My official review for Epicure, the flagship restaurant of Hôtel Le Bristol, has been long overdue. This restaurant is actually somewhat special for me since it was the first gastronomy dining place I ever visited in Europe. It was a lunch in the Easter Monday of 2006 when it still held 2-star and used separate dining rooms depending on the season. I ate at its Winter dining room whose decor was very classic and French displaying old-style luxury. My degustation menu was enjoyable though it was not in my top 5 among Paris finest restaurants, even after re-visited in 2010 when finally Éric Fréchon gained his 3rd Michelin star one year earlier. In 2011, Hotel Le Bristol completed the EUR 300+ million transformative renovation including its signature restaurant. A few years later, I noticed people began to discuss more and very favorably towards Epicure such as it become the top Paris restaurant according to Tripadvisor and received several awards as the best hotel restaurant in the world. However, it was not until early Autumn of 2017, I eventually made a return to this temple of gastronomy.
After the Le Bristol upgrading work, Epicure occupied one permanent space that was its Summer dining room. It was the first time I entered this place last year. Unlike the past Winter venue, the interior design here was more modern but still very elegant and timeless. It featured marble fireplace, beige marble floors with onyx, oil paintings, tall drapes and a few bronze chandeliers. I was seated at the spacious red sofa while most of the tables were paired with the tartan-patterned chairs. Nearly all of the tables overlooking the expansive views of the hotel big & beautiful garden as well as outdoor terrace. I liked this dining room better than the old one; it was grand (seated about 40 people) yet felt intimate and exclusive at the same time. One thing does not change here was that all gentlemen was required to wear a jacket. The restaurant happily lent the guest if he happened to forget not wearing one. Personally, I was in favor of this old school custom. As far as the food's concerned, I have learnt that the secret of many top French gastronomy restaurant best dishes coming from the a la carte menu albeit they're generally more expensive. One more thing, I happened to dine at Epicure twice in the past 8 months - for the 2nd visit, "thanks" to the SNCF French rail strikes that prevented me from going to Reims. There were not that many choices among multiple star restaurants in the city of light opening on Sunday.
AUTUMN Lunch in October 2017
Artichauts de Provence, rôti à l’huile d’olive et truffes blanches d’Alba, poudre d’œuf haché et chips d’artichauts aux noisettes (Artichokes from Provence roasted with olive oil, served with white truffle from Alba, egg powder and artichoke crisps with hazelnuts - small portion) - A generous gift from the kitchen to everyone on that day. The artichokes (leaves & hearts) were light with distinct taste & aroma. They were enhanced by the luxurious Alba truffle, crispy chips, nutty hazelnut and mild egg. It was precise and balanced
Caviar de Sologne et mousseline de pomme de terre ratte fumée au haddock, croustillant de sarrasin aigrelette (Caviar from Sologne served with "ratte" potatoes mousseline smoked with haddock and buckwheat crisp with a slightly sour dressing - demi portion) - One of Eric Frechon's signature dishes available all year long. The smoked haddock was infused to the ratte potatoes to give the mousse sophisticated taste so that when consumed together with the caviar, the firm texture and intensity of the Sologne caviar would shine. There were mild nutty finish flavor with light mousse and soured cream taste (from the stick) in the background. As long as the caviar was still around, it was a fantastic appetizer ..
Accompanied by wine: 2012 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses (some acidity, medium finish, blend of cassis & dark berries, full body with a nice balance)
Noix de coquilles Saint-Jacques, gnocchis de pomme de terre à la truffe blanche d'Alba, jus de cresson de fontaine au beurre noisette (Sea Scallops served with potatoes gnocchi with white truffle from Alba and watercress juice with brown butter - demi portion) - The perfectly seared scallops were tender and sweet. They went along well with the rather soft gnocchi whose flavors mainly derived from the nutritious watercress sauce. The powerful Alba truffle (in aroma and taste) gave extra punch to this wonderful and classic Autumn dish at Epicure. I wish there had been more shaved truffles on this dish ...
Homard bleu rôti en coque, sauté de légumes du Sud à l'huile d'olive, encornet, chorizo, anchois, piment doux et basilic (Blue Lobster roasted in its shell served with sauteed Southern vegetables with olive oil, squids, chorizo, anchovies, sweet peppers and basil) - The plating of the dish was beautiful. When asked, Chef Frechon said it was the first time he created a lobster dish without any 'sauce'. The Brittany lobster was cooked until firm; a few was stuffed with the chewy squid. The highlight was the natural delicious flavor of the lobster however I was not too fond of the unusual taste from the side dishes + their seasonings. I don't find these combinations really helped elevate the awesome roasted lobster
Accompanied by wine: 2012 Domaine M. Chapoutier Hermitag Chante-Alouette (dark yellow, tropical fruits nose, medium body, decent acidity, medium finish and quite rich on the palate)
Citron de Menton givré au limoncello et citron confit, aux saveurs de poires (Lemon from Menton frosted with Limoncello, served with pear and preserved lemon) - A special dessert at Epicure created by its legendary pastry chef, Laurent Jeannin. This frosted lemon was truly fragrant; every spoon I put in my mouth, my nose also enjoyed the aromatic lemon scent. The "lemon meringue", covered by limoncello, was pretty, delicate with pleasant acidity. When the 'lemon was broken', there were some cold pear, lemon and a little herbal taste. In addition, it was fun to savor a few different textures - soft snow & jelly - altogether in cold temperature. An excellent dessert!
SPRING Lunch in May 2018
Homard Bleu rôti au beurre demi-sel, jus des têtes pressées, polenta moelleuse aux asperges vertes et truffe noire (Blue Lobster roasted in its shell with salted butter, juice of pressed heads, creamy polenta with green asparagus and black truffle) - The 'homard breton' was perfectly cooked (turned beautifully red) and meaty / delightfully firm with succulent flavor. The tasty sauce was the jus from the lobster head. It was accompanied by crisp green asparagus, asparagus mousseline with mild black truffle flavors. It was a pure indulgence from start to finish - no wonder this dish was considered as Eric Frechon's specialty
Accompanied by wine: 2015 Sancerre Domaine Gerard Boulay "Clos de Beaujeu" (pale lime color, fresh citrus and floral in both nose and palate, good minerality, medium body, long finish and clean - nice for the sunny day)
Carre D'Agneau de Lait doré au sautoir à l'ail et fleur de thym, chips de basilic, condiment d'épinard au citron confit et anchois (Rack of milk-fed Lamb pan-fried with garlic and thyme flower, basil chips, condiment of spinach with candied lemon and anchovies) - The well-seasoned and precisely cooked Aveyron lamb was really juicy, delicious and melt-in-the-mouth. Beginning from the skin, it was slightly broiled until brown / a bit crunchy, then there was small but heavenly lamb's fat; comes to the meat, it's simply tender and flavorful. Eat with your hand to "clean up" the lamb (except the rack, of course). The only down side ... small size and 'too' few pieces
The light potato souffles with spinach anchovy inside were lovely, mildly salty with earthy potato flavors. The side dishes of lemon, spinach condiment and a little cheese were in harmony with the lamb rack and its intense jus. One of the tastiest lamb I've ever had and this was done when Chef Frechon was not in the kitchen!
