Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée - 4th visit

Alain Ducasse understands the importance of overall experience when diners having meals especially at his eponymous restaurants. He has been successfully applying such concept and I could testify from my own experience spanning a decade or so at his Plaza Athénée restaurant. Comparing my 1st meal here in 2006 vs the latest one in 2017: many things have changed (such as the food, interior design/decor, chefs de cuisine etc.) yet the general impression I had after each dinner has always been terrific. Great chefs are never afraid of taking risk to reinvent himself and managed to accomplish that goal in the end; Alain Ducasse is certainly one of those chefs. However, to attain this objective, it is impossible to do it alone. From my observation, the most essential glue and most reliable factor for such triumph here is no other than - Denis Courtiade, the restaurant director. Mr. Courtiade, the recipient of numerous prestigious service awards including the world's best maitre d'hotel, has been leading Ducasse main Paris restaurant since 1996 (at 59 Poincaré). Denis ensures the kitchen and dining room staffs work together in harmony; he has been working with 4-5 different head chefs and each time the transition he oversaw has been smooth. Moreover, many of his apprentices have become the restaurant managers at 3-star Michelin restaurants / 5-star hotels worldwide. For my case, whether I dined here with my parents, with my wife, or alone - all experiences have been consistently excellent.

Close to 9 PM, as I was walking out of my hotel room to the Alain Ducasse restaurant. Denis Courtiade had been waiting in front of the restaurant. After he saw me, he looked at his watch, smiled and escorted me to my table, located all the way in the back near the cabinet filled with opulent culinary objects. We greeted each other, had a short chat and discussed what I wanted to eat that evening. Looking at the menu, eating amuse-bouche then anticipating my meals for the next few hours - this was usually one of the happiest moments in my life. Not long after that, the waiters served plenty of things on my table: cereal & gluten free bread with butter and salt, fresh juice (a mixture of green peas, lemon, & ginger), smoked sardines on peanut 'pancakes' as well as chickpea moose with sea bream tartare, the latter was the best among the amuse-bouche items. The current table was made of an artisan oak wood without the usual pristine tablecloth to cover and it only had a single decorative item. a glass candle holder. My table might be 'humble', but the rest of the interior design, in white-woody/golden theme, was celestial with high ceiling, luxurious chandeliers, circular banquettes and its polished stainless steel backs and so on. Let's go back to the food and my menu was like the following,

Le menu Jardin Marin (Menu Garden - Marine)

Pois chiches des Hautes-Alpes, vésiga tiède-chaud, caviar doré (Chick-peas from Hautes-Alpes mountains served with sturgeon bone marrow and golden caviar) - Denis recommended me this dish and it was my first experience consuming dried Vesiga (the marrow from sturgeon fish's spinal cord). It was gelatinous and uniquely chewy, a very pleasant delicacy actually. The vesiga was a wonderful contrast to the nutty, tasty and grainy chickpeas. The high quality caviar was briny, pop-in-the-tongue, a bit sweet and salty flavor oozed into my mouth. Interesting variations that worked very well together. Once again, Alain Ducasse showed his mastery in creating excellent caviar-based dish 

Chanvre de Bretagne, morilles brunes et blondes, asperges vertes (Hemp seeds from Brittany served with brown and blond morels, green asparagus) - Chef Ducasse loved his "cookpot" dishes and they're almost always provide a balance of being tasty and healthy. Hemp seeds (mostly at the bottom) were known to be nutritious and tasted like sunflower seeds / pine nuts with rather soft texture. The morels and their creamy sauce were indeed delicious while the thick wild asparagus was somewhat crunchy and displayed Springtime flavor and aroma. Although it's a 'vegetarian' dish, it was quite heavy and rich ... nevertheless very good

Accompanied by wine: 2005 Savennières Clos de Saint Yves - Domaine des Baumard (Dry, medium body, pale gold, moderate finish, plenty of minerality; not bad but nothing spectacular)

Turbot de l’Île Vierge, concombre de mer, petits pois et févettes (Vierge Island Turbot served with sea cucumber, green peas and broad beans) - This perfectly seasoned and cooked (with its bone) Turbot was fabulous; one of the best I've ever had. The flesh was succulent, juicy and flaky. Moreover, it was rich, gelatinous and deliciously fatty. I would be happy to savor this fish as it was by itself. However, the kitchen would rather integrate this impeccable Turbot with fresh & a bit sweet peas and beans, slightly acidic green sauce and chewy sea cucumber. My favorite dish of the night 

Homard du Cotentin, les œufs émulsionnés, navets primeurs (Cotentin Blue lobster served with shellfish eggs emulsion and turnips) - The lobster was really tender, fragrant and flavorful. The emulsion sauce was quite powerful but nicely absorbed and balanced by the turnips (with no bitter taste). I wish the portion had been larger ...

