Les Magnolias

[DRColby]

We are just back from 3 weeks in Paris and just want to pass along that Les Magnolias in Le Perreux-sur Marne is far and wide our choice as the best thing going in the Paris area. Not only ours but also our NY friends who are spending a month and half dining in Paris. Incrediable food, great people, and great prices. This is the second year we visited Jean Chauvel's resturant and found it to be the same unforgettable experience.

dave

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I am happy to read that you enjoyed this excellent dining room as much as we have. Some critics compare the imagination of the cuisine to Gagnaire. I would add that diners should allow enough time for a proper dinner here, perhaps 3 1/2 hours for a civilized dinner. We loved every course and the lovely service.

A truc re getting there: if you don't take a cab, take the E RER from the Havre/Caumartin station to Nogent/Le Perreux station, not the A line as most food magazines would suggest.

[Louisa Chu]

The RER E?! No one takes the RER E! Margaret, thanks so much for the tip - going out there soon - and I would have had no idea - thanks again.

[Images]

Friday evening we had a wonderful dinner at Les Magnolias. We were greeted graciously and I believe we were the only Americans dining there that night. The food was creative and delicious, and many small extras were delivered with each course. The young sommelier was very helpful in choosing our wine when we asked for his advice. The wine list wasn't delivered to our table until after we had chosen our food. We ordered the menu but several tables around us had the tasting menu. Much of the food they received was a repeat of what my husband had ordered from the menu. The only weakness we felt was in the desserts. The cheese board had at least 25 cheeses to select from. This was an extra cost, not included in the menu. Menu cost is 45 Euros and is listed on their internet site. It is amazing to me that they can serve this quality at this price.

This was one of our favorite dining experiences in Paris. We felt the service was as gracious and attentive as we had experienced at Guy Savoy last year! We enjoyed it so much we have made reservations for our return visit to Paris in April.

We left Les Magnolias at 11:55 p.m. and caught the 12:10 RER E back to Paris. The next train was the last to run and it left at 12:25. We connected to the last metro run of the evening though. Our reservation was for 8:30 p.m. so it would be wise to make an earlier reservation if possible. From Haussmann-St. Lazaire to Nogent Le Perreux is a 25 minute ride. The walk is only 5 minutes from there, downhill (thanks Margaret)!

[DRColby]

I whole heartedly agree. I think les Magnolias is one of the real food treats in France/Paris and at a most reasonable price. Plus, the staff is very nice.

dave

[Fai Jackson]

Any truth to the rumour that les magnolias is moving into the centre of Paris?

[John Talbott]

Any truth to the rumour that les magnolias is moving into the centre of Paris? 

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I have not seen anything in writing (except here) about the move and/or when and where. But if it's to happen this fall, I'm sure F Simon et al will be reporting on it the first week in Sept in his/their annual rentree events piece or it'll be up on lesrestos site soon.

[fresh_a]

Madame Chauvel says yes, but they're still trying to find the right place..

[Paul Kondeff]

I am glad to hear that Les Magnolias will not be moving during our stay in Paris, mid Sept. to mid Oct. We had such a wonderful dinner there last spring that it is at the top of our TOGOTO places.

I checked the viamichelin web site to get Les Magnolias' website but they had it wrong. Their link led to the Hotel Magnolias in Meursault, looks great, could be where we stay the next time we go to Burgundy.

Doing a Google search for Les Magnolias I found this article dated March 2002 by Patrricia Wells headlined 'Back Burner';

'We were told it was just a 10-minute walk from the Nogent-sur-Marne RER train station. Well, a long walk and an even longer taxi ride later and we were finally at the door of Les Magnolias, the Michelin-starred restaurant that's up-and-coming and booked weeks in advance. I will try to make it short and sweet: Not since my first visit to Pierre Gagnaire in the 1980s have I seen so much unusual creativity from a chef. An avalanche of flavors, colors, ideas and a great sense of humor. But the results are a little too wacky, and the place just a bit too much off the beaten path to merit a return visit.'

I wonder if she was in a bad mood because she went to the wrong RER stop. I won't let her review stop us from returning for such a wonderful meal. Nor do I think it will stop anyone else on this forum from what I have read. I will be making my reservation as soon as they return from their August break.

[Fai Jackson]

I am glad to hear that Les Magnolias will not be moving during our stay in Paris, mid Sept. to mid Oct. We had such a wonderful dinner there last spring that it is at the top of our TOGOTO places.

