Mediterranean Luxury of L'Accente

Another autumn meeting of TUCC (on 31 November 2008) was held at the Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant L'Accente which impressed guests with combination of an unbelievably luxury interior and, at the same time, an unexpectedly cozy atmosphere.

The restaurant is decorated with reproductions of famed Italian paintings, for example, a magnificent piece by Leonardo da Vinci painted with luminescent paint adorns the ceiling, which, together with the evening light, becomes a fascinating luxury mystique. Right at the entrance of the restaurant visitors will notice Da Vinci's famous Vitruvian Man image, together with some flowers . All these images instantly position the restaurant at the very premium level and the Chef, Igor Vovk, then demonstrated that his cuisine is of the same class.

As always, a TUCC meeting is an examination of that restaurant's services but at the same time, it gives the restaurant a wonderful opportunity to show their quality and impress TUCC members with something very special, unique and unusual.

The dinner started off with spiny lobster with Ricotta cheese and spinach with aubergines and tomatoes, dressed with a mysterious “Pilatti” sauce. Shaped as some modern-art sculpture on a plate, the dish was a perfectly balanced combination of seafood and cheese – everyone agreed on that, sipping on refreshing Chilean Emiliana Chardonnay.

The second course was royal mussels with bell peppers and porcini mushrooms baked in shells with Trifolatti sauce and served on a layer of sea salt. Surprisingly, porcini mushrooms – having a strong flavor of their own – went well with a seafood dish, and French Alain Geoffroy Chablis 2006 enhanced the delicate combination.

The third dish – lobster bisque with Gilardo oysters and black cod – was served in two stages. First came plates topped with seafood, followed by a thick seafood soup – bisque – ladled into the plate by the waiter while the guests inhaled the appetizing lobster aroma, eager to taste the dish. The wine selected to go with it was white Cotes Du Rhone Saint Esprit 2007.

As if to prepare the palate for the coming dessert served next was the chef’s special dish – a brochette of goat cheese baked in rice paper, with a wooden clip keeping the paper together. The cheese was served piping hot and tasted perfect with grapes marinated in port wine. The brochette was complemented with the only red wine of the evening – Cotes Du Rhone Saint Esprit 2007.

While tiramisu is probably the most common dessert in Kyiv these days offered in cheap cafes as well as high-end restaurants, L'Accente's chef attempted to prove he could still impress his guests with it. And he was right. The familiar ingredients blended in an unexpected way, creating a wonderful sensation.

According to the marks given by the clubs’ connoisseurs that evening, their favourite dishes were -- the Spiny Lobster with Ricotta Cheese and Spinaсh in Aubergine dressed with tomatoes and Pilatti Sauce and the absolutely delicious Tiramisu. Special notice and attention should also be given to the Lobster Bisque with Oysters Gilardo and Black Codfish which even caused a storm of applause and won the hearts of TUCC members with its unusual and rich taste.

An easy evening atmosphere, together with the now legendary sense of humor and jokes of the TUCC Chairman Terry Pickard, turned this dinner into a real cozy feast, the final treat of which was a cognac kindly provided by Koktebel.

L'Accente Restaurant received a combined 4.4 points out of 5 according to the members questionnaires, which means L'Accente has achieved TUCC’s 3 star status and an honorable membership of the Grand TUCC Family.