Accompanied by wine: 2014 Chassagne-Montrachet Lucien Muzard and Fils (Deep, long finish, smell of fresh grass & rose, vibrant acidity; decent and should be better in the next 2-3 years)

Fromages frais et affinés pour vous (Fresh and matured cheeses, served with toasted bread) - Selection of the day were
-Comte: sublime hard cheese with rich, creamy and nutty flavor
-Stilton: pungent having less aggressive flavor of the common blue cheese; unique taste (peppery, salty & intense)
-Salers: semi-hard cheese with complex taste (nutty & strong onion bite) but pleasant
-Sheep cheese: slightly sweet, earthy with relatively mild taste and aroma
Very good cheese indeed. Diners were welcome to select more from the cheese cart but these were good enough for me

Rhubarbe récoltée par Gisèle Taxil, au naturel et glacée, crème de fenouil (Gisèle Taxil rhubarb in natural and iced form with fennel cream) - The rhubarb has been refined in such a way that the tart acidic flavor was enjoyable in contrast to the sweet, versatile & aromatic fennel. The best part was the 'cake' in triangle form with good crust outside, soft and flavorful inside. Eat them together interchangeably to get the maximum experience from this dessert - better than I expected

Chocolat de notre Manufacture, orge toastée, sorbet cacao-single malt (Chocolate from our Factory served with toasted barley and cocoa-single malt sherbet) - The restaurant changes its chocolate desserts from time to time and they're usually awesome. This time was a decadent one for pure chocolate lovers (no milky stuff). The dark chocolate was intense & bitter and the toasted barley generated nutty flavor. The best part for me was the addition of rather strong whisky-flavored sherbet; the spirit helped to immediately remove any cloying flavor one might have from earlier dishes. Not often I liked a dessert with hardly any sweet flavor in it

Accompanied by wine: 2008 Vouvray moelleux 1er trie Le Mont Domaine Huet (Medium yellow, moderately sweet & a bit spicy, aromatic nose, good mineral, fruity)

Following Alain Ducasse latest tradition, after the dessert, the kitchen would serve the classic Baba au rhum - this sweet & light sponge cake soaked in premium rum and served with delectable vanilla cream was incredible. Every bite was still an indulgence even after having eaten it a few times. In addition, they also gave seasonal fruits and this time was fresh and sweet strawberries grown in the Versailles garden. Once again, Romain Meder delivered immaculate dishes with clean flavors. He made sure that the pristine and fresh ingredients shine even when food sometimes looked a bit complex. I was thoroughly satisfied with my meal. 

The service was professional, attentive and approachable. Dressed smartly in black now, the large number of dining room brigade meticulously performed their tasks. The friendship I had with Denis Courtiade certainly helped elevate the hospitality to another level. In the middle of the meal when I felt full and needed to take a short break, he gave me a brief tour of the hotel restaurants and bars. Furthermore, he came twice to my table and we had some conversations about many subjects. Closed to midnight, Denis informed me that he had to finish some administration works at the office and thus, he might not be able to bid farewell when I left the restaurant. Even though it was on Monday, the restaurant was full and I was the penultimate guest leaving the restaurant. Mr. Courtiade earlier told me that the inclusion of this restaurant in the 'the 2017 world's 50 best restaurants' - ranked no 13 - helped the restaurant attract more clients. For those who love the new and healthier approach of French cuisine here and do not mind having zero meat / poultry, Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée is definitely one of the finest gastronomy places one should visit. You would feel special and important, at least for 3-4 hours. You can see the pictures of this meal at: Ducasse Plaza Athenee May '17

