- Seared Day Boat scallop with cauliflower three ways.
Technically the fanfare will not begin until later this week, but we just couldn’t wait. We knew chef Bruno Davaillon was headed to the kitchen at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in early November and, given the silence, we figured he must be here testing new recipes. So we took our chances and headed over to the Mansion for dinner. Oh, yes he was there and so were some of his new dishes such as seared Day Boat scallop with cauliflower three ways (puree, “salad,” and lightly roasted); king crab and butternut squash bisque with glazed chestnuts and crispy spring roll; bison tenderloin “au poivre” with autumn vegetables; roasted veal tournedos with crispy sweetbread, fig chutney, and chanterelle mushroom; Maine lobster salad with avocado, tomato confit, and caviar cream; and Mansion shrimp cocktail with horseradish panna cotta and spicy tomato syrup. We can only speak for the first two; actually, chef Davaillon was serving only the bisque tonight, but when we confessed we had come in for a advance taste, he offered the scallops as well.
Jump for more of Davaillon’s creations.
- King crab and butternut squash bisque with glazed chestnuts.
The bisque was warm, hearty, and a just the right amount of decadent. The bowls were presented to us with soft cubes of butternut squash, glazed chestnuts, and three fat discs of king crab; the bisque was ceremoniously poured in, served with a crispy spring roll loaded with more crab and squash, this time julienned. The spring roll was a bit greasy and unnecessary, really, because the bisque held its own. Our second course, the Mansion salad with Maytag blue and spiced pecans, was big enough to split, as was the artichoke risotto, spruced up with hunks of ham and delicate fried artichoke crisps. (While the risotto is not one of Davaillon’s new dishes, we do hope he keeps it, because it is divine.)
- Passion fruit and mango blend with coconut foam.
The second of the new dishes, scallops with cauliflower three ways–puree, teeny bits of raw cauliflower “salad,” and a slight roast–was a new twist on an old favorite. Scallops, with a crisp crust from the sear, were enormous–a generous portion of three. But the star on this plate was the cauliflower puree, so rich with cream. If I could, I would have rolled around in it. I still might.
Just when we thought we’d had enough, the chef sent us two drinkable desserts (in lieu of coming out and saying hello, perhaps?): a passion fruit and mango blend with coconut foam. It was light and tropical–just enough to send us to the Caribbean for a spell. And it was just the sweet ending we didn’t even know we needed.
Welcome to Dallas, chef Davaillon. We look forward to trying more of your new dishes. Stay tuned, we’ll have an interview with the new Mansion chef soon.
