Finding the hidden gems in Dallas is our ultimate mission as Taste Buds, so we were more than excited when a follower suggested checking out the restaurant Technique at Le Cordon Bleu. He told us that the culinary students also run a restaurant serving a three course French meal, for a really low price. We made one attempt to go to the restaurant earlier this year, and found out that a reservation is a must and the days are limited to Tuesday-Fridays. After making a reservation about a month ago on Open Table, we secured a reservation and were excited to see what was in store.
The restaurant is definitely part of a culinary school and it is apparent from the moment you get there. You walk by the front desk of the school and the classrooms upon entrance. The setup is modest, white tablecloths and a dimmed lighting. The kitchen is open and you can see the students hard at work preparing your meal. Sara pointed out that the bread was under heat lamps, easily seen by the diners, which was a bit unappealing. The waitress (culinary student) came to our table and explained the menu. There are three courses, priced at $16. The restaurant also has a drink menu.There were a number of appetizing options and we asked her what her favorites were. She suggested for an appetizer the LCBLT salad or Salade Maison and as main courses, either the poached salmon or polenta cakes.
We received our bread from the heat lamp minutes later and I was unimpressed. Since Sara is gluten free, I was the sole judge. The bread simply tasted like a store bought baguette. Maybe we had a bad idea about it from the heat lamp exposure, but either way it was underwhelming. I started off with the Salade Maison with mixed greens, candied pecans, tart apple straws, blue cheese, sundried tomatoes , and a honey thyme vinaigrette. I really enjoyed my salad, and in retrospect, was the favorite of my three courses. The dressing was really tasty and there was a good balance of the other ingredients. Sara ordered the LCBLT salad with butter lettuce, bacon, pear tomatoes, and house made ranch dressing. Sara was unimpressed by her starter dish, as the ranch dressing was bland and watery. I took a bite and really couldn’t even taste the dressing. I declared myself a victor in round one.
For the main course, I ordered the steak frites, a 6 oz New York strip, béarnaise sauce, and hand cut pommes frites. The béarnaise sauce was absolutely delicious and the fries were tasty. I kept dipping them in the sauce until I unfortunately run out. The steak was another story. This was probably the toughest steak I have ever received at a restaurant, and I ordered it medium rare. I kept trying to find its saving grace, but after Sara had a bite, we both decided there was not one. Sara ordered the suggested polenta cakes with mushroom ragout, grilled asparagus, and truffle oil. She enjoyed the cakes, stating that they tasted much like cheese grits, but believed that they were missing a much needed sauce. She noted that her side salad with asparagus and truffle oil was tasty. Sara definitely won round two, although she was a bit perplexed this was the recommended entrée.
Lastly, we received our desserts. I ordered the spiced peaches vol au vent, which came out much like a deconstructed peach cobbler with ice cream. I was expecting the peaches to be warm, but they were cold. It was a tasty dish altogether, and I really enjoyed the lavender ice cream served as a side. Sara ordered the chocolate bomb, a chocolate mousse dome, devil’s food cake, and chocolate ganache. This dessert was in fact, the bomb. I even heard Sara say “I will eat this all day” mid course. I had a bite, and it was very tasty. This was definitely the highlight of both meals.
Overall, Technique at Le Cordon Bleu is exactly what you get for your money. It is “fine dining on a budget” and the presentation of all the dishes is very impressive. There were a few misses throughout both of our meals, but overall it was a fun and unique place to go. Technique is somewhere I could take my dad and he wouldn’t feel overwhelmed by the “foo foo”, but it is not somewhere I would try to impress a date. It is a great place for a couple, friends, or family to go and get something different for a very good price. We thought maybe we stumbled upon a place with five star caliber dining for a steal, but again the food is comparable to what you are paying for. Our waitress did tell us that they change the menu every six weeks, so we would not be opposed to checking it out in the future to see if our choices fare us a little better.
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