The return of one of this generation’s greatest Chefs, CHEF David Toutain

All reviews of my Michelin star meals will be listed  on the left, from the higher to lower rated meals. But this blog, despite its name,  won’t focus anymore solely on my  restaurant reviews. It will, from now on, be the full expression of my own self with posts — in both my mother tongue (French) as well as in English – covering everything from my vision of the world, arts, cooking, literature, travel, etc. A  blog in its conventional definition, which means the expression of whatever I have on my mind and that I deem interesting to share.

Whenever I visit a new restaurant in Montreal, you will find that review linked in the summary of all my Montreal restaurant meals.

CHEF David Toutain is back. Well, soon. Chef Toutain is not only one of world’s most gifted Chefs but what a Chef: forget the easily manipulated puppet-cooks fueled by the promotion of their ego on TV, forget those who went washing dishes at some big restaurants and came back in their cities with the fake  clothes of a wanna be grand Chef…forget those. Think of a Chef, a real one with exceptional REAL talent, real charisma, real deserving praises. A real artist behind  his stoves: Chef David Toutain. Last year, while his talent was all the rage throughout the globe, for his work at Agapé Sustance, Chef Toutain did what the average cooks have hard time doing: instead of cashing in and taking advantage of the momentum (with the usual easy route of big appearances on TV, multiple restaurants), he resigned, and took a year long break to pursue his discoveries of the world.  For now, follow this great interview that Franck Pinay-Rabaroust did with Chef Toutain.

Restaurant L’Ambroisie, Paris (Review in Japanese)

L’Ambroisie, Paris

２０１１年３月２５日（金）１２：３０、パリの３ツ星レストラン、「ランブロワジー」にてランチ。

店データ：伝統的なフランス料理。

（住所）9, pl des Vosges Paris, France (4e arrondissement)

（URL）http://www.ambroisie-placedesvosges.com/

（電話） 01-42-78-51-45

Langoustine, ananas, velouté de crustacés（ヨーロッパアカザエビとパイナップル、エビのポタージュ）：昨日他のミシュラン三ツ星レストラン（ルドワイヤン）で食事をし、その味に大きな感動を覚えることはなかったと書いたのだが、それは私が探しているこのレベルの料理においての素晴らしい味わいは必ず存在しており、しかしながらそこでの発見は無かったということであった。しかしながらここ「ランブロワジー」は私が期待し続けていた完璧な例を書き綴る機会をすぐに与えてくれたのである。このアムズ・ブシュであるラングスティーヌは申し分の無いもの（神々しいまでのうまさとしっとり感）であった。驚きはそこで終わらない。ブリュノワーズのパイナップル（グリーンペッパー、レッドペッパーのダイスとミックスされたもの）はそこらのブリュノワーズではない。魅惑的に、天才的に作り上げられた、すべての他のブリュノワーズの典拠とでも言っておこう。更にこのヴルーテにおいては何といえば良いのだろう。これこそ探し求めていたこのレベルの料理というものである。卓越したうまさ！満点。有星、無星レストランで今まで試した中で最も優れた一品の一つだ！

Chaud froid d’oeuf mollet au cresson , asperges vertes, caviar oscietre gold（クレソンと堅め半熟玉子、グリーンアスパラと金のキャビア添え） ：euf mollet（卵は予想通りの完璧な半熟）はクレソンのソース（ソースによる楽しい意外性を含んだ卵の味を楽しめた）で覆われており、アスパラガス、（彼らは野菜を上手く調理することを極めている）キャビア（一般的な、チョウザメの薄味で高級な塩づけの魚卵。トップレベルの料理に期待するもの）が添えられていた。

Oeuf en coque（半熟玉子）：「ラルページュ」のシェフ、パサルド、申し訳ない、貴方の有名な「卵」の前菜は大好きだが、パコーの‘Oeuf en coque’は極上だ。うまい。半熟玉子のすべてのうまみの本質がシンプルにアサツキのみで高められている。驚愕！満点以上！

Sea bass and artichoke atop a caviar (Ocietra gold from Iran) white butter sauce（シーバスとアーティチョークのキャビア添え、ホワイトバターソース）：シーバスは上手く調理されており（完璧な火の通り具合）味は最高（この見た目の悪い魚がこんなにうまくなるとは！）バターソースはすばらしく口当たりが良く、材料（者ルロットと白ワイン）とも好相性だ。丁度よい酸味（ソースの白ワインからきている）がその高級感を湛えていた。マイルドな味のアーティチョーク（スライスされた中心部）がソースとよく合っており、チョウザメの加工された塩漬けの卵の質はピカイチであった。総して、非の打ちどころがない（この魚の下準備に相当の時間を掛けているのは明らかである）一品というのはとても貴重なうまさなのだ。この料理に「マジック」は感じないが、そこでの３本の指に入るに値するだろう。（評価：A9/10）