Accompanied by wine:
-2011 Margaux, Chateau des Eyrins (deep ruby color and dense, currant scent, dark berry flavor and earthy. Not the best red for this lamb dish, but enjoyable to drink by itself). I did not quite like it, but the assistant sommelier was kind enough to comp. this glass, thus I ordered the 2nd one
-2013 Champin Le Seigneur Côte-Rôtie, Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin (bright purple, refreshing, soft yet deep & complex, velvety tannins with oak finish). A great pairing for the flavorful and not-so-intense lamb
Cerises "Burlat" en sucre soufflé, crème de pistache de Sicile, giboulée de cerises flambées au kirsch (Burlat Cherries blown in sugar, flambéed with kirsch, and served with pistachio cream from Sicily) - It was a fabulous dessert! The sweet red cherries were soaked with kirsch, then flambeed. In addition, there was a rich & creamy cherry sorbet as well as crunchy crust pistachio nuts on the sides. The "huge cherry" was a big blown sugar of burlat cherries filled with cool, tasty and nutty of superb Sicilian pistachio. The interplay of texture and temperature contrasts were wonderful. All elements were in harmony and the overall impression of the flavors was intense yet still light at the same time - impressive!
I thought the cooking of Éric Fréchon has improved since my last visit 7-8 years ago. Dishes' seasoning and execution were very precise. The technical aspects were excellent, for instance the sauce reduction was flawless and the food was clearly structured. These occurred in both meals, therefore the consistency of the refined food in all aspects was very high. Note that during my '18 visit, Vincent Perrin (chef de cuisine) led the kitchen as Sunday was Chef Frechon's off day. Epicure was a Wine spectator's Grand award winners; it's of no surprise that the wine list here was abundant in particular with the French selection. The wine by the glasses was also quite a lot; even better was the wine service. When I 'wrongfully' selected a red Bordeaux that did not perfectly match my lamb dish, the assistant sommelier recognized this from my face expression. He kindly offered me a better option - the red Burgundy - while still allowed me to keep the initial red free of charge.
Epicure is blessed with tremendous resources. There are nearly 40 people (one of them is MOF Franck Leroy, Eric Frechon's right hand man) working in the kitchen while the dining room's service team was staffed by more than 20 people. With 1 waiter serving 2 guests ratio, the service was exceptional and efficient. During my first visit, per my request I could finish my meal slightly over 2 hours but never felt rush and the pacing was just right. The staffs were cordial and knowledgeable; they easily adjust their manners according to the clients' cultures. Overall, they moved around beautifully as if it's choreographed. For my 2 visits, I was served by nearly different teams. Although I might slightly prefer the "first team" (Remi, Matthieu and Thomas), the "second team" (Stephane and Alicia) also delivered a great service. It was very difficult to find faults at Epicure. Things guest's not happy with were probably more about different tastes instead of the restaurant failed to deliver something. Delicious food and elegant presentation, matching wine pairing with plenty of selection, terrific service and everlasting ambiance were the strong traits of the superb high-end French restaurant. I hope Eric Frechon could become the (last) defender of French cuisine and its tradition as long as possible.
For the pictures that would include nibbles, amuse-bouches and petit fours, please check out the following links: Epicure Oct '17 and Epicure May '18
Food (and Wine): 95.5 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 94.5 pts
Overall: 95/100
Showing posts with label classic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classic. Show all posts
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Friday, January 19, 2018
L'Ambroisie Bernard Pacaud - 6th and 7th visit
In the past several years, a visit to Paris usually would include having a meal at L'Ambroisie for me. 2017 was special because somehow I had opportunities to go to Europe more than once and I went to this Paris' longest running three-star restaurant (since 1988) twice! The first one was in the middle of Spring, followed by another visit in early Fall. I think it's official that L'Ambroisie has become my favorite restaurant in Europe, usurping L'Arpege. Prior to 2017, my last two visits here were dinner where the restaurant was full house and busy. Nowadays, whenever possible, I prefer to go for lunch in which the restaurant was quieter and hence I could have better interaction with the staffs. A visit to this temple of haute cuisine was generally predictable but not boring. It was a timeless institution in many aspects such as the (traditional) food served by Bernard Pacaud and his team would be flawless, authentic and pure. The interior of the dining room inside the 17th century townhouse has always been elegant and palace-like. Lastly, the service was friendly and impeccable ... this part actually changed a bit; the staffs were more relaxed and less old-fashioned. They have adapted to the needs of more and more 'casual' foreigners dining at L'Ambroisie.
Spring lunch in May '17
My meal began with kugelhopf which was flavored by paprika and comte cheese - very good. It was warm, fragrant, tasty, kind of crunchy outside and soft in the middle. There were also traditional baguette and brown bread served with high quality butter.
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce curry (Langoustine tail, covered by thin & crispy sesame tuile, served with spinach and curry sauce) - The restaurant kindly served the small portion of its signature dish as my amuse-bouche. It was as terrific as I could remember eating it for the first time. The plump and sweet langoustine was "partially cooked" (mi-cuit). It was accompanied / contrasted by the bitter and vegetal flavor of the spinach as well as the creamy and somewhat acidic curry sauce. All ingredients worked together in harmony (no produce was overly dominant) - balance of flavors and textures. 'Simple' and delicious!
Chaud-froid d'oeuf mollet au cresson, asperges vertes et caviar golden ("Hot-cold" soft boiled egg coated with watercress and served with green asparagus and golden caviar) - The egg was meticulously cooked where the yolk was perfect (creamy and delicious). The fresh watercress beautifully covered the egg and the green sabayon was mild & distinct. The in-season asparagus delivered pleasant sweetness to accompany the egg. Above all, the refined and pure golden caviar from China tied things together and at the same time elevated the dish's flavors + overall experience. The caviar, generously served, was perfectly round, shiny, delicate, and creamy with the right saltiness. It's not just any random egg dish, but an outstanding one.
Escalopines de bar à l'émincé d'artichaut, nage réduite au caviar golden ("Thinly" sliced Sea bass served with minced artichoke hearts on a bed of 'swimming' caviar sauce) - It was a half-portion and the 2nd time I ate this glorious dish (I hardly ordered an a la carte dish to be repeated anywhere).
The Escalopes de bar was gently cooked until pearlescent; the flesh was glistening and the fish kept its oils generating moist, buttery and flavorful taste. The texture was still flaky while the skin gave some texture contrast. Below the Sea bass, there were the firm & 'crunchy' artichokes, having a bit mixture of sweet and acidic flavors in them - worked in harmony with the fish. Ultimately, the traditional white butter sauce (with fish reduction) below 'seasoned' with the umami golden caviar brought this dish altogether into perfection. The caviar was critical in that they lubricated the produce above them and offered polished and slippery / briny feel in the mouth.
Similar to the earlier appetizer, the caviar was not just an expensive garnish to elevate the dish's price instead it's an integral part with culinary purpose to lift the dish overall experience. Another heavenly dish and very likely to be the best Sea bass dish I've ever had.
Accompanied by: 2004 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs (A mature & refreshing champagne with smoky aroma, creamy texture and deep on the palate - a bit of almond and spice flavors)
Côte de veau glacée au jus, fricassée d'asperges vertes et morilles (Milk-fed Veal fillet glazed by its jus and served with green asparagus fricassee, garlics and morels) - Normally, this dish was for 2 people but Mr. Pascal kindly allowed to have it for one person. The pink fillet meat was uniformly tender, moist and flavorful; it was coated by its thin layer of tasty fat. The jus was savory and intense.
