L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek – While spending two nights at L’Auberge de Sedona Inn and Resort, we had the wonderful pleasure of dining at the L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek.

The award-winning Four-Diamond L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek offers guests the finest Modern Regional American inspired cuisine by Executive Chef David Schmidt. Its newly updated setting provides guests a sophisticated creek-side dining experience either outdoors on the terrace (weather permitting), or in the restaurant’s glass fronted dining room.

We began our dining experience with a glass of sparkling Gruet Blanc de Noir from New Mexico of all places.  It was bubbly, rich, toasty and a wonderful way to begin our gastronomical adventure.  Cheers!

As the sun began its decent and the moon began to draw the attention of the creek-side guests, we studied the menu and both of us determined to enjoy the Baby Gold Beet Salad (Hydroponic Watercress, Sicilian Moro Orange Oil, Humboldt Fog, and Avocado Mousse).

Beet salads regularly draw our attention and this one was pure delight.  YUM!

Clearly, L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek had predetermined to spoil us rotten as each of our four courses was delivered personally by Chef David Schmidt.   We found Chef David to be a very congenial guy and greatly interested in creating a wonderful experience for us.

After a few pleasantries, we shared with him about our anticipation for tonight’s meal and off he went to create our next course.

As we were enjoying our beet salads, we were pleasantly surprised to be interrupted by the owners of L’Auberge de Sedona: Al Spector and Susannah Durant.  They shared with us their great pleasure to have us as guests and completely blew us away with their genuine warmth and kindness.

Just like two kids in anticipation of going to Disneyland, they shared with us the many wonderful accolades they have been receiving since their $25 million remodel and clearly couldn’t wait to see what the year ahead might bring them.

Their efforts have certainly been rewarded with recent guests like Barbara Streisand, the Royal Greek Family, Nicolas Cage, Colin Farrell, and now The Roaming Boomers!  🙂

Not wanting to be over-stuffed from our dinner, but greatly desiring to try one of Chef Schmidt’s second courses, we both opted to share Carnaroli Risotto (Lobster Mushroom, and Lemon Scented Wild Baby Arugula).  Perfectly done, creamy, and simply delish!

Now it was time for the pièce de résistance and for this Carol and I chose different paths.

Carol opted for Chef David’s signature Grilled Rack of Lamb (Cumin Scented White Beans, Cucumber, Tomato & Feta Salad, and Toasted Hazelnuts with Mint Chimichurri). Wow!  This was out of this world, and I was very happy to learn that Carol was getting full and I was going to get one of her pieces of lamb!  Yahoo!

I am quite certain that my barbarianism isn’t apropos.  But, I looked around to make sure that no one was looking, grabbed that baby by the bone and cheerfully gobbled it down.

Holy rack of lamb Batman! That was good.

Now, my third course was a little more delicate, and perhaps even downright politically incorrect.

You see, I opted for Juniper Dusted Duck Breast & Labelle Farms Foie Gras (Parmigiano Polenta, Caramelized Pears, and Pear Vinaigrette), while scores of now sleeping ducks lay in Oak Creek in my direct line of sight.

I had visions of one of the ducks catching a waft of one of his cousins on my plate and starting an all out duck jihad against us.

I was real sneaky, just like Elmer Fudd sneaking up on Bugs Bunny, and quietly enjoyed my entrée.

But, let me be clear, inside I was screaming with pure delight! This was powerfully good duck breast, foie gras, and pears.

I would have stood to applaud Chef David, but again, the ducks…remember?

Now, it was time for dessert and we were going to tread on very sacred ground.

I chose Strawberry Shortcake.

You see, my dear departed grandmother, for decades, grew her own strawberries and made the best strawberry shortcake with home-made vanilla ice cream on the planet.

This stuff for me was like the holy grail.  Now, I didn’t freeze dry it and worship it on my mantle, or anything like that.  But, grandma’s strawberry shortcake brings out the Pavlov dog in me at the mere mention of the words.

So, poor Chef David didn’t stand a chance for me proclaiming that his strawberry shortcake was the best on the planet.

But, Chef David, would you settle for being in the top five?  Look at this!  It even has strawberry gelato!  YUM! YUM!

Well dear reader, that’s it.  Kaput!  The end of the show!

But what a wonderful culinary journey this was.

The incredible setting along-side Oak Creek, the moon glowing above, the occasional quack of an awakened duck, wonderful hosts, and the sublime cuisine of Chef David Schmidt.

L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek has found a very dear place in the hearts of The Roaming Boomers.

We are very pleased that you are only a beautiful 90 minute drive from our front door.

We’ll be back!

Disclosure:  this wonderful dining experience was provided by L’Auberge de Sedona.  Thanks!