DB Bistro Moderne

The only thing I'd eaten at db Bistro Moderne was a hamburger last year. I wanted to try some of their other food, so I took advantage of a price reduction in honour of Daniel's NYC restaurant becoming the 8th best restaurant in the world and went there this week. As an amuse bouche, my meal started with a small duck pate tarte. The mustard overwhelmed the duck. As I was waiting for it to swim into my taste buds, I enjoyed the pastry.
I've only had good pork twice in 22 years in Vancouver. My first mouthful of this Pork Terrine a la Grandpere was very good. But then it left a strong, meaty and rather unpleasant aftertaste. That went away when I begin mixing the meat with the pickled vegetables and mustard. I told the server it was a lesson on what to do with mustard. I had been served several types of bread earlier, and used a piece to soak up the last of the mustard and tapenade. Should have combined the bread with the pork.
I had great bouillabaisse in France and at Vancouver's Cassis restaurant. This was totally different. From the herbed halibut to the saffron potatoes and onions so different I had to ask what they were. And then there were the mussels. I've never been able to eat them before. In this magnificent soup, they were actually delicious. Even Alinea had only been able to serve me an edible oyster, not a delicious one. The broth flavour stayed with me for hours. Like Alinea (now rated #1 in North America, #7 in the world, above Daniel) I had to have a lesson from the server on how to eat it. The dish of crackers and sauce were to be employed to dip into the soup and then savour the combination. Much more successful than Alinea's lessons in culinary strangeness. And this is only a minor league Daniel property in the provinces. What would his food taste like at his flagship restaurant? I hope to find out.
A delightful citron desert. Not sweet, the most important thing I want from a desert. Different kinds of sour. I thought the red thing was made from raspberries, but I'm told it's actually cassis. The graham cracker crumbs are also vastly appreciated. A NY friend, Dex, had told me of a friend who'd eaten at Daniel and left so hungry had had to go elsewhere for another dinner. I thought that might happen with this meal as I was never actually full, but neither was I hungry.
I was however very satisfied.