The green asparagus had good taste and texture while the cooked garlic was more essential than expected - it was delicate, a bit sweet with pleasant nutty flavor to balance the veal and its jus. Then, there were numerous in-seasoned and fresh morel mushrooms with incredible flavors (woody, succulent and rather rich). Even after I finished up all the veal, I still had plenty of morels to 'devour' by itself - that's how much morels the kitchen gave, love it!
I didn't know that veal could taste this good - my finest one. Bernard Pacaud never stopped to amaze me and I think I should try other dishes at L'Ambroisie that previously I might have overlooked. Spring is indeed the perfect season for veal, asparagus and morel.
Accompanied by: 2007 Frederic Magnien Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (Supple tannin, delicious with good density on the palate, berries and floral aroma, deep and smooth - a good time to drink it)
Blanc-manger au citron, melba fraises des bois (Lemon blanc-manger served with wild strawberries and melba sauce) - The traditional 'blancmange' was milky and smooth but here, Bernard Pacaud utilized the meringue for firmer texture and flavor it with lemon at the bottom for some acidic flavor. It might not be as light and creamy as the normal one but still a delightful interpretation. The strawberries were fresh and sweet; the melba sauce was balanced in its flavor. There were fresh cream and strawberries sorbet inside. Overall, it's an enjoyable fruity dessert in Spring - glad that I could try a new dessert here.
Tarte sablée au cacao amer, glace à la vanille Bourbon (Dark chocolate tart with bitter cocoa powder served with Bourbon vanilla ice cream) - I was grateful and appreciated that in so many occasions, the restaurant gave me this legendary dessert for free (albeit in smaller portion). It was a timeless one indeed ... The top layer was very light in which I could discover 'shades' of flavors such as coffee, bitter cocoa, nutty etc. On the contrary to the soft layers, the kitchen provided thicker and firmer base to steadily hold the sabayon filling. The vanilla ice cream was also superb in that it was more concentrated and perfumed than the normal one yet it's also light. Still, the best dessert at L'Ambroisie and one of the best in Paris.
The food was consistently good and taken seriously even until the end. For the petit-four, the kitchen served chocolate truffles, canele, strawberry tartelette, and doughnut-like madeleine; they were of high quality and really tasty. A great way to end the mea.
Accompanied by: Rhum Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva (A Venezuelan rum that was smooth & creamy, rich having caramel & toffee flavors, long finish with a little bit of spice - thank you Christophe for the complimentary digestive)
Autumn lunch in October '17
I was pleasantly surprised that as soon as we're seated in the middle dining room, the staff brought a plate filled with gougeres - a light and hollow 'puff' served warm and filled with flavorful comte cheese. These gougeres have been missing from L'Ambroisie for quite some times.
Foie gras de canard landais aux épices, poires Curé en condiment (Duck foie gras from Landais served with spices, pears and condiment) - Similar to the last visit, the amuse-bouche was taken from the a la carte menu and this was great since I was unlikely to order duck liver dish in general. The foie gras was quite rich, not cloying but not as buttery as I had expected. The crunchy 'spices' on the side provided some texture contrast while the pear 'puree' would balance the liver's intense flavor. There were also 2 slices of toast on which we could spread this terrine.
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce au curry (Langoustines in curry sauce served with spinach and thin sesame wafers) - My wife tried this signature dish for the first time and she ordered a small portion. As one could imagine, she loved it - very delicious and tender langoustine tails accompanied by flavorful yet light curry sauce (made of cream, curry and hazelnut butter) and a bed of delicate spinach. I've said much about this legendary dish and enough for now.
Grenobloise de noix de Saint-Jacques aux cèpes, truffe blanche d'Alba (Scallop, from Grenoble, served with cepes [raw, cooked & as sauce], white Alba truffle and chopped walnut) - A new and exquisite dish! 3 plump and lightly cooked scallops were sweet, nutty and firm. These superb shellfishes were integrated and in harmony with the earthy & meaty 'Porcini' mushrooms prepared in many different forms and crunchy walnut. In addition, the already intense and delicious dish was still elevated by the top quality & aromatic Alba truffles (with a hint of garlic aroma) ... ethereal indeed An outstanding dish with plenty of magnificent ingredients that worked in unison to deliver an outstanding experience: creamy and delicate sauce; rather rich and earthy cooked ceps; fragrant and crunchy porcini & walnut; tasty and succulent scallop as well as delightful bytes of the white truffle. This dish with all of its seasonal ingredients were certainly the best representative of what the Fall season could offer.
Sole drapée de truffe blanche d'Alba, braisée au savagnin et melba de céleri-rave (Sole, covered with white Alba truffle, was braised with white wine sauce and served with celery roots and leaves) - Mr. Pascal, the maitre d', allowed me to split this fish with my spouse - so in the picture, it was the half portion of the dish. The high quality Sole was thick, tender and juicy (without any flan in between). The sauce, made of wine, butter and fresh cream, was divine - piquant but delicious. Furthermore, the Sole was enhanced by the pungent & earthy white truffle as well as fresh & dense celeriac. An outstanding piece of fish!
Viennoise de suprêmes de pigeon au pain d'épice, salmigondis de carottes à l'anis (Breaded supreme pigeon [from Burgundy] served with gingerbread, carrots and star anise) - The pigeon was perfectly cooked (still pink); it was tender, lean and flavorful. The leg was prepared a la 'wonton' - crunchy outside but tender inside. The jus, mixed with some colorful vegetables such as orange honey & lemongrass, was flavorful and a bit sweet in a pleasant way. It was an underrated dish that happened to be really delicious + beautiful. It had textures contrast in both the pigeon and veggies and plenty of flavor variations.
Throughout this lunch, my wife and I shared a half-bottle of: 2003 Frédéric Magnien Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru. It was delicate & light, supple, soft tannin, spice & herbal finish; 2017 was just about the right time (perfect?) to savor this red Burgundy.
Fromages frais et affinés (Fresh and refined cheese, accompanied by some bread). After some discussion with Laurent, I picked the following:
1. Roquefort - rich, creamy, tangy and sharp
2. Saint Nectaire fermier - grassy smell, fruity, rich in texture
3. Comté (24-month) - deep nutty taste, a bit spicy, subtle sweetness
4. Rocamadour - velvety goat cheese, nutty, and mild
Both the roquefort and st. nectaire were remarkable. It was the first time I ate cheese here and L'Ambroisie actually procured some high quality cheese.
To accompany the cheese, the sommelier gave me a glass of: Madeira Henriques & Henriques 10 years old Sercial (Clean aroma, a bit dry and acidic, long finish, a mix of nuts, wood & vanilla - decent wine pairing)
Tatin de pommes Reinette, sabayon aux noix (Apple 'tart' from the Fall variant served with walnut sabayon and caramel ice cream) - Bernard Pacaud always had a way to interpret and produce any classic dish. The apples were carefully caramelized with a balanced of soft and hard texture. There were a bit tartness derived from the apples, not-so-sweet ice cream, and any "excess" flavor would be absorbed by the pastry. It was good but not exceptional, especially when compared to L'Ambroisie's legendary chocolate cake yet both of us still quite liked it.
Finally, for the mignardise we enjoyed the figs, chocolate raspberry cake, choux with cream & chocolate truffles.
