As if the challenge of creating world-class cuisine on a moving train weren’t sufficient to contend with, Christian Bodiguel, executive chef on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express endeavours never to repeat a menu. Once the chocolate-box scenery pales and the thrill of travelling on the train of trains passes, it is the cuisine that has the lasting impact.

Breakfast and tea is served in the compartment while lunch, dinner and brunch on the final day after arriving in Paris is served in three exquisite dining cars. Car 4141 is the perfect art deco symbol for the journey from Venice to London. Decorated by Rene Lalique in 1929 in the Cote d’Azure style, it has crystal panels of women holding grapes. Like everything on board, formal table settings – white damask, silverware, vertical cut crystal and trademark Orient Express gilded table lamps – are the props for the mutual congratulatory smiles and nods that signify shared fortune. Either having sufficient to pay the hefty sum or, as in our case, the good fortune to receive a kind invitation.

A la carte items range from smoked salmon with avo (R360) to caviar with blinis (R3600) while the table d’hote menu is included in the fare.

We started with the duck foie gras with asparagus, cranberries and pistachio dressing topped with a pickled parsnip chip. Pink-roasted lamb (best end) was served with veal sweetbreads braised in cardamom-infused Soya milk, dressed with a rosemary jus. This was accompanied by cold cauliflower and broccoli tartars which we didn’t enjoy. Moroccan Argan and Coriander oils provided intense flavours, and starch was bouillon-baked potato.

While the cheese course was very special and a rare opportunity to indulge in French cheeses, it was dessert that elevated the meal to the top wrung. A chocolate sphere was served to the table. With a flourish, the waiter poured over the hot chocolate sauce melting the sphere and revealing a mango rose with Sichuan pepper ice-cream inside. Beautiful to see and delicious to eat.

www.orient-expresshotels.com

Brian Berkman