Food (and Wine): 96 pts

Service (and Ambiance): 98 pts

Overall: 96.5/100

Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée - 3rd visit

Alain Ducasse's eponymous restaurant at the famous Plaza Athénée hotel in Paris was among the first few European fine dining places I visited when I just learned about gastronomy in 2006. I returned here 2 years later and several months ago I brought my wife for inaugural dining experience at Chef Ducasse's flagship restaurant. However, Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (ADPA) just went through a major facelift, along with the hotel's renovation that cost about EUR 200 million. It meant when I re-visited ADPA in Nov '14, it looked as if I just came to this place for the first time. The food, the decor and the kitchen teams have been changed with the exception of the restaurant director and the head sommelier. Alain Ducasse launched a new concept called "Naturality"; in short the Chef believed that we should eat healthier, more in harmony with nature and at the same time respecting the environment. To implement this, he immediately removed meat, both red meat and poultry, from the regular menu (an un-Gallic decision and looked more 'extreme' than Passard's vegetable revolution in 2000). The current menu at ADPA exclusively focuses on the La trilogie: vegetables and fruits, fish and shellfish, as well as cereal. The ingredients would be brought fresh daily to the restaurant - the vegetables will be grown at the Trianon (from Château de Versailles gardens) and taken care by Alain Baraton, the head gardener; the fish will be supplied by Gilles Jégo, a fisherman and wholesaler, from Quiberon or Lorient ports; while the cereal will be coming from all over the globe. Having dined here, I could testify that the essential French haute cuisine techniques to prepare (including cooking and seasoning) the new 'trilogy' produce remained intact. The ingredients were carefully executed with high precision skills producing various (nearly) flawless dishes.

My wife and I arrived at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée near 9 PM. We were a bit late as we unexpectedly met our good friend coming from Newcastle; he happened to be on an assignment in Paris the following day. Denis Courtiade, the charming maitre d' maison, greeted us near the restaurant's entrance. Then, we were escorted to our table in the middle. The interior design of its lavish dining room has been transformed into a less formal and lighter space. As I was walking into my seat, there were a few novel & outstanding things that caught my attention. 1st, the gargantuan chandeliers garnished with Swarovski crystal dangle from the high ceiling were still there. They were suspended closer to the dining tables and now guests would enjoy the sparkles from the small crystals throughout the evening since the restaurant does not dim the light anymore as the night passes. 2nd, there are three circular banquettes whose outer design having convex shapes and made of polished silver shells that would elegantly reflect the multicolor 'rain' captured by the crystal pendants from the chandelier. 3rd, to the left of the dining room, there was a table topped by a big structure that looks like a boat's hull enveloping a table for four. Lastly, in the back of the room, a tall cabinet stands covered with great panels that fade as the night falls. Inside, I was told that there were plenty of silver pieces and crystal wares provided by Christofle and Saint-Louis; these two were the oldest and most prominent arts and craft houses in France. I did not feel the current decor to be less luxurious than before. On the contrary, I loved this new concept designed by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku who were bold enough to remove the traditional starched & pristine tablecloths in favor of clean and solid oak tables. The distance between tables is spacious. The attention to details is amazing. Under the wooden table, it's connected by leather material. The new chairs are very comfortable with fluffy cushions covered by high quality leather. The white folding stool for ladies' bag is cool and prior to the meal, diners would found a delicate, twisted but suspended organic shaped ring (similar to a Möbius strip) sit at the dining table. There are simply too many unique and special table wares to mention here. In short, the new dining room is awesome!
 
As soon as we sat, the parade of food began. Instead of the standard and predictable champagne as aperitif, we drank refreshing and healthy juices (a mixture of carrot, apple, celery and a touch of ginger) in glass tumblers accompanied by dense cereal toast. After that, we're given mullet fish in 'sashimi' style with bottarga. Then, come a ceramic bowl containing sorrel, salsify and chestnut; at the same time, there was a rice bread (supposedly gluten free) with salted butter supplied by Frederic Leroux from Cauville-sur-Mer. A decent beginning. After having a short conversation with Monsieur Courtiade, he proposed to create special menu for us that will combine masculine (M) and feminine (F) elements for me and my wife respectively and we gladly accepted the offer. I've been here twice, so I was very confident that we would be well taken care of. The amuse-bouche did not finish yet.The kitchen brought us grilled Sardines (including its crispy deep fried bones) in olive oil - a humble fish that was well executed. The marinated fish was crunchy and tasty with good sauce. Lastly, Sea bream tartar served with lemon caviar and chick pea mousse - a good combination of dorade and smooth grains; refreshing, light and slightly acidic. Finally, we were relaxed for several minutes before the main show started.       