Perfection seemed to be the norm at L'Ambroisie. In both occasions, Bernard Pacaud was in the kitchen. In May, I saw him coming out of the business meeting held in the restaurant's private room at around noon time; Chef Pacaud meant business when he had to lead his brigade. On the way to the kitchen, he recognized my face, then nodded and acknowledged my presence. Given Bernard's shy personality, the busy period and my poor French, a short conversation was not easy sometimes. On the contrary, I was familiar and comfortable with the front staffs such as Mr. Pascal Vetaux (Restaurant director who has been here for about 30 years), Mdm. Danielle Pacaud (the co-owner & hostess), Christophe (the sommelier), Laurent and Joseph. I recalled in my earlier visits, having a meal at L'Ambroisie was like visiting someone's house where the guests had to behave as well. But now, it was like coming to the home of good friends in which I could be myself and felt very comfortable as I pretty much recognized most of the 'old' faces. I used to have the same feeling for L'Arpege, however except for Helene, I barely know any of the front staffs these days. Besides the extraordinary food and top service a la Parisienne, I very much concurred with the chef-patron's philosophy to have only one restaurant, be there daily and not even doing any outside consulting. No wonder, my experiences here have always been consistently awesome. Hope to return here again and again ... Readers are welcome to see the pictures: L'Ambroisie May '17 and L'Ambroisie Oct '17
Food (and Wine): 98.5 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 96.5 pts
Overall: 98/100
Spring lunch in May '17
My meal began with kugelhopf which was flavored by paprika and comte cheese - very good. It was warm, fragrant, tasty, kind of crunchy outside and soft in the middle. There were also traditional baguette and brown bread served with high quality butter.
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce curry (Langoustine tail, covered by thin & crispy sesame tuile, served with spinach and curry sauce) - The restaurant kindly served the small portion of its signature dish as my amuse-bouche. It was as terrific as I could remember eating it for the first time. The plump and sweet langoustine was "partially cooked" (mi-cuit). It was accompanied / contrasted by the bitter and vegetal flavor of the spinach as well as the creamy and somewhat acidic curry sauce. All ingredients worked together in harmony (no produce was overly dominant) - balance of flavors and textures. 'Simple' and delicious!
Chaud-froid d'oeuf mollet au cresson, asperges vertes et caviar golden ("Hot-cold" soft boiled egg coated with watercress and served with green asparagus and golden caviar) - The egg was meticulously cooked where the yolk was perfect (creamy and delicious). The fresh watercress beautifully covered the egg and the green sabayon was mild & distinct. The in-season asparagus delivered pleasant sweetness to accompany the egg. Above all, the refined and pure golden caviar from China tied things together and at the same time elevated the dish's flavors + overall experience. The caviar, generously served, was perfectly round, shiny, delicate, and creamy with the right saltiness. It's not just any random egg dish, but an outstanding one.
Escalopines de bar à l'émincé d'artichaut, nage réduite au caviar golden ("Thinly" sliced Sea bass served with minced artichoke hearts on a bed of 'swimming' caviar sauce) - It was a half-portion and the 2nd time I ate this glorious dish (I hardly ordered an a la carte dish to be repeated anywhere).
The Escalopes de bar was gently cooked until pearlescent; the flesh was glistening and the fish kept its oils generating moist, buttery and flavorful taste. The texture was still flaky while the skin gave some texture contrast. Below the Sea bass, there were the firm & 'crunchy' artichokes, having a bit mixture of sweet and acidic flavors in them - worked in harmony with the fish. Ultimately, the traditional white butter sauce (with fish reduction) below 'seasoned' with the umami golden caviar brought this dish altogether into perfection. The caviar was critical in that they lubricated the produce above them and offered polished and slippery / briny feel in the mouth.
Similar to the earlier appetizer, the caviar was not just an expensive garnish to elevate the dish's price instead it's an integral part with culinary purpose to lift the dish overall experience. Another heavenly dish and very likely to be the best Sea bass dish I've ever had.
Accompanied by: 2004 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs (A mature & refreshing champagne with smoky aroma, creamy texture and deep on the palate - a bit of almond and spice flavors)
Côte de veau glacée au jus, fricassée d'asperges vertes et morilles (Milk-fed Veal fillet glazed by its jus and served with green asparagus fricassee, garlics and morels) - Normally, this dish was for 2 people but Mr. Pascal kindly allowed to have it for one person. The pink fillet meat was uniformly tender, moist and flavorful; it was coated by its thin layer of tasty fat. The jus was savory and intense.
The green asparagus had good taste and texture while the cooked garlic was more essential than expected - it was delicate, a bit sweet with pleasant nutty flavor to balance the veal and its jus. Then, there were numerous in-seasoned and fresh morel mushrooms with incredible flavors (woody, succulent and rather rich). Even after I finished up all the veal, I still had plenty of morels to 'devour' by itself - that's how much morels the kitchen gave, love it!
I didn't know that veal could taste this good - my finest one. Bernard Pacaud never stopped to amaze me and I think I should try other dishes at L'Ambroisie that previously I might have overlooked. Spring is indeed the perfect season for veal, asparagus and morel.
Accompanied by: 2007 Frederic Magnien Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (Supple tannin, delicious with good density on the palate, berries and floral aroma, deep and smooth - a good time to drink it)
Blanc-manger au citron, melba fraises des bois (Lemon blanc-manger served with wild strawberries and melba sauce) - The traditional 'blancmange' was milky and smooth but here, Bernard Pacaud utilized the meringue for firmer texture and flavor it with lemon at the bottom for some acidic flavor. It might not be as light and creamy as the normal one but still a delightful interpretation. The strawberries were fresh and sweet; the melba sauce was balanced in its flavor. There were fresh cream and strawberries sorbet inside. Overall, it's an enjoyable fruity dessert in Spring - glad that I could try a new dessert here.
Tarte sablée au cacao amer, glace à la vanille Bourbon (Dark chocolate tart with bitter cocoa powder served with Bourbon vanilla ice cream) - I was grateful and appreciated that in so many occasions, the restaurant gave me this legendary dessert for free (albeit in smaller portion). It was a timeless one indeed ... The top layer was very light in which I could discover 'shades' of flavors such as coffee, bitter cocoa, nutty etc. On the contrary to the soft layers, the kitchen provided thicker and firmer base to steadily hold the sabayon filling. The vanilla ice cream was also superb in that it was more concentrated and perfumed than the normal one yet it's also light. Still, the best dessert at L'Ambroisie and one of the best in Paris.
The food was consistently good and taken seriously even until the end. For the petit-four, the kitchen served chocolate truffles, canele, strawberry tartelette, and doughnut-like madeleine; they were of high quality and really tasty. A great way to end the mea.
Accompanied by: Rhum Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva (A Venezuelan rum that was smooth & creamy, rich having caramel & toffee flavors, long finish with a little bit of spice - thank you Christophe for the complimentary digestive)
Autumn lunch in October '17
I was pleasantly surprised that as soon as we're seated in the middle dining room, the staff brought a plate filled with gougeres - a light and hollow 'puff' served warm and filled with flavorful comte cheese. These gougeres have been missing from L'Ambroisie for quite some times.
Foie gras de canard landais aux épices, poires Curé en condiment (Duck foie gras from Landais served with spices, pears and condiment) - Similar to the last visit, the amuse-bouche was taken from the a la carte menu and this was great since I was unlikely to order duck liver dish in general. The foie gras was quite rich, not cloying but not as buttery as I had expected. The crunchy 'spices' on the side provided some texture contrast while the pear 'puree' would balance the liver's intense flavor. There were also 2 slices of toast on which we could spread this terrine.
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce au curry (Langoustines in curry sauce served with spinach and thin sesame wafers) - My wife tried this signature dish for the first time and she ordered a small portion. As one could imagine, she loved it - very delicious and tender langoustine tails accompanied by flavorful yet light curry sauce (made of cream, curry and hazelnut butter) and a bed of delicate spinach. I've said much about this legendary dish and enough for now.
