The Ponytail: That Menu In Full

I know some of you are transfixed by Formula One food and, in an attempt to satisfy your curiosity, here is the full menu from the Toyota dinner for the British F1 hacks in downtown Montreal on Thursday night. This is one of the culinary highlights of the year(even if we sit down at what is midnight UK time). For the record I had the filet mignon which was outstanding. The head waiter at La Queue de Cheval still "performs" the menu when you arrive which seemed almost exactly as irritating this year as last. (Click it to enlarge)

 

Comments

[D]

^
My God, IDR ! They garnish a filet mignon with petoncles!

Still, the "appetiser" looks thankfully free of idiocy and Pommery is always welcome.

Thanks, Ed. You forbore to tell us which you chose but a 20 oz Rib-Eye must go a (very) long way towards assuaging any hunger pangs after a long flight.

Further than a Parisian steak-et-frites, that's for sure.

Faced with those three, I think I would have opted, with extreme wariness towards the veal embellishment, for the tuna.

Whatever you ate, I do hope you enjoyed it greatly, that the wine was good and the company better.

May the race be a feast for us all.

You really do take us with you on your travels and we greatly appreciate it.

[D]

^
Ed >

Apologies for the ambiguity - meant to say you didn't mention whether you opted for the Crème Incinérée or for Murder by Chocolate.

I suspect that someone far away may harbour thoughts towards you that exclude the cocoa element.

[J S]

Thank you Ed, perfect involvement for those of us who feel we may well be with you in Canada. Love all the background information.

[Nick Caulfield]

I had the good fortune to be a guest of Toyota for Saturday Qualifying at Silverstone in 2005 (even got to shake hands with Mike Gascoine who seemed surprised that someone from a group of 'corporates' recognised him). Food was closer to a buffet than the menu above but still a lovely day out.

[IDR]

@D

Filet mignon & petoncles...

What should you expect from a country without winery!

Maybe they are offering that with "Our three traditional sauces":

Keptchup, Mayonaise and Mustard!

[Andy G]

And the wine Ed? Mustn't forget the wine...

[colin grayson]

canada is officially a bi-lingual country
I trust therefore that the waiter performed in english for you , not , heaven forbid , in both languages

[IDR]

@D

Crème Incinérée or Murder by Chocolate...

I think the proper option should be, firstly, die by the chocolate and secondly been incinerated by the Cream!

Epitaph:

"Ed Gourmand, the crap photographer, who lived for the ink and died by the chocolate"

[Anon (the real one)]

Since we love cuisine so much, let me tell my own little culinary background.

I love fancy food. Michelin three-star restaurants are fantastic (e.g. Le Grand Vefour).

I used to live in West Palm Beach, Florida. The food there was great. Nice Indian estaurans, good steakhouses, and a fantastic golf club buffet.

I then moved to Tucson, Arizona. Upon arriving there, I thought to myself, wha on earth am I going to eat? I hate tacos and fast Mexican food and abhor Tucson What can thjis relatively rural areas offer?

Terrorized by the idea of eating in McDonalds for the rest of my life, my firstday in Tucson was quite an experience.

My fail and I asked the hotel manager for a good restaurant. He said that there was a decent Mexican resaurant just beind the hotel.

I thought to myself, "Great, some fast foo place."

That night I enjoyed ostrich, and I can tell you it is very good

It was a fantastic meal. The waiter even remarked to us, "You'll see, Tucson is very proud of its restaurants."

Still, I thought that my Florida restaurants ere better.

How absolutely,devastatingly absolutly wrong I was.

Indian, Malaysian, real Mexican, Thai, Japanese habachi, American steaks, Italian, every kind of food is in Tucson, which I thought was some backwater nowhere in terms of culinary achievements.

A reasonable drive from my house must be located about twenty to thirty fantastic restaurants. Incredible. All of them: good food, good ambience, and an absolutely fantastic price-quality ratio.

Florida is nothing compared to Tucson. I really live in a heaven for fine iners. Who would have thought.