Le menu Jardin Marin (Menu Garden - Marine)

Lentilles vertes du Puy et caviar, délicate gelée (Green lentils of the volcanic hill served with caviar, delicate smoked fish jelly and pressed caviar cream) - Unexpected but smart combinations that worked perfectly together - a new interpretation of the traditional caviar with blini recipe. For full enjoyment: the thin & subtle buckwheat pancake would hold the pressed cream, lentil, cold jelly and caviar altogether to bring out the layers of delicate textures and delicious flavors. In particular, the texture contrast of lentils and caviar generated explosive flavors in the mouth. This was fabulous! - masculine

Langoustines bretonnes, caviar doré, nage réduite (Steamed Brittany langoustines served cold with golden caviar and aromatic consomme infused with lemongrass & ginger) - A new presentation of ADPA's classic in more generous portion. It's as excellent as the previous version. The langoustine was fresh, meaty and of the top quality. It was enhanced by caviar's briny and (little) salty taste as well as the 'Asian-style' broth's deep flavor. A balanced dish with no dominating elements. My wife had no problem finishing this appetizer - feminine

Accompanied by wine: 2007 Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon (Pale yellow & smokey white wine with complex minerality; sweet honey notes on the nose with a long finish)

Tarte friande aux cèpes, homard du Cotentin tiède (Gently braised lobster from Cotentin served with its jus and Ceps crispy tart) - A magnificent dish that looked both luxurious and rustic. The blue lobster was superb, rich and supple; the ceps were meaty, earthy and slightly nutty; they're brought together by the intense yet harmonious lobster sauce. Truly seasonal and memorable - masculine

Saint-Jacques d'Erquy, chou-fleur en fine croûte, tartufi di Alba (Sea scallops from Erquy served with brioche of comte & cauliflower and white Alba truffle) - A popular dish at this restaurant. The most special part was: the entire cauliflower was encased/baked inside the beautiful comte brioche-crust, then it's carefully sliced & served in front of guests - clever and tasty. The dazzling & tender scallop was precisely cooked and inherently sweet; well-complemented by rich brown sauce and grated of fragrant & rather intense white truffle. My wife easily loved this spectacular dish - feminine
    
Accompanied by wine: 2012 Domaine Marc Colin & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Le Charmois (White Burgundy made with chardonnay. Fruity, good body, and long finish - not bad)

Rouget de l’Île d’Yeu en écailles, jus civet lié au foie, tian (Île d’Yeu red mullet on scales served with liver sauce and vegetables tian) - The flesh and its crispy scales were very good, but I found the sauce made of the mullet's stock and valuable liver was so strong that it (often) overpowering the overall flavor when consumed together. A powerful dish, but not as good as the earlier stuffs. The baked vegetable gratin (tian) was colorful, rustic and beautiful. They consisted of fennel, onion, butternut squash etc.; helping reduce and balance the intense flavor from the fish's liver - masculine

Bar de l'Atlantique saigne, jeunes poireaux, olives noires (Atlantic sea bass ikejime method served with young leeks and black olives) - The ikejime technique worked well here in that the sea bass was successfully maintaining its high quality (fresh and flavorful). However, similar to the case of red mullet, my spouse said the black olive stock was too rich which I also agreed. A little sauce was sufficient to savor this white fish with great texture. The leek was alright - feminine

Riz noir accompagné de coquillages (Camargue black rice baked with shellfish, calamari and octopus) - A nice and new way to end the meal before heading to desserts; reminded me of Japanese kaiseki. I loved the al dente texture, subtle aroma and nutty flavor of this whole grain rice. It was even more enjoyable to chew the 'wild' rice with fresh cockles, clams, squids and so on. I hope the restaurant would keep serving a rice dish prior to cheese/sweets in the future - both

Accompanied by wine: 2010 Clos des Brusquières Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Elegant with layers of sweet & spice; medium tannins with cherry finish - should develop better in the next 5-10 years, a bit too young now)

Doyenne du Comice rôtie, châtaignes et liqueur de myrte corses (Roasted pear's variety served with chestnuts and myrtle liqueur from Corsica) - The maitre d' was very generous and giving us several desserts to savor. The 'caramelized' roasted pear was quite delectable; it came with crunchy chestnut and myrtle (made of 'berries' and tasted like gin). The ice cream was pleasant - masculine

Peau de lait cru de Normandie, fraises des bois (Normandy milk skin with warmed wild strawberries) - The milk skin was 'similar' to yuba and served warm in contrast to the ice cream at the sides. We liked the smooth texture and light flavors of the milk skin served with sweet wild strawberries. Overall, it's refreshing and the portion was very generous - feminine

Chocolat et café de notre Manufacture, sarrasin torréfié (Chocolate and coffee from our Factory with roasted buckwheat) - Another beautifully presented dish. The chocolate was thick and strong in flavors; good news for chocolate lovers. The coffee's aroma and its taste could be detected too while the home-made ice cream was of good quality. Additionally, there was a small slice of chocolate tart with grains on top and it was exquisite. The chocolate cream in the middle was nice and not too sweet; it went along with the ice cream too - masculine