I checked the viamichelin web site to get Les Magnolias' website but they had it wrong. Their link led to the Hotel Magnolias in Meursault, looks great, could be where we stay the next time we go to Burgundy.

Doing a Google search for Les Magnolias I found this article dated March 2002 by Patrricia Wells headlined 'Back Burner';

'We were told it was just a 10-minute walk from the Nogent-sur-Marne RER train station. Well, a long walk and an even longer taxi ride later and we were finally at the door of Les Magnolias, the Michelin-starred restaurant that's up-and-coming and booked weeks in advance. I will try to make it short and sweet: Not since my first visit to Pierre Gagnaire in the 1980s have I seen so much unusual creativity from a chef. An avalanche of flavors, colors, ideas and a great sense of humor. But the results are a little too wacky, and the place just a bit too much off the beaten path to merit a return visit.'

I wonder if she was in a bad mood  because she went to the wrong RER stop. I won't let her review stop us from returning for such a wonderful meal. Nor do I think it will stop anyone else on this forum from what I have read. I will be making my reservation as soon as they return from their August break.

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The address is www.lesmagnolias.com. They take reservations by email. It is a beautiful site.

[hughw]

I would appreciate an update on Les Magnolias. It looks like it's still in Le Perreux-sur-Marne. Can anyone confirm that? And we were thinking of going for our aniversary dinner next month. I see that they have a 55 Euro menu which is within our price range, the 90 Euro menu is not. If we stick to the menu will we get a great meal or our will we be dissapointed unless we order al la carte? The online menu looks fantastic. Is that what we will get?

Are there any recent reports? Thanks.

[raisab]

Hello! I haven't been there since December, but you should not be dissapointed. We were a table of 5 and had the 90 euro menu and it was pretty fantastic. No, what you see online is not what you will get. Their menu changes with the market, so it will be great regardless!

[John Talbott]

I would appreciate an update on Les Magnolias. It looks like it's still in Le Perreux-sur-Marne. Can anyone confirm that?  And we were thinking of going for our aniversary dinner next month. I see that they have a 55 Euro menu which is within our price range, the 90 Euro menu is not. If we stick to the menu will we get a great meal or our will we be dissapointed unless we order al la carte? The online menu looks fantastic. Is that what we will get?

Are there any recent reports? Thanks.

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My cohost and I ate lunch there with the 37 E menu and it was about the best meal I've had in ......, eh, since I was there last time. The 37 E menu had more than enough choices. Aside from my usual reasons for doing my big meal at lunch not dinner is that at least at the Magnolias, one can walk "home" in daylight.

As for the rumored move, it is still in the works apparently.

[BradenP]

I ate at Les Magnolias about a month ago and would honestly rate it up there with some of the best meals I have had in France. On the advice of Felice, we checked out the lunch (2 courses for 37€). With the amount of separate components each dish had, it could have been called 8 courses of Ferran Adria's size.

The food was inventive and new without a loss of flavor. It's clear from what we had, that Chauvel thinks about taste first, then tries to incorporate kitchen science and playfulness after the taste has been perfected.

I do wish Les Magnolias was closer to Paris, but it's nice having a food adventure where you have to find it in the first place.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

I agree about positive comments but I don't share the enthusiasm.

The whole creativity/innovation seemed to me little more than a stunt to draw attention, leading at best to make good dishes hard to eat due to design demands, and at worst to propose disgusting things like the "sandwich jambon beurre à boire" (indeniably funny though).

That said, on the whole, the restaurant is quite good. But it is due to good ingredients, mastered techniques and, in the end, very classic recipes "re-looked". It is good, has great wines and a great sommelier, and comparatively good value. But I would not rate it best anything -- not innovation, not value, not quality.

More detailed report with pictures here: http://www.julotlespinceaux.com/2008/03/les-magnolias.html

While we're at it, I also went to l'Acajou, in the 16th, which I found very good. I would probably consider it excellent value for the price, with no unnecessary experiments or stunt but a focus on exceptional freshness, perfect cooking and seasoning, and clear tastes.

[John Talbott]

I hate (actually I love it) to be a tease but we ate today at an equally RER-distant place - the Auberge des Saints Peres, 212, av Nonneville in Aulnay sous Bois - a one star Michelin place and it was as good if not better than Les M my last RER love. Love is so fickle. Stay tuned for my review.