Guy Savoy

[porkpa]

Lizziee,

I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but I'm wondering why you would book at a restaurant such as Guy Savoy if you were not looking forward to eating there. Especially since you would certainly anticipate parting with a not insignificant amount of money to do so.

Porkpa

[lizziee]

porkpa,

That is an absolutely legitimate question. After 10 years of traveling and dining in France, this was to be the year that we had finally dined in every 3 star. When we had eaten at Guy Savoy the first time, it was a 2 star and I insisted to my husband that it didn't count to say we had eaten there as a 3 star because it wasn't the first time around. Whether this is an admirable "goal" to achieve is up for grabs.

I must say, at this point, that this will probably be the last year we dine and travel at the "high end." It has become just too expensive and unless I win the lottery, we will plan future trips much differently.

In general, our lunches tend to be more "mom and pop" stops while the dinners tend to be the grande affaire. In the future, we will probably forgo so many of the 2 and 3 stars in one trip.

[hollywood]

We're talking every 3 star in Paris, or every 3 star in France? Either way, quite a daunting feat.

[cabrales]

When we had eaten at Guy Savoy the first time, it was a 2 star and I insisted to my husband that it didn't count to say we had eaten there as a 3 star because it wasn't the first time around.

lizziee -- I consider it appropriate to count places that one dined at while it was a less-than-three star, if it later became a three-star. That way, one is rewarded for having the foresight to have dined at such facility.

porkpa -- There are so many reasons I might revisit a place I had limited expectations of, including places I might affirmatively dislike. They include:

(1) Travelling with friends -- This has happened to me on more than one occasion, particularly in Burgundy where the Lyons to Paris drive is so replete with restaurants. If a friend who has never visited Restaurant B wanted to go, I would not be one to deprive him of that experience, particularly if Restaurant B were relatively well-known.

(2) Failure to have previously sampled signature dishes -- This applies to me in many scenarios. For example, I think Paul Bocuse's cuisine at present is not particularly good. However, I would like to sample his fish in a pastry crust and his Bresse chicken in a pig's bladder. Similarly, I did not particularly like George Blanc's cuisine. Sooner or later, I will return to sample his Bresse chicken in gros sel preparation, about which I have had discussions wtih lizziee.

(3) Geographic Vicinity -- Although cuisine generally governs my travel destinations, if I were to find myself in a given geographic area, I would of course go to sample applicable restaurants even if I had not been particularly impressed with them previously. For example, while I was not stunned by the cuisine at Morimoto's in Philly, if I were in town for more than a meal and I had already eaten at Le Bec Fin, I might well choose Morimoto's place again. When I am in the US, I do not have access to restaurants in France and I have to choose from the available facilities.

(4) Holidays/Closing Periods/Weekends -- I dislike Gagnaire's cuisine. Yet his restaurant is open on Sunday evenings, which is unusual in general for Paris restaurants. While L'Astrance is also open on Sunday evenings and therefore I have a restaurant I really like to eaet at, if L'Astrance were not so open, I might go to Gagnaire more. The same applies for certain French holidays and the August closing period for many Parisian restaurants.

(5) Monitoring of Restaurant Over Time -- Even if one thought the cuisine at a restaurant were not particularly good, one might be curious about whether it might have changed a bit (whether for better or worse). That might lead to a resampling of the cuisine over time.

(6) Possibility that Initial Poor Meal Was Glitch -- One meal is not a good basis on which to judge a restaurant. Therefore, even at restaurants that initially disappoint, I might return to get more data points so as to meaningfully assess the restaurant.

(7) Interest in Restaurant for History -- Some restaurants carry a great deal of history (e.g., Maxim's, Laperouse, Oustau de Baumaniere). I like to scrutinize restaurant architecture, read about French culinary history, and generally understand about various aspects of restaurants. Thus, I might return to Bocuse soon in part for the history. I am also visiting Lucas-Carton with increased frequency because I worry about Senderens' retirement, although I have not heard word of such a development. I have thought about taking in lunch at places like Fermette de Marboeuf (spelling), which has beautiful stained glass decorations. Similarly, I have a number of books on French restaurant decor. Tour d'Argent would also fall in this category.

(8) Very Good Deals -- Not that I necessarily dislike Grand Vefour's food (I'm still observing it), but who could resist a lunch at under 80 euros prix fixe? Similarly, a lunch at Lucas-Carton for under 80 euros prix fixe? Sometimes, price would sway me to revisit. Note I generally like Lucas-Carton, although its cuisine is not always compelling.

