Haut Paleo

Is it possible?

Indeed it is.   

Last night, my husband and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary.  This year, we opted to stay in town and dine at one of our favorite special occasion restaurants, Melisse, in Santa Monica.

For anyone who hasn’t been, it’s a must-do!   

But wait, you might be thinking, how can a fine dining, French Haut Cuisine establishment work if you’re Paleo?  

In this instance, it’s certainly far more important to call ahead to ask that the chef can accommodate gluten free, soy free and so on, so as to find the delicate balance between being able to eat everything without worry and also being respectful of the chef’s creation.

We have dined at Melisse before and have always had an amazing experience, but last night, for the first time, we had the opportunity to meet the chef, Josiah Citrin and chat with him at length about his dedication to sourcing only 100% grass fed, local beef, to understanding different types of eating approaches and yes, even a little talk of Paleo living.

There is a ten course tasting menu option, however, again, with the intention of not being overly disruptive to the kitchen, choosing the four course selection was easier as I was able to choose the dishes that simply did not contain any of the ingredients I don’t eat.

From the amuse bouche to the scallop sashimi, the seared tuna course and all the way through our table side prepared, dry aged, grass fed cote de boeuf, to the fresh berries with house made coconut sorbet to finish, it was, yet again, another dining experience to die for.

Paleo works everywhere; there’s no need to feel you’ve good to choose between a plain, boring and safe meal or a fine dining experience.  You can have both simultaneously!