You can't see it, but the Japanese influence in Petrus' new pastry chef Claude Guerin's creations is strong. It's in the delicacy of flavours and the precision of presentation, as much about restraint as about balance, innovation and "face". Maybe that is a description too esoteric or too much in my own head. Allow me to rephrase.
Guerin is not your grandma, and this is no homemade apple pie. The messiest thing about her desserts is the fact that you have to eat them. The flavours are not hearty, robust sweetness -- they are finely calculated symphonic medleys. Nothing is drowned in sauce or haphazardly dunked; instead the garnishes are artfully arranged just so, the more fluid accompaniments explicitly daubed or dotted. A dessert you'd be proud to enter into a museum, if only it wouldn't melt.
Now, I'm a girl who is kind of more about lumpy bread pudding or licking the brownie mix directly out of the bowl. But if I go uptown, then this is the way to go. Every creation is applause-worthy, almost way too pretty to eat. My stomach is not worthy.
But... just so you know, I ate them anyway.
They're all available at Petrus at the Island Shang.
Top to bottom: Black currant roasted Solies figs deglazed with Banyuis wine and walnut ice cream; granny smith apple, crispy meringue shall, Manzana verde and wood sorrel jus; Ardeche's chestnuts mousse and shavings, eglantine puree; coffee-roasted hazelnut ice parfait, coffee and 18-year aged Yamasaki single malt whisky jelly; Septiere's orchard poached organic comic pear, crispy arlettes and licorice ice cream; soft Caraibes 66% dark chocolate palet, fleur de sell sable cripsy cocoa beans, vanilla ice cream.
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