Citron niçois et algues kombu à l'estragon (Lemon from Nice and kombu seaweeds with tarragon) - The elegant look of this yellow fruit could be deceiving. It was actually quite intense with plenty of flavor 'explosion' (such as bitter & very sour) from the many elements as well as the lemon itself in different forms and textures. It was quite an experience though I did not really love it - feminine

Accompanied by wine: 2011 Maison Chapoutier Le Coufis Vin de Table de France Doux (Lush, sweet and fruity with good clarity and decent finish, quite nice)

Baba imbibé du rhum accompagne de crème peu fouettée (Rum baba served with lightly whipped cream) - It was still the finest dessert of Chef Ducasse albeit lack of presentation here. The 'sponge' cake was superbly moist and delicate; it was flawlessly complemented by the soft bean cream and top rum quality with its intoxicating aroma. Each byte was a pure indulgence ... ethereal indeed - both

The mignardises have been reduced. We only had chocolate with praline inside as well as sweet & seedless muscat grapes - both of them were excellent though I still prefer the old 'unhealthy' petit four trolleys and macaroons. For digestive, both of us opted for tea infusion. My spouse had lemongrass & mint whereas I had rosemary & lemongrass plus a little bit of honey; it was great. A little comment on the wine list: it's entirely new and presented in different ways. For instance, the menu arranges the bottles (from various origins) by generation, varied from five, ten to fifty years - if I recalled correctly. The price and the mark up were pretty steep, but they had more reasonably priced options for wine by the glass, such as what I drank above. They were not that remarkable, but paired quite well with the food. I was pleased with the quality and it's directly proportional with the cost of Parisian fine dining standard.

Both of us very much enjoyed this food symphony; it was delicious and excellent throughout although a bit short of my first meal here. In spite of this, the main star of the show was ADPA's hospitality lead by the capable and amiable Denis Courtiade. We experienced the pinnacle of what 'perfect' service was like/supposed to be (it was a very busy evening and all seats were taken). Denis always paid full attention while being discreet at the same time; he could be humorous when necessary but knew exactly when not being obtrusive. I felt to be treated not just like royalty, but as an 'old' friend coming to his place. Staffs were respectable to guests, yet they were not intimidated and made diners felt very comfortable. Our "femme maitre d" named Cecile also did a wonderful job. She was professional and friendly. My wife loved talking to her about many things and you could see the small details such as an eye contact and body language that she really engaged and enjoyed the conversation as well as doing her job. As a matter of fact, the special part of the whole dining room brigade was the smooth flow/movement, gestures and postures as well as the flair. Their performance was sensational. They're well supported with elegant uniforms designed by George Feghaly - mostly in white and grey that beautifully matched the overall ambiance. Even the sommelier when not discussing about the wines, also delivered fine service. Monsieur Courtiade shared that it was his aim to give guests an unforgettable experience and for us, Denis absolutely achieved that goal with flying colors. On top of that, I comfortably declared that it was the finest and most fun service I've ever received in any restaurants. I doubt other place could do better job than at Ducasse's main Paris establishment.   

I respected the effort of Alain Ducasse who keeps challenging himself, even when he's nearly 60 years of age. It shows that even though he is no longer active in the kitchen, his brain was still very much active to re-invent himself by taking an initiative and leadership role in this innovation. He decided to distance himself from traditional ways among French 3-star places in terms of who can make the best foie gras, albufera sauce or truffle dishes. For Chef Ducasse, this made sense since he has the expertise and ample of resources to materialize his ideas. It was not as easy as it looked; the new ADPA with its 'zen' revolution has cost him a (Michelin) star. He experienced this before and I'm confident he will be able to regain the red guide book's highest honor at most in two years. Overall, I had another exceptional meal at Plaza Athénée. The dishes were delicious and balanced, the wine list was a dream, the interior was elegant and detailed, and above all the service was amazing. The meal lasted nearly 4 hours and we generally felt engaging most of the times especially by the food and sometimes by the restaurant's hospitality; there's never a dull moment. Come with an open mind and curiosity, you will surely be rewarded here. You're welcome to see the pictures: Ducasse Plaza Athenee in Nov '14

Food (and Wine): 97 pts

Service (and Ambiance): 99 pts

Overall: 97.5/100

Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée - 2nd visit

My meal at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (ADPA) in the early Spring 2006 ranked among the best I’ve ever had, easily at the top 3 or 5. It was not a difficult choice when I decided to return here in the Fall 2008. I arrived closed to 8:00 PM and was seated in the middle side of the spacious dining room. The restaurant was more than half-filled by the time I got there. The décor and interiors are nothing less than best: Jaune de Chrome/Bernardaud’s China, Andrew Hartley’s Carpets, Christofle and Béard’s Flatware just to name a few. In short, the dining room designed by Patrick Jouin is indeed magical, perhaps only the magnificent décor at Le Meurice’s elegant dining room can top this.

