We recently had the pleasure of a dinner cruise run by Yachts de Paris. It was a lovely experience with great food, great ambience and unbeatable views of the city. The cruise cast off at 8.30pm and lasted until 11.15pm, giving us plenty of time to enjoy the experience.
The Don Juan II is a riverboat done well. The outfitting is first class, with a library with leather furniture and an elegant dining room with porcelain crockery. The décor is typical French, nice furniture, rich furnishings and discrete lighting. All conspiring to make this an intimate, but open venue to enjoy great food.
We were greeted and welcomed on board by a uniformed usher. We were invited to tour the boat, spend time in the lounge until we were underway. A short time later we were invited to sit at our table and enjoy the meal. The dining room had mood music playing gently in the background, creating a lovely, relaxing atmosphere within which to enjoy the meal.
The menu is a specially designed tasting menu by noted chef Guy Krenzer, winner of the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France. The menu consisted of a pre-starter, starter, main course, cheese course and dessert.
The pre-starter consisted of scallop in a walnut crust and cream of pumpkin. It was amazing. The ingredients were fresh, vibrant and lit up the palate like nothing else. The ideal appetizer.
“Our Dinner Cruise on the Don Juan II was a culinary delight.”
The starter was roasted lobster with vegetables and autumn fruit. Again, the dish was fresh, lively and tasted exquisite. The lobster was perfectly cooked, delicate and accompanied by just the right combination of flavours to highlight it’s taste.
The main course was served at the carving table and brought over by a waiter. It was free-range chicken with a viennoise of pickled lemon and arbois wine sauce. The chicken was moist and juicy and cooked to perfection. The lemon and wine kept the acidity in check and added a lovely taste to the meal.
The cheese course was prepared by another Meilleur Ouvrier de France, this time a Fromager, Marie Quatrehomme. The rich cheeses rounded off the preceding courses perfectly and were everything we would expect from a French cheese course.
Dessert was profiteroles in in a hot chocolate gourmandise and some miniature pastries. These were warm, sweet and delightful.
Our Dinner Cruise on the Don Juan II was a culinary delight. The service was great, the food exquisite and the experience unmissable.
The Bill: £190 per person