Grenobloise de noix de Saint-Jacques aux cèpes, truffe blanche d'Alba (Scallop, from Grenoble, served with cepes [raw, cooked & as sauce], white Alba truffle and chopped walnut) - A new and exquisite dish! 3 plump and lightly cooked scallops were sweet, nutty and firm. These superb shellfishes were integrated and in harmony with the earthy & meaty 'Porcini' mushrooms prepared in many different forms and crunchy walnut. In addition, the already intense and delicious dish was still elevated by the top quality & aromatic Alba truffles (with a hint of garlic aroma) ... ethereal indeed An outstanding dish with plenty of magnificent ingredients that worked in unison to deliver an outstanding experience: creamy and delicate sauce; rather rich and earthy cooked ceps; fragrant and crunchy porcini & walnut; tasty and succulent scallop as well as delightful bytes of the white truffle. This dish with all of its seasonal ingredients were certainly the best representative of what the Fall season could offer.
Sole drapée de truffe blanche d'Alba, braisée au savagnin et melba de céleri-rave (Sole, covered with white Alba truffle, was braised with white wine sauce and served with celery roots and leaves) - Mr. Pascal, the maitre d', allowed me to split this fish with my spouse - so in the picture, it was the half portion of the dish. The high quality Sole was thick, tender and juicy (without any flan in between). The sauce, made of wine, butter and fresh cream, was divine - piquant but delicious. Furthermore, the Sole was enhanced by the pungent & earthy white truffle as well as fresh & dense celeriac. An outstanding piece of fish!
Viennoise de suprêmes de pigeon au pain d'épice, salmigondis de carottes à l'anis (Breaded supreme pigeon [from Burgundy] served with gingerbread, carrots and star anise) - The pigeon was perfectly cooked (still pink); it was tender, lean and flavorful. The leg was prepared a la 'wonton' - crunchy outside but tender inside. The jus, mixed with some colorful vegetables such as orange honey & lemongrass, was flavorful and a bit sweet in a pleasant way. It was an underrated dish that happened to be really delicious + beautiful. It had textures contrast in both the pigeon and veggies and plenty of flavor variations.
Throughout this lunch, my wife and I shared a half-bottle of: 2003 Frédéric Magnien Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru. It was delicate & light, supple, soft tannin, spice & herbal finish; 2017 was just about the right time (perfect?) to savor this red Burgundy.
Fromages frais et affinés (Fresh and refined cheese, accompanied by some bread). After some discussion with Laurent, I picked the following:
1. Roquefort - rich, creamy, tangy and sharp
2. Saint Nectaire fermier - grassy smell, fruity, rich in texture
3. Comté (24-month) - deep nutty taste, a bit spicy, subtle sweetness
4. Rocamadour - velvety goat cheese, nutty, and mild
Both the roquefort and st. nectaire were remarkable. It was the first time I ate cheese here and L'Ambroisie actually procured some high quality cheese.
To accompany the cheese, the sommelier gave me a glass of: Madeira Henriques & Henriques 10 years old Sercial (Clean aroma, a bit dry and acidic, long finish, a mix of nuts, wood & vanilla - decent wine pairing)
Tatin de pommes Reinette, sabayon aux noix (Apple 'tart' from the Fall variant served with walnut sabayon and caramel ice cream) - Bernard Pacaud always had a way to interpret and produce any classic dish. The apples were carefully caramelized with a balanced of soft and hard texture. There were a bit tartness derived from the apples, not-so-sweet ice cream, and any "excess" flavor would be absorbed by the pastry. It was good but not exceptional, especially when compared to L'Ambroisie's legendary chocolate cake yet both of us still quite liked it.
Finally, for the mignardise we enjoyed the figs, chocolate raspberry cake, choux with cream & chocolate truffles.
Perfection seemed to be the norm at L'Ambroisie. In both occasions, Bernard Pacaud was in the kitchen. In May, I saw him coming out of the business meeting held in the restaurant's private room at around noon time; Chef Pacaud meant business when he had to lead his brigade. On the way to the kitchen, he recognized my face, then nodded and acknowledged my presence. Given Bernard's shy personality, the busy period and my poor French, a short conversation was not easy sometimes. On the contrary, I was familiar and comfortable with the front staffs such as Mr. Pascal Vetaux (Restaurant director who has been here for about 30 years), Mdm. Danielle Pacaud (the co-owner & hostess), Christophe (the sommelier), Laurent and Joseph. I recalled in my earlier visits, having a meal at L'Ambroisie was like visiting someone's house where the guests had to behave as well. But now, it was like coming to the home of good friends in which I could be myself and felt very comfortable as I pretty much recognized most of the 'old' faces. I used to have the same feeling for L'Arpege, however except for Helene, I barely know any of the front staffs these days. Besides the extraordinary food and top service a la Parisienne, I very much concurred with the chef-patron's philosophy to have only one restaurant, be there daily and not even doing any outside consulting. No wonder, my experiences here have always been consistently awesome. Hope to return here again and again ... Readers are welcome to see the pictures: L'Ambroisie May '17 and L'Ambroisie Oct '17
Food (and Wine): 98.5 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 96.5 pts
Overall: 98/100
Saturday, July 9, 2016
L'Ambroisie Bernard Pacaud - 5th visit
L'Ambroisie is certainly one of the finest restaurants in the world, yet at the same time it's possibly one of the least publicized fine dining places - thanks to Bernard Pacaud's rather shy personality; he loves staying in the kitchen all the time and could not care less about any media attention. For Chef Pacaud to show up at his own dining room and greet guests, it would be a rare occasion. He would rather observe the situation from a distance. However, for true foodies who're fond of French cuisine, L'Ambroisie is a must-visit place. My meal at this Parisian institution last March almost failed to materialize when I learned that L'Ambroisie had undergone some renovation since early February and they could not confirm when it would be completed. They just told my hotel concierge to contact them again in early March. Since we only had 3 days in the city of light, our chance initially was quite slim. I didn't mind not going there, but I really wanted my parents to finally experience a meal at this legendary gastronomic temple. At the end, we were fortunate that the restaurant just re-opened in the same week we're in Paris. The only downside, there was a slight paint's smell but the rest of the diners did not seem to be bothered by it.
After several visits, it's an unwritten rule that "regulars" would be seated in the 2nd dining room (the room was bigger than the front one). This time they placed us there again, right in the center with a surprisingly big & comfortable dining table by L'Ambroisie's standard. As I perused the menu, the staff served us high quality of Alsace's specialty - Kougelhoph with onion & olive while my mother enjoyed her Billecart-salmon brut rose. We were in the 'transition' time; I was told that this was the last week of black truffle (not much Perigord truffle left) but the aspragus and morel were not in season yet. In addition, I expected to see Bresse chicken with black truffle butter but they only had a supreme chicken in "demi-deuil" which Monsieur Pascal, the restaurant director, somehow did not recommend me to order it. As I happened to have eaten about half of the dishes on the menu, I decided to try as many new dishes as possible this time.
Amuse-bouche: Velouté de butternut, Royale de foie gras (Soup of butternut squash served with duck liver and black truffle) - A creamy and velvety layered of butternut soup enriched by buttery & fatty foie gras; the black truffle intensified the overall flavor of this rich dish - a typical 'rather heavy' winter dish nevertheless very good
Appetizers:
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce au curry (Large langoustine, sandwiched in between sesame wafers, served with spinach and curry sauce) - Both of my parents had this as their appetizers and they loved it.
