While much of the Titanic craze in Canada focuses on Halifax, Lapointe’s Seafood Grill on York Street decided to do something different to commemorate the Titanic centenary.
“It will be business as usual, but with a twist,” said Head Chef Simon Brière-Audet. “Usually we have one special for the evening, but for this time we will have four,” said Brière-Audet.
Inspired by the menu available on the night of April 14, 1912 in the Titanic’s first-class à la carte restaurant, Brière-Audet and Sous Chef and Culinary Adviser, Etienne Cuerrier, concocted a special Titanic menu. “Someone mentioned I should do something special and I thought it was an interesting idea,” said Brière-Audet. For the Chefs this wasn’t a sink or swim scenario, but rather “a good opportunity to have a little fun with the dishes.”
Their creations won’t accurately reflect the exact menu because, as Brière-Audet explains, “nobody knows how the dishes were prepared in precise detail.” However, Rick Archbold and Dana McCauley tried to recreate the historic menu in their book The Last Dinner on the Titanic. The Lapointe’s Chefs focused on reviving five-courses from the twelve-course menu proposed in the book. They also looked over other White Star Line menus which operated the RMS Titanic and other menus fashioned on old passenger liners.
Brière-Audet and Cuerrier also tried to fusion past and present cuisine. “We modernized certain dishes, while other courses represent popular plates of the time in restaurants and on cruise liners,” said Brière-Audet. For example, to accompany a two-piece rack of lamb they decided to use small green pea timbales, “which is a purée of peas in ramekins with fresh mint,” said Lapointe’s Head Chef and this is just the tip of the iceberg! Another throw back is the Mousseline sauce which will glaze the poached salmon and asparagus.
The Mousseline sauce, a derivative of the Hollandaise sauce, represents early 20th century high-society cuisine which was rich and unctuous. For a little more than a cup of Mousseline sauce you need four egg yolks, 250 g of butter and 100 g of liquid cream, among other less fattening ingredients. “All these old-school items were then incorporated into a more modern menu, one which was more appropriate to Lapointe’s,” explains Brière-Audet.
As you sink in, enjoying your meal, make sure to keep room for the final course. Instead of proposing a grim pineapple upside-down cake, the Chefs suggest peaches in Chartreuse jelly, French vanilla éclair and Waldorf pudding. Chartreuse is also an example of something that is no longer popular, but was a big hit in the 20’s and earlier, “it’s popularity grew in large part because Absinthe (an alternative to Chartreuse liquor) was hard to come by after being banned in many countries,” said Brière-Audet.
The cost to make your taste buds travel back in time will be $42. This will also be a great chance to check out Lapointe’s new wine list. For those Lapointe regulars or those who just want to grab a fish and chip no need to worry, the regular menu will be available.
Lapointe’s Seafood Grill is located at 55 York St, Ottawa ON. Reservations can be made at 613-241-6221.
