Triomphe

Tucked away inside the Iroquois Hotel sits Triomphe, a cozy french restaurant right in the middle of the theater district.  When I first entered the dining room I felt like I had been let it on a secret.  It was small and intimate with white linen draping the tables and jazzy french music playing overhead.  There was an air of casual elegance perfect for a special get together with friends/family or a romantic night out.  Unfortunately the lighting was so low my pictures came out terrible, so I had to borrow some courtesy of the Triomphe website which you'll see below.  Onto the food!  To begin the"Harlequin" Soup, black truffle, cauliflower, hubbard squash.



This dish was really a work of art...smooth creamy cauliflower soup swirled into a thick puree of squash all topped off with a shaving of black truffle.  It was warm and comforting but also light enough that I didn't feel weighed down as I do with many cream based soup.  My companion ordered the Marinated Bison Carpaccio which came sliced extra thin with sweet potato crisps and a side of baby greens.



Then it was onto my favorite courses of the night Hazelnut Crusted Scallop with spaghetti squash and a blood orange beurre blanc.  


The hazelnuts gave the scallop a great crispy shell while the citrus beurre blanc complemented the delicate flavor of the fish.  I wanted to eat about two or three more of these but I saved myself for the Brussels Sprout Salad...



...dotted with squares of lardon and dressed in a warm vinaigrette it was both hearty and fresh; a celebration of the root vegetable season.  Then it was onto the main course a Braised Lamb Shank with cocoa and cabernet demi-glace, rosemary spatzle, salsify and crispy shallots.  This was classically French- big, bold and rich.  My only regret was pairing it with a Pinot Noir instead of something bigger to withstand the deep flavor of the meat.  For dessert it was a Trio of Sorbets for me (obviously my pictures)...



...Red and White Poached Seckle Pear for her complete with vanilla mascarpone and warm chocolate ganache...



..followed by some chocolate treats from Chef Florian Wehrli himself who came out to say hello.  It was evident upon speaking with Chef that he has a serious passion for food and isn't afraid to push the boundaries of traditional french cuisine.  He even created a special Valentines Day  Aphrodisiac Tasting Menu (with vegetarian options) that includes dishes such as Champagne Poached Wellfleet Oysters, Maine Lobster and Mascarpone Ravioli and White Truffle Risotto.

I really enjoyed my meal at Triomphe...from the warm, friendly staff to the incredible black truffles dotting the bread and butter.  There was a certain level of care and elegance that seems to be missing from a lot of restaurants today and I'm so happy to have found it here.

Triomphe

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