(9) Diet/Appetite Considerations -- I know that I might have to "pig out" at certain restaurants. Thus, when I am on a diet or in a food fatigue phase, I might deliberate choose a restaurant with less impressive cuisine or non-French cuisine.

[lizziee]

We're talking every 3 star in Paris, or every 3 star in France?  Either way, quite a daunting feat.

Every three star in France and some that were three and are now two (L'Esperance, Cote St Jacques,Oustau de Baumaniere). My husband wants a medal from the French government.

[hollywood]

We're talking every 3 star in Paris, or every 3 star in France?  Either way, quite a daunting feat.

Every three star in France and some that were three and are now two (L'Esperance, Cote St Jacques,Oustau de Baumaniere). My husband wants a medal from the French government.

It wouldn't surprise me if Michelin or some gourmet society did have a medal. Did you/he become Knights of the Tastevin or some such? If you had trouble finishing at Guy Savoy, I wonder how you fared at Cote St.-Jacques?

[Steve Plotnicki]

Cabrales - Are you trying to say that you pursue the hobby of three star dining in spite of your subjective preferences?

[cabrales]

Steve P -- No, I was merely responding to the question of why one might dine at restaurants that one dislikes. If I visit a restaurant the cuisine of which I dislike, that does not mean I have a bad time. Nor does it mean I do not enjoy the process of visiting the restaurant. It probably means there is a reaffirmation of why I do not particularly like the cuisine of that restaurant, and that would be a constraint on the type of experience offered by the restaurant.

I don't have high expectations of most restaurants I visit for the first time. Sadly, that doesn't necessarily decrease my disappointment at times.

[menton1]

Lizziee,

I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but I'm wondering why you would book at a restaurant such as Guy Savoy if you were not looking forward to eating there.  Especially since you would certainly anticipate parting with a not insignificant amount of money to do so.

Porkpa

I heard that Les Bookinistes on the quais of the Seine is supervised by Guy Savoy, but at a fraction of the price. Any input?

[cabrales]

The December 2002 edition of Thuries features G Savoy in the L'Album du Chef. He discusses his third star. Below is a very rough translation -- "I said that the first star is the recognition of a cuisinier. The second is the confirmation of him. The third, the consecration. Over the years, with the publication of the Michelin guide, I protected myself. There were several of us on the list. And then my focus shifted to my sensations, my team, my suppliers ... Everybody lives the event in his own say, with smiles, with tears .... Everybody took part in that happiness and even if certain personnel leave us, nobody will forget that morning. If at one point I had admitted to having been pushed aside, today I feel extremely happy to have felt, one day, the emotions that famous third star would induce in a cuisinier."

[ulterior epicure]

Wow, this thread could use some dusting-off.

What can you tell me about the "All-Black" dessert at Guy Savoy. It's offered both the on the a la carte menu as well as the "Multi-Coleurs" tasting.

I'm assuming it's chocolate. Whatever it is, it sounds fabulously rich.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

From their website: "Chocolate biscuit made with marzipan marinated in lime juice, chocolate ganache flavoured with cardamom and black pepper, served with a dark chocolate sorbet". Speaks for itself, doesn't it? And, as I said somewhere else, you can trust Savoy for the avalanche of desserts.

Of course it's also a reference to Rugby -- Guy Savoy is a coach and the restaurant stayed open late during the world cup, for "third half-times".

Edited August 29, 2008 by julot-les-pinceaux (log)

[Narcissus]

Of course it's also a reference to Rugby -- Guy Savoy is a coach and the restaurant stayed open late during the world cup, for "third half-times".

←

Very interesting about Guy Savoy. One would think that an artist would protect his hands from injury. But he is only coaching.

And yes, his dessert carts do overflow...

[ulterior epicure]

Of course it's also a reference to Rugby -- Guy Savoy is a coach and the restaurant stayed open late during the world cup, for "third half-times".

←

Very interesting about Guy Savoy. One would think that an artist would protect his hands from injury. But he is only coaching.

And yes, his dessert carts do overflow...

←

Not just his hands, for goodness sake! How about his teeth and that precious noggin' of his, not to mention the rest of his body!! That is one rough sport!

Julien: Thanks - I must have missed that on his website. I was looking in the tasting menus (which doesn't let you roll-over each item); I forgot that the "All Black" is listed in the a la carte section as well (where, obviously, you can roll-over each menu item).

[robyn]

I have only one thing to say about this restaurant. Dine there. It's wonderful.

