La Madeleine
Tulsa, OK
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Dish Score: 74
Overall Score: 68
Price: $$
__________________________
SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 13/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 8/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 9/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 32/40
- Service: 7/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 3/5
- Cost vs. Value: 3/5
Chicken la Madeleine
w/ Wild Rice, Potato Galette
Dish Score: 53
Overall Score: 68
Price: $$
__________________________
SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 6/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 7/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 8/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 20/40
- Service: 7/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 3/5
- Cost vs. Value: 3/5
Coconut Cream Cake
Dish Score: 76
Overall Score: 68
Price: $
__________________________
SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 13/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 7/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 9/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 36/40
- Service: 7/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 3/5
- Cost vs. Value: 3/5
Recommended by my fiancé’s mother after her recent trip to Dallas, we decided to give it a try. Upon walking in, confusion struck us. Is this casual dining or fine dining? With a dining room befitting a nicer restaurant and an ordering system à la Panera Bread, this restaurant has an identity crisis.
After looking over the small but varied menu, it was hard to decide what to choose. Many of the items sounded delicious. Finally, my fiancé decided on the Chicken Pesto Pasta. I chose the Chicken la Madeleine with Wild Rice and Potato Galette for the sides. After eyeing the desserts, we also ordered the Coconut Cream Cake.
We received our glasses and headed over to the self-serve drink station (another detail adding to the identity crisis) where I noticed boxes containing sliced bread. With no signage informing me it was help-yourself, I was hesitant to grab some.
Our food arrived (on a cafeteria tray… identity crisis?) and we began to eat. Her pasta was lukewarm, but the sauce had a good flavor to it. A bit strong on the basil, which itself was darker than basil should be. The chicken also had a dark colored outside to it. The bread, however, was moist inside and had a nice texture to it.
My dish was ladened with sauce as if in an attempt to add moisture back into the meat underneath. The sauce itself was flavorful. The rice was cooked well, for the most part, and mushrooms dominated their flavor. There were, however, some crunchy bits at the bottom of the rice. The Potato Galette was completely inedible. Completely black on the bottom, it looked and tasted like the potatoes had been cooked in Tartarus.
The Coconut Cream Cake was a nice contrast to my meal, being flavorful and moist. The cake had a complex flavor on my palate and the icing was not overly sweet. The coconut added a nice texture to the cake.
Overall, my experience at La Madeleine was hit or miss. I was given the impression most of the food comes precooked, bagged, reheated, and plated. Their fancy front gives the impression you’re in for a treat when in reality you’re coming in for upscale fast food.
