in the tartare amazes me. The steak was fresh and the small explosions of caviar offered a nice salty ocean-like taste.

Carnaroli Risotto - Sautéed wild mushrooms, artichokes, toasted pine nuts

This is no little kid's risotto. This risotto was chunky, rich, and full of heartiness unlike the many mundane variations I've had in the past. The risotto was a tad salty but that could be easily adjusted.

Braised Short Ribs - Yukon Gold mash potatoes, braising jus

Chef Bailly prepping our brulée.

Petrossian Chocolate Moelleux

Sicilian Pistachio Créme Brulée

Vanilla Panna Cotta - white peach espuma

Chef Bailly didn't disappoint. This is the one of the my favorite meals of 2009, so there's no doubt that I have plans to revisit it this year. The food was excellent and offered a comfortable homelike feeling. During dinner I couldn't help but to think of how creative and on-point Chef Bailly was and, the bright future he has ahead of him.

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