I ate this signature dish of L'Ambroisie during my first visit 9-10 years ago, so it's been a while. I got a couple of bytes from my mother and it was still amazing. The Dublin bay prawn was tender, sweet with excellent texture. The curry sauce was refined and delicate yet really smooth, complemented the langoustine perfectly. The spinach as well as crisp tuiles were nice additional elements
Huitres "spéciales" chaudes au caviar, sabayon au cresson (Cooked warm oysters served with caviar and watercress sabayon) - The poached oyster was plump, tender and still maintained its natural flavor. It was enhanced by rather strong watercress 'sauce' and plenty of salty & luxurious caviar. These three ingredients ideally complimented each other. Another awesome dish but given how much I ate that night, 4 pieces of this appetizer should be more suitable for me
Etuvée de noix de Saint-Jacques en parisienne de légumes à la truffe fraîche ("Smothered" Scallops served with Paris vegetables and fresh black truffle) - My 2nd appetizer. The thick and high quality scallops were barely heated, thus they retained their sweet & delicious taste and the pleasant texture. The silky sea creatures was contrasted and/or combined with grainy and earthy veloute consisting of leeks and potatoes (I ate similar dish before but served with sabayon veloute).
I truly enjoyed the concentrated Perigord truffle's fragrance and flavor here - from the shaved raw truffle and its heated form in the veloute. Each byte of scallop, vegetable 'soup' and truffle was a joy since their ethereal flavors would linger in my palate
Main courses:
Noix de ris de veau à la “financière”, ravioles de ricotta à la sauge (Braised veal sweetbread served with ricotta ravioli and sage) - The "financiere" sauce was a mixture of Madeira wine, tomato, onion, olive and ginger. I was a bit pessimist with its presentation and taste at first, but the doubt was quickly gone after my first byte. It was really delicious; succulent sweetbread mixed with flavorful sauce that's rich but not heavy. A small bowl of ricotta ravioli (creamy and mild cheese) balanced the overall taste. I hardly ordered ris de veau, but I was glad I followed Pascal's recommendation (the maitre d'hotel). I struggled a bit to finish up the last 10-15% of the dish because of what I ate earlier. However, I managed to clean up the plate eventually but the last few bytes had 'diminishing' enjoyment given how large the portion of this dish.
Dos de sole braisé au vin jaune, effeuillée de choux de Bruxelles et truffe fraîche (The back part of a Sole braised in yellow wine sauce and served with Brussels sprouts & black truffle) - It was my father's main course.
He shared a bit of this Sole filet with me. The meat was thick and juicy with fantastic wine sauce; the sprout was also tasty. The pungent black truffle was 'useful' as I consumed the fish but not quite in harmony with the sole itself when I chewed them together. Probably, if somehow the sauce had a little cooked truffle in it, the transition would've been smoother. My dad had no issue eating the fish with the divine sauce as well as the sprout but didn't finish the truffle (he generally was not a fan of western luxurious ingredients such as caviar and truffle) and the sole flan
Fricassée de homard sauce civet, purée de pois Saint-Germain (Lobster fricassee in stew sauce served with Saint-Germain-style mashed peas) - It was my mother's main course.
I ate this dish before and had plenty of calf sweetbread on my plate, so I didn't try it this time. She told me it was delicious, a bit firm and sweet but she didn't really enjoy the peas or at least did not finish them. It was the most popular dish of the night, I observed no fewer than 5 of these dishes served to L'Ambroisie's diners
Desserts:
Tarte fine sablée au chocolat, crème glacée à la vanille bourbon (Chocolate 'crumble' tart served with bourbon vanilla ice cream) - My parents shared this legendary dessert and the restaurant gave me a half portion as well. The most frequent dish I ate at this restaurant and it's consistently fantastic. The tart was astonishingly light/airy with rich & intense chocolate flavor; it was in harmony with the immaculate vanilla ice cream. My parents liked it a lot
Arlettes caramélisées, crème de citron foisonnée et cristallines d'agrumes (Caramelized crispy "puff-pastry" served with lemon cream and crystallized citrus) - This dessert displayed some contrast in textures (dry fruit, smooth cream and crisp arlette) and in flavors (bitter, sour and a bit sweet). It was not my best dessert here, but I selected it anyway as it's the only one from the menu that I have not tried before
Assortiment de desserts et pâtisseries: Small desserts and pastries. I enjoyed all of them: canele, fruit tart and dark chocolate
After the renovation, not much has changed. The dining room was still elegant and luxurious in traditional design. The baroque chandeliers as well as opulent tapestries were still there including the feeling of visiting an old friend's luxurious private home. The cozy home part was even more real as I've been here more often in which staffs became more familiar with me. It was possible because L'Ambroisie's front of the house team hardly changed in the past 5-6 years: maitre d' Pascal, the sommelier Joseph, staff Laurent and a few others with whom I had some interactions were still with the restaurant. Even, madame Daniele Pacaud stopped by in our table for 5-10 minutes to have some talk with me - an unprecedented event, in the past we just exchanged some smiles and bonjour/mercy. Referring to my first visit where the service was rather rigid and formal, I've never imagined I would one day love the service here almost as much as its food. After 10 PM, the renowned Bernard Pacaud showed up and hanged around near the entrance in his light-colored sweater. He would only talk to his old friends or response to some guests who recognized him as the chef-owner. Thanks to Mathieu Pacaud now running full time as the chef-patron of Hexagone + Histoires, Bernard was back to lead L'Ambroisie again. In fact, I'm confident that in all my visits here, Chef Pacaud senior was always in the kitchen.
Although it might not rank as the best meal I've ever had here, the standard was nevertheless very high (a convincing 3-star level in my notes since the food scored was 97 points or better). The ingredients were, as always, luxurious and of high quality, the execution was flawless and very difficult to improve upon, and the variation of produce used on the plate was nearly perfect. Dishes were simple and excellent but almost impossible to imitate. Similar to my last visit, during dinner the restaurant was fully booked and busy. Despite that, the service was impeccable and discreet with great attention to details. Monsieur Pascal, in particular, was very aware of the situation; he anticipated the guests' needs, acted fast yet calm. The dishes that I really wanted to eat here, I already fulfilled most of them in the past. I may not have any urgent needs to come here again in the future. However, I probably do come here again simply because I feel comfortable at this fine French establishment in the same way I love L'Arpege. Lastly, who knows how much longer Bernard Pacaud would keep on working. It would be a privilege if Chef Pacaud would continue his passion until Paul Bocuse's age. For the dishes' pictures, please visit this link: L'Ambroisie Mar '16
Service: 96 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
After several visits, it's an unwritten rule that "regulars" would be seated in the 2nd dining room (the room was bigger than the front one). This time they placed us there again, right in the center with a surprisingly big & comfortable dining table by L'Ambroisie's standard. As I perused the menu, the staff served us high quality of Alsace's specialty - Kougelhoph with onion & olive while my mother enjoyed her Billecart-salmon brut rose. We were in the 'transition' time; I was told that this was the last week of black truffle (not much Perigord truffle left) but the aspragus and morel were not in season yet. In addition, I expected to see Bresse chicken with black truffle butter but they only had a supreme chicken in "demi-deuil" which Monsieur Pascal, the restaurant director, somehow did not recommend me to order it. As I happened to have eaten about half of the dishes on the menu, I decided to try as many new dishes as possible this time.
