L'Ambroisie

[Bux]

I would always give it a shot and if you're staying at a hotel, it's quite possible your concierge has some leverage.

[zoeadler]

I'd 2nd Bux's poste - a conciege can work wonders. Also something I tried that worked was this...I called for a reservation 1 week in advance and said I was calling for Mr. Coutelle (no one famous, just the name of my boyfriend but they might think he was important since he had someone calling for him...). When they said there was no possibilities of a table, I said "Oh, Mr. Coutelle will be so disappointed". They put us on the waiting list and the next day I got a call for "Mr. Coutelle" telling us that he had some "good news" and that we got a table. Coincidence? Luck? Good timing? Maybe....but we did get that table. Worth a try,no?

[Bux]

Important people always have someone else do their chores, be it a secretary, or a concierge. It's one of the reasons Mrs. B makes many of our reservations through her travel agency. Even when there's no commission such as for a restaurant, she's calling for a "client." The opposite however, may be true if you're known to the restaurant. Where I'm known to a restaurant, or know I'm at least in the restaurant database, I will personally call and identify myself before asking for a table.

[MobyP]

Look, for food as good as theirs, I'd be on my knees begging if I thought it would do any good. And who knows? It might.

[MobyP]

A lunch with Magnolia at

Once again I gave M. Pacaud a destination dish, in this case the Feuilleté de truffe fraiche "bel humeur", salad de mache, and asked if he could build me a meal around it. They kindly agreed. I don't have time for a full review - perhaps in a few days - but here are some pictures until then. Again, forgive the poor quality.

The Menu:

The amuse: Langoustine bisque with chardonnay, langoustine, with a dice of roasted pepper and pineapple

Watercress puree with scallops, black truffle, and a truffle emulsion

Then he went off-menu: Roasted pigeon with roast shallots, jerusalem artichokes, and sauce perigourdine.

Finally the main event.

Two thick slabs of black truffle surrounding a wedge of foie gras, roasted in puff pastry and served on a black truffle sauce. On the side a salad of mache with more black truffle.

For dessert, a mandarin dessert centered around what I can only describe as a mandarin fondant, witth a mandarin sorbet and tuile on the side.

By this point I was too full to remember to keep shooting, so I forgot to snap the miracle of a chocolate tart that came next, followed by mignardise. Will get to a proper review when I can.

Edited March 5, 2006 by MobyP (log)

[robert40]

MobyP,

If there was ever just one restaurant on my wish list to visit in Paris it would be L'Ambroisie. And with so little information available about the restaurant and Bernard Pacaud your report and photos are extremely apprieciated.

Just looking at the photos one can tell they were delicious and I will take delicious any day over shock value and thought provoking. Thank you.

Edited March 5, 2006 by robert40 (log)

[winemike]

Thanks for these pictures, MobyP!

I'm dining at L'Ambroisie next week and couldn't wait... it's worse now!...

[molto e]

Moby,

Wow, what a meal!!

Molto E

[bleudauvergne]

I simply adore the china. Is that platinum around the edges?

[fresh_a]

Too expensive

[robert40]

Some very nice photos I happened to find today.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/search/text:Ambroisie/?s=1

[MobyP]

Too expensive

←

Compared to what? Arpege?

[cmling]

The prices *do* astonish me, who is not all that easily astonished. But I have a feeling that a money-is-no-object mood could lead to a very nice experience there.

Not anytime soon, alas. But this restaurant interests me strangely.

Edited March 11, 2006 by cmling (log)

[MobyP]

I save up for quite a while, take on extra freelance writing jobs, and accept all birthday donations to pay for my trip (which includes a Eurostar train ticket arriving in the morning and leaving in the evening). You'll hear no complaints about price from me.

Edited March 13, 2006 by MobyP (log)

[alexhills]

I have a tendency to translate food and wine indulgence directly into piano lessons (my means of paying for them). A decent dover sole is a mere 10 minutes of teaching, a good bordeaux about 3 lessons, that lunch looks like about 20 lessons worth... I think I could probably live with that to eat that truffle and foie dish If I spent ten weeks thinking of my 2 most painful students as lunch at l'Ambroise that might make life much easier!!

Seriously though, of all the meals I've seen accounts of from there this one excites me the most, do tell more if you get the chance.

[winemike]

The prices *do* astonish me, who is not all that easily astonished.  But I have a feeling that a money-is-no-object mood could lead to a very nice experience there.

Not anytime soon, alas.  But this restaurant interests me strangely.

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I know people who have spent 200k Euros on a car...

L'Ambroisie's prices do not astonish me.

It's called priorities.

[algy]

I know people who have spent 200k Euros on a car...

L'Ambroisie's prices do not astonish me.

It's called priorities.

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"The language of priorities is the religion of Socialism."

[MobyP]

I know people who have spent 200k Euros on a car...

L'Ambroisie's prices do not astonish me.

It's called priorities.

←

"The language of priorities is the religion of Socialism."

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L'Ambroisie - "Working Man's Food."

[cmling]

The prices *do* astonish me, who is not all that easily astonished.  But I have a feeling that a money-is-no-object mood could lead to a very nice experience there.

Not anytime soon, alas.  But this restaurant interests me strangely.

←

I know people who have spent 200k Euros on a car...

L'Ambroisie's prices do not astonish me.

