Trois Etoiles A Paris...

[Culinista]

Vinobiondo, I went to Grand Vefour about May 2004. And that second group was not meant to be "destination dining." It was part of my personal list of places where I ate very well and did not feel ripped off, although not necessarily sublimely. I think they are good places to learn about French cuisine at various levels.

How has the Cinq ruined special occasions?

←

[fresh_a]

It's easy to announce on a huge public board like this how bad a restaurant is, without giving any specific examples--but if you give specifics, it makes you look credible and responsable, instead of just dismissing places offhand...

Edited December 2, 2005 by fresh_a (log)

[ulterior epicure]

The problem is that most people can't afford to suspend economic reality often enough to reach the level where they are truly comfortable taking a gamble in the haute cuisine setting. On this thread, UE tried to avoid precisely that. So many people get that bad first experience and either won't or can't risk getting burned again. I'm starting to think that people should approach their first megabuck meal the way they would approach the high stakes tables in Vegas: play only with what you won't mind losing, because in this day of inflated prices and inconsistent ratings, there are no guarantees. The only way to even the odds is to know yourself and your tastes thoroughly, and do due diligence research before going. The redeeming factor about modern day gastrotourism is that there is incredible information available on egullet and food blogs.

Culinista

I have to agree with Bux - thanks for the excellent posting. Re: the quoted text, I must say that I am extremely frugal and usually rather risk-averse... but not with dining. While Le Cinq did leave me "bleeding," I moved on.... since then, I have had several near-perfect meals at three starred restarants. I approach each one as you and Bux have put it - a learning experience... and I find that my rather indulgent frequency is affording me a surprisingly steep learning curve. I look back on my experience at Le Cinq now even more confident that my disappointment is justified. I faulted myself for perhaps not being able to appreciate some uknown factor due to ignorance... but after "eating-around," I have discovered that my natural instincts at the time were more telling than I had let myself believe...

U.E.

EDIT: P.S. All signs seem to point to Le Bristol, Le Pre Catalan, and Gagnaire the next time I visit Paris... this last time afforded only one meal, and I chose a simpler affair - L,Os a Moelle, which I found solid, but underwhelming...

Edited December 2, 2005 by ulterior epicure (log)

[docsconz]

have not followed the thread

only offer this advice

gagnaire can be transcendental

←

I have no doubt that this can be so. The quality of the product brought to my table was excellent and clearly had potential. Unfortunately much of what was on the plates tasted rather awful. There was too much of an imbalance toward bitterness in his flavor profiles. Nevertheless these dishes looked beautiful and the service was excellent.

[jeffj]

Because the restaurant doesn't have a website, it's often difficult to get up-to-date information on L'Ambroisie. So, for those who are interested, I thought I'd post the current menu (as of a week and a half ago):

[MobyP]

Jeff, did you take pictures?

[jeffj]

Jeff, did you take pictures?

←

I did, though lighting was on the dim side...I'll try and get them posted once I have some time to process them through Photoshop.

-j

[robert40]

Jeff,

Don't forget the deal we made eons ago about my getting first dibs on your photos in trade for my first born.

[cmling]

Because the restaurant doesn't have a website, it's often difficult to get up-to-date information on L'Ambroisie.  So, for those who are interested, I thought I'd post the current menu (as of a week and a half ago):

←

I note with interest that the restaurant seems to have customized (not the most elegant term, but I think you know what I mean) your meal. E.g. the perdreau rôti does not appear on the menu.

It all seems entirely wonderful. If I ever get to Paris again, I think I simply must eat at L'Ambroisie. (My meagre experiences so far: Le Pré Catelan - very good; Lucas-Carton/Senderens - one of the best meals of my life, close to perfection.)

I suppose 400 Euros per person (including unimportant wine and a non-bow-down-and-pray digestif) should do it?

Strange, but I seem to have fallen in love with a restaurant I have never seen!

[jeffj]

I note with interest that the restaurant seems to have customized (not the most elegant term, but I think you know what I mean) your meal.  E.g. the perdreau rôti does not appear on the menu.

It all seems entirely wonderful.  If I ever get to Paris again, I think I simply must eat at L'Ambroisie.  (My meagre experiences so far: Le Pré Catelan - very good; Lucas-Carton/Senderens - one of the best meals of my life, close to perfection.)

I suppose 400 Euros per person (including unimportant wine and a non-bow-down-and-pray digestif) should do it?

←

Yes, there were a few specials for the day that were not listed on the menu including the partridge which I ordered. L'Ambroisie is one of the best 3-star values in my opinion so 400 euros would be more than enough (we were closer to 300/person)

[pim]

I wandered in for lunch at L'Ambroisie yesterday. A perfect specimen of a torchon of foie gras -if there ever was one- to begin. A perfect bowl of soft eggs a la florentine with an ample supply of shaved white truffle on top to *really* begin. A gorgeously done piece of sole with black truffle and green almond drizzled with a bit of coriandar oil, accompanied by a 'terrine' of leek layered with black truffle slices for the main part of the meal. Drank a delicious Chablis, '99 Domaine de l’Eglantière with everything -good acidity and minerallity but even more amazing nose and taste of acacia honey, just wonderful.

Gave up cheese for dessert, and was amply rewarded by it...

A new dessert not yet on the menu but was on offer was a biscuit de pain d'épice à la clémentine...sounded so tempting I had to try it, but not after agonizing a few minutes over foregoing my Favorite Chocolate Tart in the World.

So the biscuit de pain d'épice it was. A fabulously delicate, and simply fabulous little round cake, crispy and crackling on the outside, with a molten center of pain d'épice cream and bits of clementine confite, served with fresh segments of -what else- clementine on the side. This was one of the two best desserts I had this year.

After clearing my dessert place, and basically reaching the limit of my ability to eat, I was looking forward to a long stroll to lighten myself up after such a huge meal, but yet another set of silverware was placed in front of me, with Pascale grinning ear to ear, brimming with mischief.

Oh no I wasn't done. Evidently not. Another plate arrived from the kitchen, my tarte fine au chocolat! They insisted they could not possibly let me out of there without my favorite dessert. So I had to eat it, all of it, the regular-size slice no less. How could I not in the face of such generosity. So I did. And I am still paying for it now....

Had coffee to wake myself up enough for the walk home....didn't even touch a piece of the generous mignardise...couldn't possibly have....

I also took photos. These will likely never be as good as jeffj's, I'm afraid, but I've got them so here they are...

Foie gras de canard confit au poivre gris, composé de coings au Vouvray

Oeufs de poule mollets à la florentine, râpéde truffe blache

Sole with black truffle, green almond, coriandar oil, and 'terrine' of leek layered with black truffle

Biscuit de Pain d'épice à la Clémentine

Biscuit de Pain d'épice à la Clémentine

Tarte Fine au Chocolat

Tarte Fine au Chocolat

Mignardise