I only started the meal with still water, yup that simple. As I browsed the menu, several fabulous small appetizers were already served such as the airy and crunchy spinach feuilletes, Colonnata lard and even the famous Lucien Tendret-crushed pate served in small portion. Generally, I ordered the best that the restaurant could offer to its patrons, but this time was different. ADPA’s collection menu was very similar to my meal before (e.g. the coconut curry sauce was served for Breton lobster instead of seared scallops); hence I opted for the ‘cheaper’ degustation menu this time - Plaisirs de Table. While many perceive Ducasse’s food to be superficial and boring, I actually love his cuisine. His cooking, usually involving only two or three seasonal elements, is comfortable and easy-to-read, yet authentic. Equally important is that such meal was only made possible under the leadership of the Head Chef – Christophe Moret, a highly skillful chef who consistently delivers and interprets Ducasse’s imagination. I believe Moret rightfully deserves more credit and attention than what he has received right up to now.

Menu Pleasures of the Table

Caviar Osciètre d’Iran, langoustines rafraîchies, nage réduite, bouillon perfumé (Brittany langoustines served with court-bouillon reduction and Osetra caviar from Iran) - One of the restaurant's classics; both the langoustines' (firm texture) and bouillon's (fragrant) flavor were light and balance. The only 'explosion' taste came from the fine caviar - a bonus dish as I did not order Menu Collection

Araignée de mer décortiquée en chaud et froid, émulsion coraillée (Spider crab served hot and cold in coral emulsion) - An interesting dish: great technique and beautiful presentation, focusing on the temperature contrast and crab's versatility. The hot part served with tomato cream and a coat of foam while the cold one is more like salad served with avocado and vegetable jellies.

Sole de petit bateau, marinière de coquillages, suc de persil (Dover sole served with clams/cockles and prawns in parsley sauce) - The sole as the main ingredient has good texture; the supporting elements such as: the exotic goose barnacles and prawns also shine. Combined with delicate parsley sauce, the mixture of these sea creatures produces satisfying savor to the palate.
Accompanied by wine: 2006 SANTENAY Champs Claude Domaine Lucien Muzard

Foie gras de canard des Landes, en fins ravioli, consommé aromatique (The ravioli of Landes duck liver served in aromatic clear soup with cepe mushrooms) - Another generous gift from the kitchen: the luscious foie gras served in strong truffle consomme; the fine cepe mushrooms balance the dish. The white truffle was weak as it's a bit too early for the season

Veau fermier clouté et rillons confits à la florentine (Free-range veal studded with lard and caramel in its juice and creamed spinach) - Veal prepared in 2 ways: the one with colonnata was a bit too firm to my taste; the other one (caramelized), on the contrary, is sweet and tender. The onions and carrots on sides are also tasty - an excellent dish, my favorite for this meal
Accompanied by wine: 1990 CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE Château Mont-Redon

Fromages affinés pour vous (Cheeses refined for you) - I had Fourme d'Ambert, strong cow's milk blue cheese; 4-year old Comte, good texture with a hint of sweetness; Abbaye de Citeaux (I forgot the last one). In ADPA, the cheese is also served with divine Olive brioche and salad (with cepes this time)

Barre choco/framboise, soufflé fort en chocolat (Chocolate raspberry ganache served with chocolate souffle) - The chocolate souffle is rather dense and thick, the sour sorbet is refreshing after a heavy meal. Above all, the chocolate 'bar' is delicious and rich, yet not overwhelmed
Accompanied by wine: 2006 ROSTEAU Délices Château de la Gardine

As expected, the dessert will be accompanied with a variety of confectioneries and candies. I had chocolate and coffee macarons, bugnes and other pastries followed by different kind of chocolates, marshmallow and nougat as I ended my meal with an infusion of Verveine and Mélisse tea served with Australian honey. I was really full and literally struggling to enjoy these mignardises towards the end. Previously, except for champagne and dessert wine, the restaurant does not provide any wine by the glass. I guess ADPA tried to adapt to the customer's demand with not so deep pocket, such as myself. The sommelier's choices were not bad at all. For instance, my white Burgundy's richness and complexity worked quite well with both the crab and sole. The full-bodied red from Southern Rhone Valley I had was fully mature and it complemented my veal nicely.