It's called priorities.

←

Oh, I do understand what you mean. I flew to New York from Vienna in 1980 to hear Horowitz (assuming that he would never play in Europe again), then gladly paid five times what any other ticket for a recital would have cost when he *did* play in Vienna in 1987.

The only thing that just might give me pause is that I could eat at least two, probably three, exquisite meals for the price of the Ambroisie experience.

But then again, I did say (didn't I?) that I am entirely willing to believe it is worth it.

Interpreting the statement above more or less literally, I can only take it to mean that L'Ambroisie's priorities are to make lots of money. Fair enough!

Edited March 15, 2006 by cmling (log)

[Carlsbad]

I wonder if L'Ambroisie might be able to incorporate more truffles in one meal.

[robert40]

I am not positive on this and if wrong please someone correct me. But at 40 seats and Pacauds reputation for not sacrificing ingredient quality no matter the cost. I just am not sure his restaurant is a financial gold mine.

I'm sure it's not in the red but I doubt it is making the profit that say a 200 seat restaurant is.

[winemike]

The prices *do* astonish me, who is not all that easily astonished.  But I have a feeling that a money-is-no-object mood could lead to a very nice experience there.

Not anytime soon, alas.  But this restaurant interests me strangely.

←

I know people who have spent 200k Euros on a car...

L'Ambroisie's prices do not astonish me.

It's called priorities.

←

Oh, I do understand what you mean. I flew to New York from Vienna in 1980 to hear Horowitz (assuming that he would never play in Europe again), then gladly paid five times what any other ticket for a recital would have cost when he *did* play in Vienna in 1987.

The only thing that just might give me pause is that I could eat at least two, probably three, exquisite meals for the price of the Ambroisie experience.

But then again, I did say (didn't I?) that I am entirely willing to believe it is worth it.

Interpreting the statement above more or less literally, I can only take it to mean that L'Ambroisie's priorities are to make lots of money. Fair enough!

←

Lots of people reading far more in a few words than what they actually say...

Yes, L'Ambroisie is worth it. I certainly never said it was not.

Yes, the Ferrari is worth its price.

Yes, you were right to fly to NY to hear Horowitz.

Yes, not everybody can afford it.

When you're passionate about something, reason rarely (if ever) gets in the way.

I am not saying either that Pacaud is making tons of money. And I do not care about this. What I see is that these prices are not astonishing in context. L'Arpege is not cheaper, neither is Pierre Gagnaire.

All I was trying to say is that at this level, these prices are not surprising. Sorry for those who misunderstood what I said...

Want to talk about the price of wine?...

[Jon Tseng]

its the old one innit that people pay based on wot they think its worth rather than wot it takes to produce it

this is why teachers and nurses get paid so little &tc

J

[John Talbott]

I would gently (I hope), kindly (I think), but firmly (definately) remind us all that we are members of a Society dedicated to the discussion of food.

Be well.

Back to L'Ambroisie.

John

[winemike]

L'Ambroisie...

I had dinner there last friday, 17th of March.

It was great food. But not mind blowing either. Lots of truffles.

The "veloute de cresson aux noix de Saint Jacques, emulsion de truffe" was a nice dish with outstanding scallops but I was not moved by it. The watercress was very unwelcomed by the wine (though I mentioned the potential problem when I ordered the dish and was told there would not be any problem…)

Then, the one dish that was outstanding was the "escalopine de bar poelees, asperges et truffe".

The aspargus was simply the best I have ever eaten. Cooked to absolute perfection with an unbelievable taste. It shined in this truffle packed dish.

The truffle "tapenade" that was in this dish is also something I will remember. A pure delight….

Of course, all ingredients are of the best imaginable quality. Cooking was perfect.

Then the "Poulette de Bresse rotie au beurre de truffe, gratin de macaroni"… was just too much. Again, amazing poultry but it was just too much food. The "gratin de macaroni" did not bring anything here. It was very creamy but remained uninteresting. I would have much preferred a simple salad. This was a dish that I will not remember, though the poultry's quality in undeniable.

The dessert "Palet de chocolat lacte aux marrons glaces, sabayon single malt" was really nice indeed. The sabayon was very peaty (made with 10y old Ardbeg) and the marrons glaces outstanding. But nothing to be remembered. Just a nice dessert.

Service was nice if slightly rigid.

The wine recommendation was not good. I chose to start with a Pol Roger Winston Churchill 1995 that was really reasonably priced and was going for a '99 Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet to follow though asked the sommelier for a better choice, if he thought I was not doing this right. Well well well… he first recommended a wine I knew would not be to my liking (I have tried it before and it is nowhere near great wine). He then pointed me to Chandon de Briailles '99 Corton "Le Charlemagne". Well, since I do not know the producer (just by name), I trust the sommelier and go for it. This was a mistake. I tried the wine and thought it alright at the first sip (though not great either…) but when warming up, it was clearly disjointed, over the hill, missing complexity and not powerful enough for this hearty dish that the "Poulette de Bresse" was. I was annoyed. But what can you do? It was served slightly too cold at the beginning and you can't return a wine once the third of the bottle is gone. Note to self: choose wine without sommelier advice next time.

The bill was... Well… you know… but the experience was worth the money and certainly in the range of other 3 macs restaurants in Paris.

Cheers

Mike