Nothing
succeeds like excess. And when that excess is of the talents of an
hotelier, restaurateur and host, the result is a good deed in a
naughty world. Actually, I should say several good deeds, for the
talented gentleman in question has given the exquisite little town
of Carmel-by-the-Sea not only a lovely place in which to lay one’s
head, but also three very good restaurants. Indeed, the blessings
multiply further – for his wife is a talented designer (and singer,
as I discovered when I joined the happy pair for cocktails one
evening) and has imparted her gracious style to the enterprises.
They deserve to be called Mr. and Mrs. Carmel. In fact, they are
David and Kathleen Fink, and I am delighted to bring before you
their picture. I have recently spent my 60th birthday at their
hotel, and I cannot think of anywhere I would rather have spent this
significant anniversary.
I
first met Mr Fink when he was the General Manager of the Highlands
Inn, near Carmel. There he was the moving spirit behind the annual
Masters of Food and Wine event. It is a joy now to see him as the
proprietor of his very own establishment, housed in a handsome
building of 1929. L’Auberge Carmel has rapidly matured into probably
the finest small hotel in California. With its white and green
colours, abundance of flowers and complicated roof-line, externally
L’Auberge is reminiscent of a village inn in Alsace. Inside,
however, all is sophistication and pampering – which is precisely
how I like my hotels.
I found room 20 ($575 a night, bed and breakfast for two) on the
first floor, overlooking the fountain and the stone elephant, both
of which reside in the building’s pretty inner courtyard. This
apartment was very much to my taste. Its tones of grey and brown
were soothing and its armchairs were comfortable. I soon discovered,
too, that the huge mahogany bed was wonderfully soft and that its
sheets were silkily smooth. The black and white photographs on the
walls depicted the sea, for I was only four blocks from Carmel beach
and the Pacific Ocean. Behind the louvred doors were a private safe,
an iron and ironing board and sufficient hanging space, even for me.
In the corner of the room was a sink with a marble-topped cabinet.
The only thing lacking in this bedroom was a full-length mirror for
dressing. (I mentioned this omission to Mrs Fink, so I think the
lack will be supplied quite soon.)
My
bathroom was a splendid chamber, impressive in both size and
equipment. Here there was much use of limestone, which provided a
pleasing backdrop for so many white, fluffy towels. I have developed
a taste for free-standing bath tubs, and this one was a fine piece.
A separate shower and a separate loo completed the ensemble. One
small example will serve to illustrate the thoughtful attention
which is manifested throughout the property. In the loo was a
mahogany rack, complete with a glossy magazine about interior
decoration.
It was a delight to sit in my apartment in the mornings, with the
wireless tuned to 103.9fm (the classical music station), and enjoy a
bit of Beethoven, as a soft breeze wafted through the open windows.
(The rooms at L’Auberge do not have air conditioning, but the gentle
climate of Carmel has never allowed me to regret its absence.)
Breakfast
at L’Auberge is served in the small dining room. It differs each
day. One typical breakfast consisted of a glass of fresh orange
juice, poached eggs on toast, yoghurt with apricot compote,
croissants, blackcurrant jam and coffee. These items – all of the
highest quality – are brought by waiters and laid on fine white
tablecloths. The effect is very much what you would expect of a
grand, Michelin-starred ‘restaurant-with-rooms’ in France.
The comparison is apt, for this small dining room (it has only 12
tables) is, in fact, the Restaurant Aubergine, the domain of
Executive Chef Christophe Grosjean (pictured). The Michelin
inspectors have not yet ventured as far south in California as
Carmel. If they did, they would certainly be reaching in their bags
for stars after their visit to Aubergine.
Monsieur
Grosjean comes from the Franche-Comté region of France, and used to
work with Chef Cal Stamenov at Bernadus Lodge in the Carmel Valley.
I found his cuisine to be well-conceived, prettily presented and
expertly executed. His menu offers nine starters, four main courses,
cheese and four puddings. 3 courses cost $69, four courses $89 and 5
courses $110. Sitting on a brown banquette, under spotlights,
surrounded by paintings of musicians in the Art Déco style and
watching the waiters in black tie and white gloves, I thought I was
going to enjoy my dinner, And I did.
‘Heirloom tomato and halibut’ brought smoked lemon tomato, socca,
zucchini and line-caught local halibut – the gorgeous texture of the
fish revealing the precision of its cooking. ‘Truffle and
chanterelles’ consisted of green and yellow wax beans, crisp
shallots, summer truffles and chanterelles – a confection as tasty
as it was satisfying. Then it was ‘beet and duck’ – turnip purée,
candy-striped beet, wild huckleberry, foie gras and roasted duck
breast – a combination of appealing tastes and textures. My
concluding plate of braised blackberries, cheesecake and peach
sorbet was deliciously simple and simply delicious.
Wine Director Thomas Perez has built up a cellar of 4,500 bottles,
with prices ranging from $40 for a Sardinian white to $7,200 for the
2000 vintage of DRC Montrachet. (David Fink is a lover of such
burgundies, and is not a claret man. Even so, there are still
classics from Bordeaux – like 1982 Château Margaux at $2,490.) This
list is a real treat for the burgundian party and for those of us
who love the sweet wines of Germany – August Kesseler’s 1999
trockenbeerenauslese from the Rheingau is $1,800. My white was a
superb German Riesling of the drier sort, with lovely acidity and
notes of petrol (Auslese, Von Hövel, Scharzhofberger, 2004 - $70),
and my red was a delicate, perfumed 1968 rioja, with typical tones
of vanilla (Viña Valoria, Logroño - $325).
Carmel-by-the-Sea
is one of California’s gems. Its charms rightly attract many
visitors. Thanks to the talents of David and Kathleen Fink, those
visitors can enjoy hospitality of the very highest order – at
L’Auberge Carmel, Restaurant Aubergine, Cantinetta Luca and Bouchée.
It is true: nothing succeeds like excess.
L’AUBERGE
CARMEL & RESTAURANT AUBERGINE
Monte Verde at Seventh, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 93921, U.S.A.
Telephone +1 831 624 8578
Fax +1 831 626 1018
www.laubergecarmel.com
Double rooms from $340, including breakfast
Restaurant Aubergine – breakfast and dinner daily
© 2008 Francis Bown. Used by
permission. All rights reserved. For reviews of hotels and
restaurants across the world, visit
www.BownsBest.com
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