My husband and I had lunch there yesterday. We put ourselves in the hands of the maitre d' (Hubert) - and the sommelier - and you should too. We had a mix of the 100 euro lunch - plus a fair amount of paired wine and champagne - and it wound up costing 400 euros. You should expect to spend that amount for 2 to get the most out of this restaurant for lunch without worrying. Basically - what Hubert did for us as novices in the restaurant was to give us some of the chef's signature dishes - combined with mains we said we would enjoy. Fish for my husband - the best bar with the best crispy skin I have ever tasted. Game for me - a dish of pigeon - wild pigeon and pheasant poached with cabbage in an iron pot sealed with a strip of bread. Plus a multi-course dessert course it will take me weeks to work off! My husband went to heaven on the yoghurt sorbet with the best marinated prunes in the world (a French specialty we have encountered for breakfast on other trips).

I have to tell you. This meal saved our trip in terms of high end dining in Paris. Although we had had some very good meals before this one - none had approached what we thought was a 3 star level (at least as we remembered it). This one hit the mark - and exceeded it.

Not only was the meal exquisite - the service was both friendly and extremely professional. Chef Savoy was there to say hello - and au revoir. And the room we dined in - the first dining room near the front - was lovely.

Note that I think it is easy to "overthink" meals when one believes he or she knows a lot about food without knowing about a particular restaurant. But - in a great restaurant - it is best to stop thinking and put yourself in the hands of the people who know their restaurant best. So - if you go - ask for Hubert. And don't try to show off. Just tell him what you like. And he will see that you get that.

As an interesting aside - I had forgotten about the references to Chef Savoy and rugby here. I told him this was the best meal we had had in 4 years. When he asked about the last one - well it was a lunch at Gordon Ramsay RHR. With another great maitre d' like Hubert - and the obvious rugby connection. Turns out Gordon Ramsay apprenticed at Guy Savoy. Small world.

Anyway - we all have different tastes - but these restaurants are my idea of heaven. Perhaps they are yours too. If they are - just remember to ask for Hubert . Robyn

[Michael Symons]

Found myself taking Julot's advice on the Guy Savoy internet lunch special, and he is again right (as he proved elsewhere, notably Christians aka Gasthaus Grainer, outside Munich). As everyone notes, excellent value for money (and wines are available for 10 euros a glass, by the way). The next day we recalled 18 desserts on the table, and yet that hadn't seemed too many. The unanticipated excitement came from Hubert, who not only chose the menu highlights for us but was profoundly funny - the truths of dining delivered joyfully.

Edited December 7, 2008 by Michael Symons (log)

[ulterior epicure]

This is a long overdue update on Guy Savoy. You can read more and find the photos at the ulterior epicure.

In many ways, Savoy’s dishes are more sensory experiences than purely gastronomical ones.

Descriptions were short and abstract. Dominated by “signature” dishes, the menu was an assembly of flavors, techniques, and presentations summoned from all corners and dimension of the world.

...

Though little sank, little sang. Most of what I sampled was more interesting than inspiring.

Dishes seemed to fall into two camps.

I preferred the one that offered boldness and comfort. This  included Savoy’s signature “Soupe d’Artichaut a la Truffe Noir,” a velvety thick soup perfumed with black truffles and Parmesan.

The single-best forkful I had at Guy Savoy was the “Volaille de Bresse Confit et Lacquee” that Sylvie ordered for her main course. It was one of the two off-menu specials offered that day.

...

By the turn of that same coin, Guy Savoy seemed stretched and strained when aiming for subtlety.

My first course, “Bar et Rouget Comme Un ‘Carpaccio,’” is a good example. An opaque glass bowl bore silky slices of sea bass and rouget dotted with tiny dehydrated crayfish tails, and julienne of bamboo shoots. The assembly was dressed with a very light “bouillon d’agrumes” (citrus broth). Effete and delicate, it came across as an unconvincing reach for some Asian puritanical ideal. The flavors here were too ascetic – coy in the wrong ways, too obvious in others.

...

Is Guy Savoy a Michelin three-star? I’m not qualified to say. I’ve only been once. And I’ll admit that my visit was somewhat atypical, given the attention we received.

I’m not sure that enough of the food at my meal measured up to the three-star standard.  Savoy states, “[A] dish may originate from anything, be it a sensation, a memory or a chance meeting. It takes shape through a series of stages, each stages designed to elicit an emotion.”  And this was, perhaps, a little too true.  At times, it could be highly rewarding - taking one back to one’s childhood, like the pintade.  Most of the time, however, it was a bit disorienting - a little too emotional and attention-deficient.  It lacked focus and cohesion.

