2019 is a special year for restaurant Epicure and its illustrious chef Éric Fréchon. This year, he is celebrating his 20th anniversary as the Executive Chef of Hotel Le Bristol. Chef Fréchon rapidly led the restaurant to attain the 2-star Michelin in just 2 years after arriving here, however the elusive 3rd star did not come until 2009. Clearly, he has cherished the passion, hard work and sense of his achievement at Epicure and it's truly well-deserved. There was a time when I came to this restaurant only because most of the other elite dining places were closed (such as Easter Monday and Sunday lunch). Despite that, the "2nd team" of restaurant Epicure did perform at a high level during those public holidays. At the end, slowly but surely ... I really like this top palace-hotel restaurant. Early this year, I made a conscious effort to reserve a meal here for dinner on the weekdays when the best staffs (both in the kitchen and front of the house) are likely to work.
Épicure is a kind of restaurant that's quintessentially French. The execution of the food, carving / plating some dishes table side, a parade of cheese and petit fours with trolleys, charming service, an elegant dining room were some of the qualities that I'm glad they keep meanwhile more and more restaurants nowadays prefer preparing things less elaborate and 'too clean/healthy'. That being said, Eric Fréchon's sincere love towards his profession has pushed him to always strive for the best everyday. Compared to my last visit, I learnt that Epicure served a different bread, in fact only one kind - homemade country bread. This new bread was prepared fresh daily in the hotel and created from various natural & top quality wheats such as emmer, khorasan, barbu and so on. To achieve bread perfection, thanks to the hotel's unlimited support, Chef Eric installed a working stone flour mill (designed by Roland Feuillas, a bread master). Diners do not come to Epicure and pay for the bread, but Eric Frechon believes that a good bread at the beginning is crucial and could set the positive tone for the rest of the meal experience. Salute for the continuous improvement!
As soon as I was seated, the staff brought in some nibbles and kougelhopf. Then come the new wheat bread served with creamy butter. Since this would be my last dinner in Paris for this trip and due to a good experience the last time I encountered with the sommelier, I decided to go for the wine pairing. All of Benjamin's recommendations were pretty much spot on. Let's dive to more details below regarding my dinner on the last day of January this year ...
LANGOUSTINES ROYALES juste cuites au thym-citron, condiment « oignon-mangue », bouillon des pinces aux agrumes et coriandre (Large Langoustine slightly cooked with lemon-thyme, served with « onion-mango » condiment, broth of the claws with citrus fruit and coriander) - The fresh langoustine (from Le Guilvinec) was lightly cooked and succulent. It was beautifully served with the orange buttery sauce made of the prawn jus, yuzu and coriander. An elegant dish with the 'sweet' broth that was balanced by the onion-mango; it was particularly refreshing & light given that we were in the deep Winter season. I ordered a half-portion for the opening
Accompanied by wine: Alsace Riesling Grand Cru 'Pfingstberg', Domaine Valentin Zusslin 2014 - aromatic and concentrated with smooth texture; rich on the palate with long finish. An elegant riesling (dry & crisp) was a good match for this scampi course
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 1er service: Royale de moëlle, purée de céleri-rave et truffe noire (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 1: “Royale” of marrow, celeriac mousseline and black truffle) - The creative work of Chef Frechon interpreting a traditional home-made French dish. It came in 3 parts and the 1st one was soft and savory marrow with celeriac mousse ... they're contrasted to the crispy croutons and earthy truffle cubes. The kitchen added poultry jus to make this dish more flavorful
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 2eme service: Pot-au-feu de boeuf, légumes, truffe noire et foie gras de canard (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 2: Beef pot-au-feu served with vegetables, black truffle and duck foie gras) - I thought it was the best part of the dish. The delicate and nutty marrow on top was again paired with pungent Winter truffle; they're accompanied by the "millefeuille" of beef, duck liver and vegetables (carrot, turnip and cabbage). The superb produce was harmoniously tied together by the aromatic and delectable beef consomme. Each byte was a pure bliss!
POT-AU-FEU DE BOEUF AUX TRUFFES NOIRES 3eme service: Bouillon infusé à la truffe noire et au shiitaké en montgolfière (Beef Pot-Au-Feu with Black Truffle part 3: Broth infused with black truffle and shiitake) - The last part of the "pot on fire" trio was a clear soup covered by puff pastry. As I pierced the pastry, there was a pleasant fragrance coming out of the broth. The pastry would soak many flavors of the delicate soup - it was really divine when the celery, Perigord truffle, foie gras, shiitake etc. were integrated altogether.
Dividing this course into 3 small dishes and savored them one by one was indeed the "best" way to serve and enjoy this unique pot-au-feu dish ... stunning, filled with plenty of texture and taste variations. Glad to have ordered it
Accompanied by wine: Rioja Reserva Vina Tondonia, Lopez de Heredia 2004 - cherries & berries aroma yet savory, round & crisp with subtle acidity, medium concentration and complex finish. The finest Spanish wine I've ever tasted and it could be even better in the next couple of years. A hearty red that went long well with my beef stew
TRUFFE NOIRE DU PERIGORD cuite entière au gros sel et senteurs de sous-bois, mousseline de topinambour, croûtons dorés à la moelle (Whole Black Truffle from Perigord cooked with coarse salt and underbrush aromas, served with Jerusalem artichoke mousseline and croutons cooked with bone marrow) - Out of curiosity and the fact that it's one of Eric Frechon's Winter-only specialties, I decided to order this deluxe dish. It would be my maiden experience to eat the whole cooked black diamond 'naked' as opposed to the more common truffle shaving / cut into small pieces or covered by pastry. It's only possible with Perigord version as the Italian and Australian summer truffle do not have the same aroma and flavor strength when compared to the French counterpart.
