The dish that changed something · c. 1994
Oysters and Pearls
Thomas Keller · 1955 · The French Laundry, Yountville; Per Se, New York
Oysters and caviar over a tapioca sabayon. The luxury sits on a cheap starch, and the whole dish argues that what a thing costs and what it is worth on the plate are separate questions.
Why it works
Tapioca holds the liquid without thickening it into a sauce, so the oyster's own brine stays loose, and the caviar salts from above rather than through the mix.