But the food doesn’t seem to be Guy Savoy’s primary concern. He goes for the total effect: “Dining at Guy Savoy means weaving your own personal fine, almost intangible, path between flavours engaged in dialogue with one another… you won’t be sure whether your best memory will be the taste of the langoustines, the touch of the fine linen, the sparkle of the crystal, or a dazzling smile. True character cannot be defined so easily… it can’t be forgotten so easily either.”

This one is not like the others. This one is an haute couture carnivale, replete with pomp and pageantry. For that, I can understand why Guy Savoy has been cherished and adored.

Here is what we had:

Amuse Bouches

Foie Gras “Club Sandwiches”

Soupe de Potiron

La Truffe Blanche

Entrees

Bar et Rouget Comme Un “Carpaccio“

Coquillages en bouillon d’agrumes.

Coquilles Saint-Jacques “Crues-Cuites“

Pommes de terre et poireaux aux algues.

“Radis-Foie”

Escalope de foie de canard poelee, puis etuvee en papillote avece des radis roses.

Supreme de Volaille de Bresse

Foie gras et artichaut, vinaigrette a la truffe.

Canons de Legumes

Champignons et herbes, bouillon ferme et jus de champignons.

Soupe d’Artichaut a la Truffe Noir

Lamelles de truffe noir et copeaux de Parmesan, brioche feuilletee aux champignons et buerre de truffe tartine.

Plats Principaux

Agneau Crostillant-Moelleux

A la graine de legumes.

Volaille de Bresse Confit et Lacquee

Pintade Pochee en Vessie

Riz basmati, jus “truffes-foie gras.” (pour 2 personnes)

Desserts

Poires et Citrons

En saveurs d’herbes.

“Exotiques”

Autour de Coing

-

Petits Fours Trolley

[robyn]

I insisted that my brother and SIL try the 100 euro lunch special at Guy Savoy on his currrent trip to Europe (because it was our best meal in Paris). Here's the email he just sent me from Paris:

"Quick restaurant recap -- Senderens was nice, but not great. La Table was much better. The lunch menu was the ultimate bargain, 59 euros including wine. And Guy Savoy was great. Without asking we ended up with Hubert. Hubert turned our three course menu into five or six courses by splitting each of the courses for us. The food was almost too perfect to eat. And the desserts were amazing, I think we had four or five courses of desserts; we had to force them to stop bringing more. All of the staff, including Guy himself, could not have been nicer. With the wine, our 100 euro prix fixe ended up as a 390 euro check. But's who's counting..."

So that's two thumbs up from this family on Guy Savoy . Robyn

[The Food Doc]

I had dinner at Guy Savoy during my stay in Paris last month, and it was a extraordinary dining experience. I also had the good fortune of being attended to by Hubert, who was both professional and warm. The staff was equally professional and attentive, and they were attuned to my every need. Hubert recommended the autumn tasting menu, and offered to switch the chicken in the main course to a medley of pheasant, pigeon and duck, which was more apt for the season. The wine list was almost as heavy as the Guttenberg bible, and with so many choices, one could quickly become overwhelmed. I decided to stay with one region and asked the sommelier to select a bottle for me. Warning: the cheapest wines on the list are still well above 100 euro, so select wisely. The food was unbelievably delicious and presented beautifully, from the lobster three ways served in a haze of evaporating cold ice; to the red mullet split in half with the head still intact, a bed of mushroom slices expertly laid inside the fish's belly. And the desserts! From the sorbets to the cheese course to the puddings, there was enough variety, quantity and quality to sate any sweet tooth. At 560 euro, it was certainly an expensive meal (the most expensive meal I had before then was at Per Se), but it was well worth the hole in the pocket. I even had the chance to tour the kitchen after the meal, and Hubert gave me a copy of that night's menu to take home.