A great meal here is more than good food; the overall experience matters. In the industry, Alain Ducasse would describe himself as “A merchant of happiness and pleasure”. I could not agree more with such claim based on my experience here, at the Essex House as well as at Le Louis XV. In addition to chairs made of Corian and Bresse poultry, the attentive and impeccable service lead by Denis Courtiade, possibly the best Dining Room Manager among 3-star establishments, link everything so smoothly that it actually possible to create a ‘perfect’ dining experience. My maitre d’ was friendly and attentive without being obtrusive. In fact, nearly all staffs were warm and convivial; there’s no such thing as only Mr. A took care of my table, even Denis himself served and stopped by to my and other guest tables in several occasions. Inside the couture uniform designed by George Geghaly lays a brigade who put their souls into hospitality - the team executed the service effortlessly and ensured guest to be at ease all the time. I know that I will have a good time dining here and it did not disappoint. The food I ate this time was tasty, though it was not as delicious as the one I had 2 years earlier. The service, nevertheless, was as good as it gets. Follow the link below for the dishes' pictures, http://picasaweb.google.com/Andi.Chahyadi.Hermawan/AlainDucasseAuPlazaAtheneeParisFrance2ndVisit#

Food (and Wine): 96 pts

Service (and Ambiance): 97 pts

Overall: 96.5/100

Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée - 1st visit

Thursday, April 20th, 2006 marked my visit to another Alain Ducasse’s top restaurant located inside the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, an art nouveau marvel. This time I brought my parents to experience a meal at 3* Michelin restaurant for the first time. Before coming there, I briefed them on what to expect and what it is like to eat at this kind of place so that they would not be overwhelmed. Actually, I am also relatively new to the world of haute cuisine, just started around November 2005 and then I find it difficult to resist this temptation. After having a marvelous meal at Alain Ducasse New York (ADNY) in the Fall 2005, I came here with a high expectation as many people told me that Ducasse’s Europe establishments – here and Le Louis XV are much better than the one at the Essex House.

After doing a window shopping along avenue Montaigne for the whole afternoon, we arrived at the restaurant 10 minutes later from our initial reservation at 8 PM. The restaurant is actually located not too far from the main entrance of the hotel. Once our reservation was confirmed, we entered the restaurant by passing through discreet engraved glass doors. Our table was at the front corner, so we had a very good view of the restaurant’s ambiance without involving ourselves in the middle of the crowds. The décor’s style is a combination of classic and modern with the most notable thing being the chandelier with 10,000 crystals pendants dangling that alters lighting into a hologram show. Everything here is designed with careful details, for instance: the pink-colored chairs had pull-out plastic trays where ladies can put her bags, and the dining tableware seems to be customized for the restaurant (some are engraved with ADPA). Perhaps the decoration itself is one of the reasons why many people are curious about visiting this place. However, no matter how good or grand the restaurant’s design is, what served on the plates matters more above anything else.

The meal started with the pre-appetizer – something like gougères containing spinach with concise saltiness, I still prefer the cheese cream puff at ADNY. Following this, a waiter came with champagne cart. I opted for a glass of 1998 Henriot Brut Rose Champagne Millesime, the Rosé offers smooth texture and firm structure – a refreshing aperitif indeed. One thing a bit surprising to me is to find the limited bread selection; this is not typical of Ducasse’s top restaurant; whereas the butter, both salted and unsalted, is soft. The menu in ADPA is very interesting where the restaurant provides a holder and thus the guests do not need to hold the menu with their hands. Alain Ducasse always offers dishes made of rare, fresh and precious ingredients. Since I rarely go to Paris, I decided to order the best that the restaurant can offer. All of us ordered the collection menu and here what I had.