Tarte fine sable au cacao, glace à la vanilla bourbon（薄いココアサブレのチョコレートタルト、ブルボン産ヴァニラのアイスクリーム添え）：薄いココアサブレの層で覆われた、ヴァニラアイスクリームを添えたチョコレートタルト。このタルトは驚くべき製菓技術の秘密をそのうまさと共に明らかにした。これもまた満点

私は訪れる前に「ランブロワーズ」についてたくさんの記事を読んだ。卓越している、との評価、たまに伝統的基準で測れない、とも。特にこのランチを基準に言わせてもらうと、後者の評価を出した人達は果たして同じレストランで食べたのだろうか？それとも、もしかしたら彼らが食事をしに来たときキッチンに誰もいなかったのでは？冗談はさておき、私が楽しんだ３月２５日金曜日のこのランチは、私が理想とする完璧な三ツ星料理の完璧な例であった。食べ物は極上のうまさであり、更に。。。。続きをどうぞ！

ここでもまた、いくつか言葉を挙げたい。誰かがサービスは完璧だったと書いてあったのを知っている。しかし彼らが「レンガの壁」に遭遇した、と書いてあったのはどうであろう。最近私は彼らに「真剣」と「冷たい」を混乱しないように、と進言した。分かっている、そのサービスはプロフェッショナルである、間違いなく。しかしながら、３ツ星レストランに何を期待するのか？ここはビアホールでもビストロでもない、そうであろう？パスカル氏、このランチで私を担当した彼は本当にプロフェッショナルかつ素晴らしいジェントルマンである。「OUi, oui」・・・彼は真面目で控えめであった、そう、だから？私は軽くジョークを交わし、その後彼はリラックスしていた。私たちはルムラック氏の引退について少し話し、私がその食事で選んだ素晴らしいドメーヌ・ルフレーヴ２００６年物など、様々な楽しい話をした。食事中ずっと、この申し分ないサービスを観察しながらランチを楽しんでいたのだが、私は自分自身に問い続けていた。「何が問題だというのだ？本当に同じレストランか？（笑）・・・おそらく言葉の壁・・・いや、それにしても彼らは皆良い感じではないか、一体・・・いや、とにかく、」　結論：三ツ星レストランに期待すべき、申し分のないサービスである。

総じて、びっくりするような値段を誇っている、というのが大多数（ウェブサイト上＋私のパリの高級フレンチの常連仲間の意見）が認めてるところであるが、もっとも重要なことは運ばれてきた料理、それが極めて　う・ま・い！ということだった。それよりも私にとって明らかになったことは、このような食事を経験して私はもはやランブロワーズが現在存在する中で最も優れた高級三ツ星フレンチレストランであるということに驚かない。今、この日まで訪れたことのなかったパリの最近のミシュラン３ツ星の称号を得たただ二店、ルドワイヤンとランブロワーズを訪れ（幸運なことに、パリの三ツ星はそれほど多くなく、最近新たに取得した店もなかった）、私は自身を持ってランブロワーズがーこの時点においてー個人的に選んだパリでナンバーワンの３つ星であることを宣言できる。特別な食事として何年も私の思い出に残るだろう。

L’Ambroisie, Paris – DIVIN!

L’Ambroisie, Paris

Dejeuner au  restaurant L’Ambroisie, Paris
Vendredi  25 Mai 2011 12:30
Étoiles Michelin: 3
Addr: 9, pl des Vosges Paris, France (4e arrondissement)
URL: http://www.ambroisie-placedesvosges.com/
Telephone 01-42-78-51-45
Type de cuisine: Francaise

Parfois  les jours  se suivent mais ne se ressemblent pas. Heureusement, dans ce cas ci!  Alors qu’ hier,  Jeudi 24 Mars, mon repas  au triple étoilé Michelin Ledoyen ne m’a aucunement charmé (en termes d’éclat gustatif ce fut à oublier, dommage que cela ne s’ajuste jamais  sur la facture …), on est aujourd’hui dans un tout autre registre: celui des papilles qui en redemandent! Aux oubliettes les critiques qui, sur le web, se sont appliquées à minimiser la grandeur de cette table: ce midi, à L’Ambroisie, les faits me propulsent  plutot parmi ceux qui ont énormément apprécié cette grande table. Tout, absolument tout, releva du bonheur divin.   Je tire et je pointe: avec Bernard Pacaud aux fourneaux (il y était ce Vendredi sur l’heure du midi), celle ci est la meilleure table de haute cuisine Francaise de notre époque.  N’en déplaise aux sceptiques!