[Bu Pun Su]

Guy Savoy is no doubt a very famous chef; many believe he’s the last generation of the “true” nouvelle cuisine legend. Trained under Troisgros’ family, he himself also ‘produced’ many other top chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Thomas Keller. Despite all of this, his cuisine/restaurant is hardly the talk among foodies. Unconsciously, this could be the reason why I visited this place simply because I’ve been to many other 3-star restos and left with this one (and Pre Catelan)

Food (and wine) - 94/100

Guy Savoy (GS) is a talented and highly skilled chef. It can easily be seen from his dishes; while a bit similar to Alleno’s dishes – both are technically stunning, but GS’ creations somehow are not that delicious (it’s still good/tasty, but not something memorable or satisfy my palate & other senses). I’ve checked his menu 2-3 times each season since ‘06, and it seems that his dishes are trapped with time aka never changes, especially the tasting menu. And it’s indeed the case; nevertheless they have wonderful presentations and plating. Some of the highlights of my dinner are,

- I thought the turbot prepared two ways are excellent – poached rib of turbot served dry and in soup. The fish is tender, but a bit lacking of inherent flavor in itself. The sauce helped a bit, but a very light. Oh, many good autumn’s mushrooms

- The best dish is probably colors of caviar. Beautiful preparations divided into several layers including green bean puree, hot sabayon and caviar cream. One can see Savoy’s play with textures, flavors and temperatures. This is about as good as Robuchon’s famous cauliflower cream with caviar dish

- Another dish that’s spot on will be a pure and tender sweetbread (again light in taste) served with potato, foie gras and black truffle. If only it had been ‘crispier and sweeter’, it would have been a perfect dish

Other dishes I sampled are,

- Of course, the legendary artichoke soup. However, the best part of it for me it’s not in the soup itself – more on the fragrant smells of parmesan and the truffle. The hot brioche with truffle butter was indeed fantastic, but the soup itself (that should be the strength) is only ok for me

- The radish foie gras is probably a perfect example of a dish perfectly executed (the liver was not greasy at all) but not that delicious. The liver was a bit weak, and the radish does not help much either. Nothing really wrong, but nothing very right either

- Desserts: the grapefruit with earl grey sauce and biscuit is simple and nice while the more complicated ‘all black’ is just hard to swallow with so many things in it (almond paste, lime juice, black pepper etc.)

You’re welcome to see more on the pictures link below. As I went home after this meal, I think I kinda know what “bothered me” about the food (I guess I had high expectation on him): flavors. The main ingredients of the dishes are not delicious by themselves (lack seasoning/infusion or not so great raw materials which’re rather unlikely); then come the famous part of French cuisine – the sauce/the juice is weak compared to other French top-level chefs, as if they’re somewhat ‘watery’ or diluted with something else

I don’t know how to describe it any further. Probably, if you have eaten dishes prepared by Passard, Roellinger or Gagnaire then you will understand what I’m talking about. Regardless of that, it’s still better than Bocuse, Piege’s Ambassadeurs or Pont de Brent. It’s 94/100 (2 ½* in my note)

Service (and ambiance) - 96/10

Unlike the food, when it comes to service and overall dining experience, Guy Savoy is among the world’s best. The dining room is divided into a few different sections. The style is modern and rather minimalist with high ceiling and dark African woods act as partitions. Among fine dining places, the atmosphere was very joyful to the point of noisy as nearly everybody enjoyed the meal and had a good time here. As often mentioned by many, monsieur Hubert, the famous maitre d’, handled my table at the beginning. As the meal progressed, I was served by another young French gentleman whom was equally as good as Mr. Hubert. The restaurant was flexible with the menu and even my captain offered me to taste the whole desserts if I wanted to. It was a tempting offer … only until 10-course later did I realize that 2 desserts plus petit four trolleys were all I could take.

The restaurant was full-house even though it’s only Tuesday. Located in the narrow street of Rue Troyon, GS is pretty much the only attraction that could jam the road. Guy Savoy himself diligently walked around and visited his guests to show French hospitality at its best as well as the statement that as the chef and the owner, he also bothers to entertain his clients. Having a meal here is more than good food; GS will try to participate in each and every client’s happiness and celebration. They try to enhance the defining moments you have that brought you to this place whether it’s wedding anniversary, closing sales deal or as simple as having gastronomy experience. It’s the place where you will see human at its best – in line with the chef’s belief that restaurant is the most civilized place on earth. Overall, I bestowed 94.5 (slightly above 2 ½*) for my experience here. Did I regret it? No; will I return? Perhaps, but it won’t be in my top 5 Paris dining destinations

Here are the pictures - Guy Savoy Autumn '08

[FDE]

I will share our recent experience at Guy Savoy. The service at this place is extraordinary - professional without being too uptight. Guy Savoy came out to greet each guest as they arrived. The menu itself is impressive with 5 different languages! The "tasting of bread" was an experience. Here are some highlights:

“Ice-poached Lobster” - A bit gimmicky, but tasty:

Chef Savoy's "Colours of Caviar". Caviar cream at the bottom blanketed with a layer of green bean purée and Osetra caviar.

