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A three-course meal in 45 minutes at Pinot Bistro

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I just received what I think is an odd press release from Pinot Bistro. It announces the advent of a power-lunch menu called ‘Cuisine Rapide’ that was created by Pinot’s new executive chef Hugo Veltman. The menu, which will change on a weekly basis, solves the problem of gourmet lunch-starved executives and film industry types who can’t find time to accommodate the intricate meals they regularly crave.

The release promises to feed these people a three-course lunch and have them out of the restaurant in just 45 minutes. How will Pinot accomplish that? Simple: ‘There is no waiting between courses because they are all served together.’

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To me this seems a bit grotesque. It conjures up images of diners, Bluetooths grafted to their ears, rapidly shoveling food down their throats.

The menu items promised include hand-chopped organic beef tartare, onion soup gratinee with Comte cheese, steamed mussels with French fries, frisee spinach salad, and tarte tatin. That sounds like really nice food worthy of spending some quality time with.

I say if you can’t set aside time to enjoy a fine meal as it was meant to be enjoyed--course by course--then go out for a nice sandwich. Your dinner will taste all the better for it.

--Jessica Gelt

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