Les Plus:  avec un titre comme DIVIN!…que voulez vous de plus? Évidemment, il y’a un prix au bonheur cosmique.

Les Moins:  Rien à dire, par contre attendez vous à le chercher un petit peu sous les arcades de la Place des Vosges (c’est pas sorcier, et ca n’est relativement pas non plus immense la Place des Vosges, mais moi j’ai du un peu chercher pour trouver).

Ma note:  10/10 (A mon avis, en matière de haute cuisine Francaise classique, vous trouverez difficilement mieux parmi les 3  étoiles Michelin actuels)

Y retourner:  biensur. Je pense que tant que Bernard Pacaud sera là, ca sera toujours un temple de la célébration gourmande comme on en trouve de moins en moins. Mais Bernard s’approche de la retraite.

Photos et autres détails dans mon billet en Anglais.

Restaurant Ledoyen, Paris (Review in Japanese)

２０１１年３月２４日(木)１２：３０、パリのミシュラン３つ星レストラン「ルドワイヤン」にてランチ。

店データ：伝統と現代風をミックスさせた高級フランス料理。

　　　　　　(住所)1 Avenue Dutuit, Carré des Champs Elyseesパリ第８区

　　　　　　　　　　メトロ；Champs Elysees-Clemenceau

　　　　　　（電話）+33 01 53 05 10 01

料理の評価：８ポイント/10　（このランチにおいてはデザートのポイントが高かった）

サービス：１０ポイント/１0 (文句なし！)

Tartare de dorade à la tahitienne（平鯛のタルタルタヒチ風）:期待通りの素材の質の良さ（ソースの上に添えられた薄切りのホタテも含め、魚介は極上の鮮度）、素材の味を生かした完璧なバランスの味付けだ。いいタルタルだが、このレベルの視点から言わせると、意外な香りとの組み合わせなど、もう少し独創性があればより一層抜きでたものになると思われる。下に敷かれたアップル・レモンのジュレは効いているが、それでもなお「歩行者」の一品に納まっている。（評価：7.5/10）

Jardins de légumes vert à l’émulsion de radis（緑の野菜の庭、ラディッシュのエミュルション）エンドウ（最高種）、グリーンピース（高品種）、オニオン、ドライトマトにラディッシュのソースをあしらったサラダ。かわいらしい盛り付け。この一品もまた「楽しめる」ものだが、私がこのレベルの料理に求めるものではなかった。誤解を招くようであるが、私はここに「花火の炸裂」を求めているわけではない。ただ、少し上の段階の「冒険」がもたらす味覚の楽しみを期待しているのだ。（評価：７/10）

Sole de petite cotière étuvée de petit pois（舌鮃の小さな丘、グリーンピースの蒸し煮）舌鮃はチューブのように盛り付けられており完璧な美しさであった。実に美味で、魚のしっとりした食感は完璧。言うまでもなく、神秘的な調理技術が施されているに違いない。緑色のロールには、グリーンピースのクリームとトリュフのソースが詰められており、そのソースが何とも良い燻製された香りを残していて、とても気に入った。満足。(評価：8/10)

Grosses langoustines Bretonnes, émulsion d’agrumes（ブルターニュの大ヨーロッパアカザエビ　柑橘のエミュルション）シェフ・クリスティアンレスクールはこの一皿に中東の風を吹き込んだ。ロブスターのミンチをカデフ（バーミセリに似た細いパスタの様なもの）でボール状に包み揚げたものをラングスティーヌの上に添えていた。柑橘果汁とオリーブオイルベースのエミュルションに関しては実に上手く計算されていた。（ラングスティーヌの味を生かす軽い味でありなおかつそのソース自体を楽しむ要素も加えられていた）しかし、口の中である程度味わっていると、それは驚くほど微々たるものになってしまうのだ。（何らかのパンチが必要）アイデアは良いと思う。柑橘の香りの乳化物はごく自然にロブスターに合うからである。私はもっと優れたバリエーション（香りに富んでいる）を味わったことがあるが、彼の一品も良いものと言えるだろう。（ロブスターは上手く調理されていた＋カダフを添えた取り組みとアイデアはボーナスポイントに値する）（評価：7.5/10）

