“Nothing beats getting a good customer reaction to a new culinary creation.” – says Chef Roxanne Lange, visiting Bangalore for a pop up at Alba in JW Marriott. She is the Chef de Cuisine at The Reflexions, a restaurant in The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, specializing in modern French cuisine. The restaurant stands at a whopping #10 (earlier #7) out of 11000+ restaurants in Bangkok – so when we were invited for this tasting table, I was beyond thrilled. This promotional menu is available for dinner at Alba until 20^th April 2019.

Meeting Chef Roxanne

Our meal started with a gazpacho – that had heirloom tomatoes and veggies on plate, and a side of goat cheese foam and a delicate crisp. A new take on tomatoes is practically the revolution across the world, and most chefs are taking curious views to it – so this was interesting to taste. The crisp was topped with tomato, pumpkin puree and yuzu – and was really beautiful – assembled with delicate precision! Later in conversation with Chef Roxanne, she mentioned every part of the tomato was utilized in the dish, and in the next! Next up was a bright and colorful dish serving lobster with roasted carrot, pumpkin and orange. An interesting take on the French classic – the lobster bisque – and again, a hit.

The Menu

Duck Liver & apple
Photo Courtesy: JW Marriott

This was followed by the sea bass – good to eat, but nothing spectacular. And then came one of my favorites from the meal – a rather minimal portion of duck liver with apple. I did think it missed perhaps an element of balance – but the texture of the liver was amazing! Sous vide and then roasted, the duck liver had a different subtle taste to it. The apple sauce accompaniment actually comes from Holland, and ensures the richness is got a sweeter finish. Personally, I could do with some more of the apple sauce on the side! The Lamb Rack that came next was beautiful – perfectly cooked – with Jerusalem artichoke, bell pepper, and topped with lamb jus. And we ended with the classic and in season combination of strawberries, yogurt and vanilla – simple and light. This menu has vegetarian options as well.

Strawberries, yogurt and vanilla

Chef Speak

Discussing food trends with Chef Roxanne, she mentioned good quality and locally sourced produces are the trends she finds most relevant today. It is important for the next generation to understand what food they are eating, and where it is coming from. Sustainability is a key aspect that inspires her recipes. Asked about her amazing success, Roxanne says kitchen and service are very close teams; and they work very hard and very well together to ensure customer satisfaction. As a leader, she is cognizant of the fact that there are misses sometimes. But it was inspiring to hear her take on it – mistakes are corrected quickly with close knit teams. Check out her menu at Alba, it’s limited period menu so don’t miss out!

Chef Roxanne Lange – Chef de Cuisine, The Reflexions

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