Mini Palais and Les Ombres

[PhilD]

We are planning our trip to Paris and wanted to add in a couple of places we have not visited before. Whilst I have read about Mini Palais and Les Ombres I can't recall any reviews on the site. Has anyone tried them? If so what are your thoughts?

Or are there any other new restaurants (opened in the last 12 months) for a funky, grand night out?

[Felice]

I had wanted to try Les Ombres when it first opened, but after hearing from several friends that it was a see-and-seen kind of place, with average food, I lost interest. I did try the Mini Palace with John and while we both liked it, I don't remember being overwhelmed and neither of us rushed back.

[John Talbott]

I had wanted to try Les Ombres when it first opened, but after hearing from several friends that it was a see-and-seen kind of place, with average food, I lost interest.  I did try the Mini Palace with John and while we both liked it, I don't remember being overwhelmed and neither of us rushed back.

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Here are my takes on Les Ombres and the Mini-Palais.

Edited and merged by John Talbott for accuracy, clarity and comprehension.

Edited June 15, 2008 by John Talbott (log)

[PhilD]

I had wanted to try Les Ombres when it first opened, but after hearing from several friends that it was a see-and-seen kind of place, with average food, I lost interest.  I did try the Mini Palace with John and while we both liked it, I don't remember being overwhelmed and neither of us rushed back.

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les Ombres

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Thanks John, but there is not actual comment about Les Ombres in the thread simply a note that it was included in a Conde Nast list. I had searched the site but all the "hits" seeem to be for mentions in lists rather than board members reviews.

[John Talbott]

les Ombres

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Thanks John, but there is not actual comment about Les Ombres in the thread simply a note that it was included in a Conde Nast list. I had searched the site but all the "hits" seeem to be for mentions in lists rather than board members reviews.

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My apologies, I was rushing out the door and put in the wrong link. Here's the correct one for my report.

[PhilD]

I had wanted to try Les Ombres when it first opened, but after hearing from several friends that it was a see-and-seen kind of place, with average food, I lost interest.  I did try the Mini Palace with John and while we both liked it, I don't remember being overwhelmed and neither of us rushed back.

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Les Ombres - Felice we should have taken your advice, but as no one had had a direct experience I thought it was worth giving it a shot. More fool us...!

We had to book a few weeks in advance and even then could not get a Saturday night and ended up there on Friday. It was simple to find our way into the restaurant, although I had read it was tricky. The room is good, with an amazing view of the Tour Eiffel, tables are well spaced and the seats quite comfortable.

The menu is in both English and French, which is often not a good sign, although there was a far mix of nationalities there, with quite a few large French parties having family celebrations.

The first fault was that our food arrived before our wine even though the order was taken at the same time. I had chosen white asparagus, with parmesan, and a poached egg. Overall a very average dish, very little flavour from the asparagus and a pretty average egg. Maybe I have been spoilt with the English asparagus season with great flavoured asparagus coupled with duck eggs or gulls eggs.

However my partners "summer vegetable salad" was an absolute horror. At €33 for an starter we were expecting something special, instead we got a bowl of lettuce, with a few radishes, olives and a few peas. You could have bought a bag mixed salad from Bon Marche and had a more interesting salad. This has got to be the worst dish we have ever been served in a restaurant. It was simply a disgrace.

For main course I chose the pigeon served in a number of ways. It was average: a chewy leg; quite a large piece of liver, and a few other bits and pieces. My partner had the goats cheese ravioli, with a tagliatelle of mango and celeriac, from the starter menu. Overall nothing special. We had an OK bottle of red from the Luberon and in-total the bill came to €170 for the wine, three starters, one main course and no desert or coffee. Incredibly poor value given the atrocious food.

Apart from the poor food it also had very poor service. They have two serving stations in the middle of the room (so in full view), these are used to accumulate all the detritus from the tables as they are cleared, and are used to distribute the food from the kitchen which arrives on enormous trays. Often the food couldn't be put down because the area was so crowded with used glasses , etc. When it was put down there were hurried, agitated, whispered conversations about the food and where it should go. There was little order and direction in the room, it seemed that the team lacked any leadership at all.

The view is outstanding and this is clearly what allows them to charge so much for this awful food, and clanky service. The venue deserves a far better restaurant, it is quite a travesty that such a poor restaurant exists in such an iconic space.....maybe Ducasse can be persuaded to take it on and save national pride...! (like Jules Verne)

[John Talbott]

I had wanted to try Les Ombres when it first opened, but after hearing from several friends that it was a see-and-seen kind of place, with average food, I lost interest.  I did try the Mini Palace with John and while we both liked it, I don't remember being overwhelmed and neither of us rushed back.

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Les Ombres - Felice we should have taken your advice, but as no one had had a direct experience I thought it was worth giving it a shot. More fool us...!

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Actually I had, see above

Here are my takes on Les Ombres and the Mini-Palais.

[PhilD]

I had wanted to try Les Ombres when it first opened, but after hearing from several friends that it was a see-and-seen kind of place, with average food, I lost interest.  I did try the Mini Palace with John and while we both liked it, I don't remember being overwhelmed and neither of us rushed back.

←

Les Ombres - Felice we should have taken your advice, but as no one had had a direct experience I thought it was worth giving it a shot. More fool us...!

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Actually I had, see above

Here are my takes on Les Ombres and the Mini-Palais.

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Sorry John I had forgotten I had read this. Well at least one thing has changed - they have a carpet...! However, it looks as if the food experience may have got worse, there is no menu in the evening simply ALC.

[olivier]

Had lunch at the Mini-Palais two weeks ago. The main of duck magret was sub-par, but still OK (I mean, not particularly enjoyable, but not disgusting either). I however hated the cheesecake. These two dishes + one glass of wine + a coffee cost me something like 30EUR (sorry, I don't recall the exact price): all in all, way too expensive for what it is.

The setting (outside terrace) is quite nice, though.

Edited July 14, 2008 by olivier (log)