I return to Switzerland this weekend. There, I enjoy eating "croute au fromage," bread with wine and lots of cheese and ham and egs. Along with fondue and racette, more cheese meals. And la polenta. All rich cheesy meals. Of course, we have fine Italian restaurants a walk away from home.

We have some great Japanese and French restaurants, but the prices are ridiculous and pretentious.

I have a special fvorite though. A peaant lady holds a resturant/bar in the ski resort I live in.She only serves one table a night. Her vegetables arewonderful and the gaden from where they come is just outside the restaurant- fresh every day. The ambience is great- a bunch of drunkards in the next room make for a fun evening.

Well, there's my culinary background, if anyone cares.

[Andy G]

Anon. You'll need a couple of alka selzers after that :)

[IDR]

Anon

Place, Name and telephone number of the "1 table per night" restorant will be much appreciated...

As Andy G recomend you, I'm looking for some alka selzers for me after reading your comment!

[IDR]

“I love fancy food. Michelin three-star restaurants are fantastic (e.g. Le Grand Vefour).”

Sorry Anon but that’s the easy way.

This is like saying, I love sailing: 143 feet “Esense” from Wally is wonderful.

Yes, even my wife who hates sailing, loves "Santa María" a 180 feet from Perini Navi. If you really love sailing you should talk about wallynano.

Opps! I’m afraid I getting myself into a risky business!

[Anon (the real one)]

To IDR:

Heh, the one-place restaurant is tough. First, it is located in an obscure part of Switzerland, in a ski resort named Crans-Monatana (probably won't ring a bell).

Second, the boss is a bit of a tough nut to crack. My uncle suggeted the restaurant and we had to call a few times to be accepted! She kept saying the time was rong fo the vegetables, anything to keep us away. It was quite funny. She is very nice onc you get a spot there, and then getting a seating is easy despite the table-a-night rule.

But with strangers, she is somewhat timid.

The alka selzers- don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing!
Take care everyone. I'm waiting eagerly for qualifying (10:00a over here) but I'm in the middle of suitases! Yikes! Not to mention I want to see Belmont, the last of the three American horse races.

And then there is Hillary Clinton's concession speech, can't miss that!

Tomorrow I miss Switzerland playing Cezchoslovakia, Portugal playing Turkey, Federer v. Nadal, the Canadian GP...

I'll make up for it by doing nothing but watch TV this summer.

[IDR]

Anon,

Thanks for the information. I guess there are not many restorants in Crans-Monatana.

The Alka Selzer thing is good, don't worry. It is just a medicine to help the digestion process, too much food in your post! (I love Raclette and Polenta, btw)

I feel you little bit stressed with TV's events!

Nadal Vs Federer in Roland Garros Final is a classic!

I hope they finish just before F1 starts. But with them, you never know!

[D]

^
IDR >

The waffles with maple syrup and cream were great for breakfast. :-)

What you were forgetting was the time zone of Montréal - our barbecue here is not until late afternoon.

Fortunately for us, the weather is better than it appears to be there, and the Labatts is seeing us through.

Like Jamie's (I trust) our beef is indeed Aberdeen Angus - although Hereford would also be most welcome, if any of our guests coming today are reading this. :-)

Salmon with asparagus and Hollandaise sauce last evening - also in the garden (and also with Pommery: a bottle, though! )

[IDR]

@D

Umm... Pommery... not too bad, uh?

Only one bottle, are you properly armoured to fight for a glass?

My consolation is that I don't like Champagne! You should try a good aged white chardonnay instead of Champagne.

Today we have not made any special. I'm on a working sunday, next week is going to be crazy for me, so, no wine, no nothing, just salmorejo (some kind of tomato cold cream) and baby lamb ribs.

For drink, just water.

Enjoy your barbecue and Pommery (if you can!)

[Daniel]

Ed, I can just picture you with a camera phone, trying to discreetly take pictures of the menu without being seen. Good article though, shows the other side of the F1 circus that we rarely get to witness - more, please !

[Kate C-J]

Personally I'd have gone for the Tuna option Ed....men usually do go for steak if it's on offer. Wonder why?

Since this year at Magny-Cours will be the last to take place there, you should get a stonking good menu to discuss (in full, inc. wine) from there.