Amuse-bouche: Velouté de butternut, Royale de foie gras (Soup of butternut squash served with duck liver and black truffle) - A creamy and velvety layered of butternut soup enriched by buttery & fatty foie gras; the black truffle intensified the overall flavor of this rich dish - a typical 'rather heavy' winter dish nevertheless very good
Appetizers:
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce au curry (Large langoustine, sandwiched in between sesame wafers, served with spinach and curry sauce) - Both of my parents had this as their appetizers and they loved it.
I ate this signature dish of L'Ambroisie during my first visit 9-10 years ago, so it's been a while. I got a couple of bytes from my mother and it was still amazing. The Dublin bay prawn was tender, sweet with excellent texture. The curry sauce was refined and delicate yet really smooth, complemented the langoustine perfectly. The spinach as well as crisp tuiles were nice additional elements
Huitres "spéciales" chaudes au caviar, sabayon au cresson (Cooked warm oysters served with caviar and watercress sabayon) - The poached oyster was plump, tender and still maintained its natural flavor. It was enhanced by rather strong watercress 'sauce' and plenty of salty & luxurious caviar. These three ingredients ideally complimented each other. Another awesome dish but given how much I ate that night, 4 pieces of this appetizer should be more suitable for me
Etuvée de noix de Saint-Jacques en parisienne de légumes à la truffe fraîche ("Smothered" Scallops served with Paris vegetables and fresh black truffle) - My 2nd appetizer. The thick and high quality scallops were barely heated, thus they retained their sweet & delicious taste and the pleasant texture. The silky sea creatures was contrasted and/or combined with grainy and earthy veloute consisting of leeks and potatoes (I ate similar dish before but served with sabayon veloute).
I truly enjoyed the concentrated Perigord truffle's fragrance and flavor here - from the shaved raw truffle and its heated form in the veloute. Each byte of scallop, vegetable 'soup' and truffle was a joy since their ethereal flavors would linger in my palate
Main courses:
Noix de ris de veau à la “financière”, ravioles de ricotta à la sauge (Braised veal sweetbread served with ricotta ravioli and sage) - The "financiere" sauce was a mixture of Madeira wine, tomato, onion, olive and ginger. I was a bit pessimist with its presentation and taste at first, but the doubt was quickly gone after my first byte. It was really delicious; succulent sweetbread mixed with flavorful sauce that's rich but not heavy. A small bowl of ricotta ravioli (creamy and mild cheese) balanced the overall taste. I hardly ordered ris de veau, but I was glad I followed Pascal's recommendation (the maitre d'hotel). I struggled a bit to finish up the last 10-15% of the dish because of what I ate earlier. However, I managed to clean up the plate eventually but the last few bytes had 'diminishing' enjoyment given how large the portion of this dish.
Dos de sole braisé au vin jaune, effeuillée de choux de Bruxelles et truffe fraîche (The back part of a Sole braised in yellow wine sauce and served with Brussels sprouts & black truffle) - It was my father's main course.
He shared a bit of this Sole filet with me. The meat was thick and juicy with fantastic wine sauce; the sprout was also tasty. The pungent black truffle was 'useful' as I consumed the fish but not quite in harmony with the sole itself when I chewed them together. Probably, if somehow the sauce had a little cooked truffle in it, the transition would've been smoother. My dad had no issue eating the fish with the divine sauce as well as the sprout but didn't finish the truffle (he generally was not a fan of western luxurious ingredients such as caviar and truffle) and the sole flan
Fricassée de homard sauce civet, purée de pois Saint-Germain (Lobster fricassee in stew sauce served with Saint-Germain-style mashed peas) - It was my mother's main course.
I ate this dish before and had plenty of calf sweetbread on my plate, so I didn't try it this time. She told me it was delicious, a bit firm and sweet but she didn't really enjoy the peas or at least did not finish them. It was the most popular dish of the night, I observed no fewer than 5 of these dishes served to L'Ambroisie's diners
Desserts:
Tarte fine sablée au chocolat, crème glacée à la vanille bourbon (Chocolate 'crumble' tart served with bourbon vanilla ice cream) - My parents shared this legendary dessert and the restaurant gave me a half portion as well. The most frequent dish I ate at this restaurant and it's consistently fantastic. The tart was astonishingly light/airy with rich & intense chocolate flavor; it was in harmony with the immaculate vanilla ice cream. My parents liked it a lot
Arlettes caramélisées, crème de citron foisonnée et cristallines d'agrumes (Caramelized crispy "puff-pastry" served with lemon cream and crystallized citrus) - This dessert displayed some contrast in textures (dry fruit, smooth cream and crisp arlette) and in flavors (bitter, sour and a bit sweet). It was not my best dessert here, but I selected it anyway as it's the only one from the menu that I have not tried before
Assortiment de desserts et pâtisseries: Small desserts and pastries. I enjoyed all of them: canele, fruit tart and dark chocolate
After the renovation, not much has changed. The dining room was still elegant and luxurious in traditional design. The baroque chandeliers as well as opulent tapestries were still there including the feeling of visiting an old friend's luxurious private home. The cozy home part was even more real as I've been here more often in which staffs became more familiar with me. It was possible because L'Ambroisie's front of the house team hardly changed in the past 5-6 years: maitre d' Pascal, the sommelier Joseph, staff Laurent and a few others with whom I had some interactions were still with the restaurant. Even, madame Daniele Pacaud stopped by in our table for 5-10 minutes to have some talk with me - an unprecedented event, in the past we just exchanged some smiles and bonjour/mercy. Referring to my first visit where the service was rather rigid and formal, I've never imagined I would one day love the service here almost as much as its food. After 10 PM, the renowned Bernard Pacaud showed up and hanged around near the entrance in his light-colored sweater. He would only talk to his old friends or response to some guests who recognized him as the chef-owner. Thanks to Mathieu Pacaud now running full time as the chef-patron of Hexagone + Histoires, Bernard was back to lead L'Ambroisie again. In fact, I'm confident that in all my visits here, Chef Pacaud senior was always in the kitchen.
Although it might not rank as the best meal I've ever had here, the standard was nevertheless very high (a convincing 3-star level in my notes since the food scored was 97 points or better). The ingredients were, as always, luxurious and of high quality, the execution was flawless and very difficult to improve upon, and the variation of produce used on the plate was nearly perfect. Dishes were simple and excellent but almost impossible to imitate. Similar to my last visit, during dinner the restaurant was fully booked and busy. Despite that, the service was impeccable and discreet with great attention to details. Monsieur Pascal, in particular, was very aware of the situation; he anticipated the guests' needs, acted fast yet calm. The dishes that I really wanted to eat here, I already fulfilled most of them in the past. I may not have any urgent needs to come here again in the future. However, I probably do come here again simply because I feel comfortable at this fine French establishment in the same way I love L'Arpege. Lastly, who knows how much longer Bernard Pacaud would keep on working. It would be a privilege if Chef Pacaud would continue his passion until Paul Bocuse's age. For the dishes' pictures, please visit this link: L'Ambroisie Mar '16
Food: 97 pts
Service: 96 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
Thursday, February 24, 2011
L'Ambroisie Bernard Pacaud - 3rd visit
My third visit to L'Ambroisie (you could find the reviews of my earlier visits at the blog archive), the place that arguably presenting French haute cuisine at its finest, took place at early Feb '10 - finally I had a chance to dine here during the black truffle season. In L'Ambroisie, many things simply would never change: there are always two kinds of bread (white and wheat), one will start the meal with its wonderful gougeres served with delicate cheese and minimum salt, and the decor in the dining room was exactly the same as my first visit in the summer of '07, perhaps it's always been this way for a longer period. Except one thing change: Pierre Lemoullac, a legendary sommelier and restaurant manager, resigned at the end of 2009. It seemed trivial, but somehow I felt that something was missing. It would never be the same. It sounded funny since my previous interaction with Monsieur Lemoullac was rather minimal, but his presence made a difference. To me, he's L'Ambroisie's ambassador in the dining room, the same way Bernard Pacaud is the true master in the restaurant's kitchen. It looked as if half of the restaurant's soul was gone, but I think Pascal could take the baton and carry on. The current sommelier is Christophe - he's been with the restaurant on my previous visit as well.