As I cut the truffle (like a steak) and put it in the mouth, there was a perfect combination of firm & rather crunchy texture, strong & sensual? perfume as well as rich & intensive taste occupying my palate - truly ecstasy for the fans of Perigord truffle. The kitchen brought the dish to the next level by preparing light yet deep sauce made from truffle jus and chicken consomme. For the side dish that actually also elevated the experience, Chef Frechon and his team provided naturally sweet & tasteful artichoke mousse combined with egg white, croutons, egg yolk and bacon on top. An extra portion of the mousse served in the small cup was available too on the table and I 'devoured' it together with the cooked truffle. A unique and sublime dish ... the presentation (or my picture) might not look that inspiring, but it's certainly a masterpiece
Accompanied by wine: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Charvin 2013 - elegant nose of red & black fruits, rich but silky with good finish, and nice minerality. Given the proximity of Perigord and Rhone valley, perhaps it should not be surprising that a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape and a cooked truffle dish (having more intense flavor) were an excellent pairing
TRUFFE NOIRE émulsion de noisettes torréfiées aux éclats de cazettes, glace à la truffe noire, sauce au chocolat « gianduja » (Black Truffle dessert served with Roasted hazelnuts foam with “cazette” and Black truffle ice cream with “gianduja” chocolate sauce) - The cute dessert mimicked the real black truffle shape. The black truffle amount was just sufficient and the ice cream was pretty delicate in both aroma and flavor. With sweet chocolate sauce + fresh hazelnut in liquid form, crunch hazelnut + cookie underneath, it still tasted like a normal (choc-based) dessert. Don't worry ... you would not be overwhelmed by the Perigord truffle. I really liked the texture (crisp vs soft) and flavor (sweet vs earthy) contrast here. The portion was quite generous, but it was pretty easy to clean it up
Accompanied by wine: Niepoort, Porto 20 Year Old Tawny N.V. - creamy, sweet & delicate on the palate with some intense fruitness, smooth with pure finish ... a relatively easy port to drink. A good match indeed with any chocolate-based dessert
Prior to the main dessert, the kitchen delivered yoghurt sorbet with blueberry jelly as the pre-dessert. I skipped the cheese course. At the end, I had the petit fours for take away to be consumed with the coffee. There were 8 different flavors of fresh and fine macarons (as far as I could remember them, they were salted caramel, dark chocolate, coconut, lemon, chocolate with hazelnut, pistachio, cassis, and raspberry); a good balance of right chewiness and sweetness - one of the world's best macarons at the moment. From start to finish, my dinner was a haute cuisine experience at a very high level: innovative and meticulous cooking with top-quality ingredients and combinations resulting in dishes with superb flavors and perfect textures. Excellent food was balanced by flawless service under the leadership of Remi Segui, Director of restaurant Epicure. Whenever engaged in a conversation, in genuine smile and with full attention, he would try to make it meaningful - not simply a lip service. Remi was assisted by his capable right hand man, Thomas Pfeiffer who was in charge of my section. Thomas would not be afraid of giving his insights about the food in particular and restaurant industry in general. For example, he warned me about some similarities between beef pot-au-feu and whole black truffle dish. I appreciated this kind of opinion though I still decided to go ahead and loved my choices. In addition, most of the staffs at Epicure were outgoing, spoke fluent English, and cordial with good sense of humor. For example, when Mathieu de Matteis, the junior maitre d', approached me ... I congratulated him that he's no longer in the beige uniform. He happily smiled and (on purpose) spoke rather loudly towards Remi and Thomas that soon / next he would get the same suit as them; read "take over their positions" :-) From the past experience, the staffs were also good in creating some dramas (a little fight or mock one another) among themselves for the sake of entertaining guests. That being said, the service, gesture and explanation were always performed consistently at the 3-star level.
If I had to be picky, the only 'downside' of the meal was that I prefer the lunch atmosphere to the dinner ambiance. The dining room with marble floors, red & thick curtains and plush upholstery was as opulent and elegant as ever. However, it lacked views and natural lights from the big glass window during the night, thus guests could hardly see the hotel's lovely inner French garden. Anyway, it was a minor thing. Épicure par Éric Fréchon quickly rose to the top 5 among my favorite restaurant in Paris and this meal ranked as the most memorable I've ever had here. Could you do better in the future Epicure? I hope so. Only a handful restaurants in Europe that I had the privilege to visit at least 5 times and now Chef Fréchon's temple of gastronomy joined that "exclusive" group. If you want to see the pictures, check the following link: Epicure Jan '19
Food (and Wine): 97 pts
Service (and Ambiance): 96 pts
Overall: 97/100
Showing posts with label eric frechon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eric frechon. Show all posts
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Epicure Éric Fréchon
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
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
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