Decadent flavors? Mais, oui!
At the heart of one of Carpe Diem's signature entrées, steak au poivre, is a round of thick filet mignon seared to a crusty exterior and crimson center. A ladle of rich cream-and-cognac pan sauce surrounds the filet while half-cracked peppercorns speckle the surface like buttons. The dish is so indulgent that I savored each bite slowly. The servers misconstrued my slow pace as defeat; one busser nearly lost a forearm after a premature attempt to clear the plate.
Candace West
Indulge yourself with the filet mignon.
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Carpe Diem by Cafe de France, 110 E. Atlantic Ave. Delray Beach. Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call 561-455-2140, or
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But no — even the leftover creamy sauce went to good use, sopped up by garlic mashed potatoes. The texture was velvety, like a starch version of chocolate mousse. It reminded me of a dish called aligot that I had tried in Southern France: melted cheese blended into mashed potatoes, creating an elastic consistency.
No matter how full one might be, a dessert of profiterole — a hollow puff of pastry filled with ice cream — is a must. The ball of dough is completed with a sprinkling of chocolate sauce that gleams with an espresso sheen. Diners on their best behavior might deem the profiterole too decadent and choose a poached pear instead (though it's barely healthier). Despite my pear being poached to a point of overtenderness, the fruit absorbed all the sweet and robust red wine, which blended smoothly with a glimmering chocolate sauce.
After the last drop of chocolate faded from the silver serving dish and the champagne flute went dry, I felt the satisfaction that comes with a classic meal. I bet customers in the first Le Gloahec restaurants were just as pleased.