Poor Pitiful Me - Not - Eating on Latest Trip One

REVIEW OF L'AUBERGE CHEZ OS
SALINAS, CALIFORNIA

I was really, really lucky to score a reservation at the exclusive L'Auberge Chez Os (loosely translates to The Inn of the Bones Family)

Sitting in the hills between Salinas and Monterey with a view of the Salinas Valley and the Foothill Range to die for, the Auberge Chez Os does not advertise. Reservations are by invitation only. They have a couple of bedrooms just like the Inn/restaurants in France. I managed to get a reservation for Saturday night that included Saturday lunch and dinner and breakfast on Sunday.

Mrs. Os is an incredible chef who truly embodies the French and Italian country principles of using the best ingredients, minimally prepared so that the food stands on its own. She also is a master at creating concentrated flavorings that seem almost invisible on the food so there are no goopy sauces. Finally the presentation is gorgeous.

For Lunch she served:

• Proscutto and melon
• A mushroom soup from portabello mushrooms
• Spinach filled Manicotti with a side salad
• Apricot Tart
  

All this sound simple but take the salad for example - you could not even see any dressing on the plate but the salad was intensely flavored. Lunch was served with a lovely local rose from the Marilyn Remark winery. The apricot tart was beyond good - it was ethereal made with apricots picked by Mrs. Os herself.

Le Patron Estaban Os enjoying the mushroom soup

Manicotti with salad

Run, do not walk if you ever get the chance to try Mrs. Os' apricot tart!

Dinner started with a lovely Roederer Champagne. Then we were served little tomato bruschetta and some giant prawns done Andalusian style. The main course was fire grilled lamb chops, broccoli and quinona (the later Mrs. Os confessed that she made from a Charlie Trotter recipe - gasp!). Patron Os broke out a bottle of 2005 Vosgne-Rominee, a great Burgundy to accompany the food - still a bit early but it really opened up during the meal. We finished with a very simple homemade cheese dessert with fresh raspberries and almond cookies. A little cognac and bourbon finished things of superbly. The only disappointment was that Mrs. Os did not serve her famous twice cooked souffle.

Bruschetta and Prawns

The Dining Room at L'Auberge Chez Os

The Main Course

And Dessert