Menu Collection

Langoustines rafraîchies, nage réduite, caviar osciètre - bouillon parfumée - (Brittany Langoustines with Court Bouillon Reduction and Osetra Caviar from Iran - served warmed) – The restaurant’s main signature dish. The langoustine is firm, the caviar is one of the world’s best and they are both enhanced by a cup of shellfish broth containing some subtle ginger flavors. Comparable to Passard’s Carpaccio de langoustines - personally, I slightly prefer the latter one

Coquilles Saint-Jacques snackées coco/curry (Seared Scallops served with Coconut Curry) – This dish is arguably the most delicious scallops appetizer I’ve ever tasted (the other is Esnault’s Saint-Jacques Poelees with shaved white truffles). The scallop is very fresh and juicy, with the combination of delectable fruity curry sauce. There are many colorless sago that seduces the overall experience of the dish

Homard de Bretagne, asperges vertes de Pertuis, jus de la presse (Blue lobster of Brittany served with “chez blanc” green asparagus) – A very high quality (as well as generous portion) of lobster (has some sweetness in it and cooked to the right texture) that makes Maine’s lobster pale in comparison. The asparagus is fresh, combined with the sauce make this dish extremely wonderful.

Volaille de Bresse en fricassée, morilles à peine crèmes (Fricassee of Bresse chicken served with mushrooms and crayfishes) – I’m blown away with this chicken dish (a perfect 20/20 - unbelievable to eat 2 perfect dishes within 4 days). Just when I thought that L’Arpege’s chicken is the best ever, ADPA tells me I have yet tasted the best one. The seafood, carrots and mozzarellas etc. do not actually interfere the overall harmony and balance of the succulent chicken. All of the additional ingredients in fact complement the chicken in many different positive ways. This dish has a little Chinese influence too I suppose.

Fromages affinés pour nous (Refined cheeses) – If I could recall correctly, the comte is 3 years old and it’s good, the blue cheese smell is very strong, yet tasty. The cheese, served with special knife and fork, also comes with salads and marmalade as sides. Last but not least, finally the soft olive brioche shows up - served hot from the oven.

Caillé de brebis, caramel-poivre, miel d’arbousier (A very light, fresh goat milk cheese in yogurt-like texture served with pepper caramel sweetened and Corsican honey) – I have a hard time on how to describe this exciting and adventurous dessert. The saltiness of the cheese is reduced with the sweetness from the ice cream, honey and caramel and vice versa. The dessert is accompanied by a glass of light and sweet wine – 1996 Chateau Coutet.

Our multi course meal was accompanied by a bottle of 1999 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, this almond and flower-scented white Burgundy is tight with tangy acidity. Furthermore, it has a medium-bodied with excellent density and depth to its white fruit. I find the wine to be well-balanced and harmonious; it goes well with our dishes since it does not dominate the food’s taste. The pre and post-desserts, such as chocolates and candies are not inferior compared to the Ducasse New York’s establishment. The home-made assorted chocolates is very good and macarons, both chocolate and coffee, are very crunchy (outside) and soft (inside). I did not have a chance to sip in a cup of tea here as my mother would like to go back to the hotel (it’s closed to 12:30 AM and we had to fly for Barcelona the next morning). Here, the herbal tea infusion is presented in pots on a cart.

There are two things that I do not particularly fond of the restaurant. In my humble opinion, the head sommelier – Laurent Roucayrol is a bit arrogant. It is no doubt that he’s very knowledgeable about the wines, but he’s not willing to listen to the customer’s opinions. He usually forces the diners to always follow his suggestion; this could be a problem had he encountered a short-tempered guest. Another thing, the restaurant’s restroom, located outside, is shared with lobby and tea guests, for me it is not very convenient. Moreover, it is not very clean given the level of both the hotel and the restaurant.

While many people are worried when Jean-François Piège moved to Les Ambassadeurs, the food qualities here will be dropped, I could boldly assure that this will not be the case. Christophe Moret, the former Chef at Paris’ Spoon food and wine, may not be the most creative chef, but he really understands and fully capable of executing the dish with a very high precision the way Monsieur Ducasse wants it to be. The service, lead by Denis Courtiade – the dining room manager, is very courteous and efficient. This should come to no surprise since the staffs are actually outnumber the number of diners. Despite a full dining room, they provide seamless service and there are no certain waiters assigned for particular tables (except one person who assisted us for the menu-ordering, he was very patient to accommodate our needs). Furthermore, the staffs never misstep or collide with each other. Overall, I am extremely delighted with our dinner, one of the best I’ve ever experienced (only my dinner at L’Arpege is slightly better than this). Alain Ducasse Paris could be the best place for people who would like to try the 3* experience for the 1st time at Europe. One could enjoy pretty much everything – from an elegant dining room with an extraordinary service to a wonderful French food accompanied by a wide variety of wine selection. Click the following link for the pictures, http://picasaweb.google.com/Andi.Chahyadi.Hermawan/AlainDucasseAuPlazaAtheneeParisFrance1stVisit##