Many Happy Returns in Pittsburgh

By Vice Chargé de Presse Ken McCrory

There are a lot of stories about famous returns. General McArthur wading ashore in the Philippines, having vowed three years earlier "I shall return". Michael Jordan returning to the Chicago Bulls after a two-year absence to lead them once again to three NBA titles. There is also a very old biblical story about the prodigal son who leaves his family house. When the son returns, his father is overjoyed and prepares a "fatted calf" for a great feast. What do all of these returns have to do with the Pittsburgh Chaîne?

Pittsburgh experienced a happy return of its own recently when Chef Rôtisseur Michael and Candace Uricchio reopened their famed LaForêt restaurant after an absence of 6 years. LaForêt was named "Best Restaurant" in the regional poll conducted by Pittsburgh Magazine for 5 straight years until Mike and Candace closed the restaurant in 1993. Why close one of the area's most successful restaurants? Well, the restaurant business and starting a family don't mix that well and Mike and Candace decided that family affairs should take precedence over restaurant affairs. The couple, of course, didn't abandon food altogether. They opened La Charcuterie, an upscale deli, and pastry chef Candace continued to make desserts for the deli and other direct sales. After the birth of their son, Kyle, and his younger brother, Jasper, they opened Vermont Flatbread in Pittsburgh's food mecca - the "Strip District". Michael produced some of the most interesting pizzas, with some of the most exotic topics in pizza history (ever had foie gras pizza?).

Delis and pizzas could only keep this creative young couple interested for so long, however. Michael and Candace still owned the building where LaForêt had been located and, after the restaurant that rented from them closed, they decided to return to their true love - a French restaurant.

To the great joy of Pittsburgh's Chaîne members and other gourmets, LaForêt opened in the summer of 1999. LaForêt continued its "family tradition" with Michael and Candace in the kitchen and Michael's brother, Robert, as the Maître d'. Even sister, Marylynn was seen doing a complete redecoration of the building.

Immediately after the restaurant opened, Pittsburgh Bailli Peter Hanowich began receiving calls from the Pittsburgh Chaîne asking when LaForêt would do a dinner. The timing and the choice were simple - the last Chaîne dinner of the year - what a way to close out the Millennium! Demand for the dinner was so great that two dates had to be used - December 12 and 13. Even with two dinners, there were a number of unfortunate souls that had to be turned away.

The members of the Chaîne didn't "slay a fatted calf" for Michael and Candace's return because who would want a fatted calf when we were being offered steak tartare made from Kobi beef, galette of crab and risotto, tortellinis with morilles mushrooms, smoked salmon and ratatouille. As a special surprise, Michael dusted off his raclette machine and was dispensing delicious hot cheese in the back of the dining room. These spectacular hors d'oeuvres were accompanied by a sparkling burgundy from Mancey.

The anticipation was great as we awaited our first course, a napoleon of foie gras and potatoes accompanied by Zind Humbrecht's 1997 Pinot d'Alsace. No less spectacular was the soup course of a consommé with ravioli, black truffles and pheasant, very simply and tastefully accompanied by a 1997 Roulot white burgundy. Dame de la Chaîne Rene MacDougall described the next dish as "the best fish I have ever tasted - ever!". The others at Rene's table simply nodded their assent since they had no interest in using their mouth for anything but eating, while even one morsel of this wonderful course remained on their plate. The dish that left everyone speechless was an incredibly light dover sole wrapped around a lobster mousse, accompanied by osetra caviar in a pastry cup with a civette sauce. A classic "french style" Meursault from the Grand Charron vineyard of Michelot perfectly complimented the dish. After a delightful fruit granité, Michael took us to the burgundy countryside with roasted squab and a caneton cassolette en brioche, accompanied by a 1997 Robert Arnoux Nuits-Saint-Georges, Premier Cru. The next dish and its accompanying wine had been anticipated since the Chaîne group first took their seats and read the menu - noisettes of Elysian Fields lamb accompanied by sweet breads and a timbale of breadcrumbs, with a 1988 Château Haut Brion. The intermingled taste of this great first growth wine with a classic lamb dish was indescribably delicious. Chevalier Dr. Freddie Fu used his famed surgical skills to slice the lamb noisettes even thinner because "I want this to last forever". We closed with mesclun greens served in a lavach cup with three cheeses including aged goat cheese and a wonderfully gooey Camembert all accompanied by a 1997 Vieux Télégraph Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Pastry Chef Candace more than carried her share of the dinner with not one, but two desserts (unless you count the petits fours which would make it three). The first dessert was a mascarpone mousse with a lemon tarte and roasted fruits. The accompanying wine from Château La Tour Blanche was from the 1989 vintage - merely one of the greatest in the history of Sauternes. A second dessert, a delightful standing triangle of chocolate with its mirror image in chocolate sauces laying on the plate was joined by our final wine of the evening - Dow's 1980 Port. The assorted petits fours that were brought with the coffee caused everyone to groan (but no one turned them down!).

After looking once more at the menu and remembering the great courses and wine accompaniments, Chevalier Tom Allen concluded that "these kids have done a great job". The "kids" comment is literal for Tom since Candace Uricchio is his daughter. Despite that relationship, not one of us felt Tom was biased in his opinion. This was evidenced by the standing ovation given the LaForêt team when Pittsburgh Bailli Barbara Hanowich (resplendent in her year 2000 shoes) introduced them.

All the Pittsburgh Chaîne agreed that while this was a spectacular return, we would prefer that LaForêt just stays around this time.