Oysters from Bresse Chicken in truffle and morel jus with asparagus. Bresse, the area considered to produce the finest chicken. "Oyster", regarded as the best part of a chicken (the tiny round piece of dark meat on the back near the thigh). And needless to say, black truffle, "the diamond of French kitchen".

Artichoke and Black Truffle Soup with parmesan shavings.

Accompanied the soup was this warm buttery mouth-watering wild mushroom brioche with a truffle spread! Glad that we saved room for it!

The full 10+ courses menu was €360, probably one of the most expensive in the world but definitely worth a try.

See HERE for photos/videos of the full meal.

[Bu Pun Su]

Along with Le pre catelan, restaurant Guy Savoy is among the Parisian 3-star places where I may not have much enthusiasm. Not because it was not good, but the competitors were simply much better (L’Ambroisie, Pierre Gagnaire etc.). This should explain why I only visited this place once, nearly a decade ago. However, it caught my attention again when Guy Savoy announced that his main restaurant will move to a much better space – hotel de la Monnaie. Since then, I also kept reading many favorable reviews about this place and ultimately La liste recognized it as the “best restaurant” in the 2017 edition. These are sufficient excuses for me return here in the Spring.

 

I did not see any dishes attracted my attention, so I ordered the restaurant’s set menu. It’s been a while … except the famous artichoke soup, I was pleased to know that I would eat mostly new & different dishes compared to my 1^st visit when Guy Savoy was still located at rue Troyon. The basics / ingredients were similar but different preparations: I could still find dishes with oyster, caviar-based, lobster as well as seasonal vegetables. The ingredients were superb, the kitchen performed high level cooking and the dishes tended to be more flavorful and sometimes concentrate this time around. I could appreciate the chef’s creations more and very much enjoy the turbot and lamb dishes (sadly I forgot to take a picture of the lamb). But, the part that elevated my experience this time in terms of food was the dessert – it’s better than the entrée & plat principal – I hardly encountered this kind of situation. The vanilla millefeuille (about as good as the Passard’s version) and dark chocolate parcel (pure chocolate lovers would adore this) were outstanding. The dessert trolley was, as usual, awesome in particular the rice pudding.

 

I am happy to see that Guy Savoy finally got a much grander dining room. He’s among the most respectable chefs in France and Europe and I always think his place of flagship restaurant should reflect that as well. The restaurant was divided into at least 5 (big) salons; each room has a very high ceiling and large windows. The color was predominantly black, in contrast to the white tablecloths and some colorful tableware. Oh, you would still find many of Chef Savoy’s art collections from rue Troyon – paintings and sculptures.

 

In this new place, the restaurant could accommodate 70 or so people, very big for a 3-star restaurant standard and it’s almost full. Given that it’s “only” on Tuesday, it looks like business-wise, Guy Savoy is doing very well. The consequence of this was that the service could not be as charming and personalized as before. The affable staffs still worked hard to make the experience to be fun and comforting, but I understood that they had to move fast clearing and brought in dishes – just imagine at least 40 people ordering the set menu (10+ dishes) plus a few diners asked for vegetarian options … no wonder the friendly and usually agreeable Hubert immediately said no to any tables who wanted a mix (different dishes) of a la carte and degustation menu; realistically the kitchen would have a hard time to cope with such demands. Even this time, I did not see the chef-owner to be around near the entrance or visit guests in the dining room like what he usually did in the past.   

 

The overall experience here has always been consistent: delicious food (though nothing blown away, the closest one would be the dessert), comforting and generous environment; warm, attentive and friendly service (felt this early when the restaurant was not that busy). If all aspects in the dining are important, Guy Savoy is your right place but if you’re very picky about having fantastic food … maybe not. After this meal, Guy Savoy still didn’t make the cut of my top 10 or 20 restaurants in the world. But, if you’ve never been here, please come once – Guy was a living legend in the French gastronomy and a great person

 

 

More detailed review: https://zhangyuqisfoodjourneys.blogspot.com/2017/11/guy-savoy-paris.html

 

Meal photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7124357@N03/sets/72157665737434069

 

[cachan]

February 2018. Whilst my meal here was extremely enjoyable I did not find the experience as memorable as L'Ambroisie or L'Arpege. Consistances d'Oursins was my best dish.