I observed that the maitre d' always promoted two things: langoustine with curry sauce and chocolate tart for the dessert. No wonder these dishes became more and more famous though I don't think they're the best items L'Ambroisie could offer. However, this time I knew exactly what I wanted and did not really bother to consult with him for my main three dishes. Here are my dishes,
Crème de chataignes (Chesnuts cream) - Warm chesnut veloute served with truffle cream and foie gras. Luckily, these three ingredients were prepared in light flavors
Velouté de cresson aux noix de Saint-Jacques, emulsion de truffe noire (Scallop in the cream of watercress and walnut served with black truffle emulsion) - The tender scallop is barely heated to retain its texture and sweetness. The black truffle was not that strong but it gave smoky and earthy sensation; the watercress veloute is rather thick and focused
Fricassée de homard sauce civet, purée Saint-Germain (Lobster tail fricassee served with stew sauce of smashed Saint-Germain peas) - A beautiful presentation. Lobster tail cooked here is consistently firm, sweet and meaty while the claw is more tender. The peas puree balanced the strong flavor generated from the red wine reduction - rather intense, quite typical for winter dish
Feuilleté de truffe fraîche “Bel Humeur”, frisée à la crème (Golden brown puff pastry of fresh black truffle served with truffle puree and mache salad) - Thick black truffle sandwiching a tranche of foie gras. The airy pastry is excellent; the truffle including its puree is solid, smoky and earthy while the duck liver is relatively light. The zingy and sour salad is useful to bring down the truffle's richness
Biscuit fondant tiède, sorbet à la mandarine (Warm melting biscuit served with mandarin sorbet) - The tasty biscuit is slightly eggy, hence tasted like souffle. The tangerine sorbet is great - balancing some sweet and sour flavor. A good recommendation by monsieur Pascal, especially after eating truffe "bel humeur"
Confiseries et friandises (Sweets and petit four) - Canele (decent), Opera, Banana biscuit and excellent home-made dark chocolates
For this visit, I had a half-bottle of 2005 Mersault to accompany my entire meal. The wine was not really dry with medium aroma of citrus and light golden color; it has some apple and peach taste with a nice and balanced finish. The reservation at L'Ambroisie is relatively easy; similar to my previous two visits, only about another dozen of people filling its dining room. Despite being not so busy in general, it is still one of the ultimate places to eat for gourmands, especially during the truffle season. There are several wonderful dishes executed precisely with Tuber Melanosporum supplied by monsieur Pebeyre. As a matter of fact, this was my best meal at L'Ambroise, possibly because they know and understand me better. Service wise, it was a standard one (professional) within 2-3 star institutions, but do not expect enthusiastic and guest-is-king type of hospitality that's consistently offered at Le Meurice, Ducasse or L'Arpege. After visiting this place at a few different seasons, I'm not sure if I will return here in the near future since I've tried nearly all of its delicious dishes. Bernard Pacaud, the living legend of French gastronomy, is not getting any younger. If any gourmand has not been here, come before he retires and focus on the food - you will enjoy it. Don't be too picky about the service and ambiance (I enjoyed the atmosphere though). It's not my favorite, but certainly in my top 3 or 5. Below is the link for the pictures,
https://picasaweb.google.com/Andi.Chahyadi.Hermawan/LAmbroisieParisFrance3rdVisit#
Food (and Wine): 98 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 93 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
I observed that the maitre d' always promoted two things: langoustine with curry sauce and chocolate tart for the dessert. No wonder these dishes became more and more famous though I don't think they're the best items L'Ambroisie could offer. However, this time I knew exactly what I wanted and did not really bother to consult with him for my main three dishes. Here are my dishes,
Crème de chataignes (Chesnuts cream) - Warm chesnut veloute served with truffle cream and foie gras. Luckily, these three ingredients were prepared in light flavors
Velouté de cresson aux noix de Saint-Jacques, emulsion de truffe noire (Scallop in the cream of watercress and walnut served with black truffle emulsion) - The tender scallop is barely heated to retain its texture and sweetness. The black truffle was not that strong but it gave smoky and earthy sensation; the watercress veloute is rather thick and focused
Fricassée de homard sauce civet, purée Saint-Germain (Lobster tail fricassee served with stew sauce of smashed Saint-Germain peas) - A beautiful presentation. Lobster tail cooked here is consistently firm, sweet and meaty while the claw is more tender. The peas puree balanced the strong flavor generated from the red wine reduction - rather intense, quite typical for winter dish
Feuilleté de truffe fraîche “Bel Humeur”, frisée à la crème (Golden brown puff pastry of fresh black truffle served with truffle puree and mache salad) - Thick black truffle sandwiching a tranche of foie gras. The airy pastry is excellent; the truffle including its puree is solid, smoky and earthy while the duck liver is relatively light. The zingy and sour salad is useful to bring down the truffle's richness
Biscuit fondant tiède, sorbet à la mandarine (Warm melting biscuit served with mandarin sorbet) - The tasty biscuit is slightly eggy, hence tasted like souffle. The tangerine sorbet is great - balancing some sweet and sour flavor. A good recommendation by monsieur Pascal, especially after eating truffe "bel humeur"
Confiseries et friandises (Sweets and petit four) - Canele (decent), Opera, Banana biscuit and excellent home-made dark chocolates
For this visit, I had a half-bottle of 2005 Mersault to accompany my entire meal. The wine was not really dry with medium aroma of citrus and light golden color; it has some apple and peach taste with a nice and balanced finish. The reservation at L'Ambroisie is relatively easy; similar to my previous two visits, only about another dozen of people filling its dining room. Despite being not so busy in general, it is still one of the ultimate places to eat for gourmands, especially during the truffle season. There are several wonderful dishes executed precisely with Tuber Melanosporum supplied by monsieur Pebeyre. As a matter of fact, this was my best meal at L'Ambroise, possibly because they know and understand me better. Service wise, it was a standard one (professional) within 2-3 star institutions, but do not expect enthusiastic and guest-is-king type of hospitality that's consistently offered at Le Meurice, Ducasse or L'Arpege. After visiting this place at a few different seasons, I'm not sure if I will return here in the near future since I've tried nearly all of its delicious dishes. Bernard Pacaud, the living legend of French gastronomy, is not getting any younger. If any gourmand has not been here, come before he retires and focus on the food - you will enjoy it. Don't be too picky about the service and ambiance (I enjoyed the atmosphere though). It's not my favorite, but certainly in my top 3 or 5. Below is the link for the pictures,
https://picasaweb.google.com/Andi.Chahyadi.Hermawan/LAmbroisieParisFrance3rdVisit#
Food (and Wine): 98 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 93 pts
Overall: 96.5/100
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