In keeping with Philippe birthday tradition we piled ourselves, and our accidentally coordinated outfits, into the car and made our way to Sophie's favourite restaurant, L'Arbousier at The Maquis.
A birthday bellini santé.
A very suave Monsieur P
We started off with a salmon and cucumber amuse-bouche. It sounds unremarkable but it was anything but.
Taking a digestive pause we tried to get a group photo. But our outfits were the extent of our group coordination, somebody managed to blink each time the shutter clicked.
Beautiful mama-daughter shot
Then our gallant waiters in white bustled around the table and placed a gleaming silver dish in front of each of us.Then using some weird waiter psychic skills, lifted the silver lids in synchronised silence to reveal each of our dishes... 7 x Sea Bass with Aubergine.
The food was THAT good I almost missed the sunset. Almost.
Chocolate souffle x 7 si vous plaît!
Now I was a Maquis first-timer, the others are veterans. To me the soufflé was light, airy and fluffy, like eating a chocolate cloud. For the veterans it didn't meet usual Maquis soufflé standards... so we ordered a molleux to share, for purely comparison purposes.
I wish I could show you the oozing chocolate centre, but unfortunately seven spoons attacked the poor chocolate pud with such ferocity that my 5 second reaction time was 5 seconds too late.
I could go on and on and on about the night our tastebuds met heaven but for fear of slipping back into yet another Maquis food coma and dribbling on my neighbours shoulder it's probably best I go to bed...