Toasts Brules d’Anguille（焦がしトーストウナギ載せ）紫色のトッピングはウナギをグレープジュースとワインで煮詰めたものだ。創造性、アイデア、遊び心は満点、味覚は８ポイントというところだろう（味、というよりは見る楽しみの方が強かったが、それでもうまい、とても工夫された一品といえる）。一緒に添えられていたものは“creme de raifort”が詰められたキューブ状のポテトだ。まあまあな一品。

Fraise “guariguette” parfumées coriandre/hibiscus（ガリゲットイチゴ、コリアンダーとハイビスカスの香り）：完璧なデザート。卓越した味わいと独創性溢れる盛り付け。私が求め続けていた味わい（究極に完成された-もしくはその逆ともいえるであろう-風味、食感、おいしさ）が遂にこの最高デザートによって解き放たれたのである。（評価：満点）

サービス

メートル・ドゥベルトランド・パニェ社交氏は的なジェントルマンであり、プロフェッショナルかつ面倒見が良い。この男は「サービス精神」とは何かを知っており、そして彼の気さくさ（彼は世界中を旅しており、今は無きバンクーバーの「ブルッズ」等のトップクラスのレストランで働いてきた）は清々しいものであった。サービス全体において高級レストランに期待すべきレベルに値すると言えるであろう。丁寧できめ細やか。

まとめ

勿論、この食事においてのこの評価は三ツ星レベルに期待するものではない。しかしながら88ユーロ（ランチメニュー）という値段、そして完璧なサービスとすべての客に対する待遇の良さから私は強くルドワイヤンをお勧めする。本当に心地良かった場所だったので、取りあえず私がこのランチにおいてデザート（ある程度、“toast brulé”も含める）以外で感じた、味覚の物足りなさは良しとすることにする。彼らのランチメニュー（８８ユーロ）は、パリにおいて３ツ星料理をお手頃な値段で楽しむのに理想的なものであろう。

L’Ambroisie, Paris – A gift from the above!

L’Ambroisie, Paris

Event: Lunch at restaurant L’Ambroisie, Paris
When: Friday March 25th 2011 12:30
Michelin stars: 3
Addr: 9, pl des Vosges Paris, France (4e arrondissement)
URL: http://www.ambroisie-placedesvosges.com/
Phone: Phone: 01-42-78-51-45
Type of cuisine: Classic french

Food rating: 10/10 (Superb delicious food)
Service: 10/10
Overall Dining experience: 10/10 Everything, on this lunch, was of superior 3 star Michelin standards
Food rating: Exceptional (10), Excellent (9), Very good (8), Good (7)

I will, for this review on L’Ambroisie, seize the opportunity to elaborate a bit on my expectations, experiences and views on French cuisine in general, 3* Michelin Fine dining  and the Michelin guide in particular. I hope this will be useful to the  readers  of the current report.

I am French myself and as an admirer of French fine dining, I have naturally sacrificed a big portion of my hard earned money in what France offers on the upper scale of its restaurant scene.  L’Ambroisie, along with Ledoyen, are the only Parisian 3* Michelin ventures that I had not  visited yet as of today (Ledoyen was finally visited yesterday). You’ll find more about my experiences with France’s haute cuisine in the next sections of this review, but for now I’ll start with the motivation that lead to  my consideration of  the Michelin red book: for years, I have carefully followed all type of restaurant reviews. ALL! … only to end up with SOME supposedly serious food columnists (I wrote “some” since NOT ALL  of them are concerned by  my reservations)  raving  over  restaurants where impressive pre-sold magic are  never found in the plates but  rather  in the   media buzz  itself (I do not mind buzz. It is necessary as a business /marketing tool, but back your buzz by matching  reality)! When you end up with supposedly serious professionals who themselves recognize that they are well known to those they are reviewing, you know it is about time to put an end to the circus. That reliability I was dearly seeking, I knew  I had  to  find it elsewhere!  That is how I started to trust Michelin. Not that it is a perfect system (there will never be a perfect system anyways), but at least it does what has to be done: anonymous reviews (instead of the friendly reviews of some) and a rigorous work of evaluating  excellence in food and dining experience. Michelin may have its detractors (who doesn’t?) , but I prefer discretion and serious work over annoying quest for celebritism through restaurant reviewing.

Michelin being initially from France, I also tend to value its appreciations on … France’s restaurants. To some extent, its evaluations of French restaurants in general, whether they are in France or outside of France. I do not expect Michelin to be the specialist of non  French restaurants. But that’s just my personal expectations of  Bibendum’s works.

Many of the 3* Michelin France’s haute  dining —- that I partook in — have delivered some  moments of culinary amazement  (Michel Bras, when he was regularly behind  his stoves, that was   a true defining experience of 3* dining excellence in my opinion. Thought the same about  Michel Guérard, Olivier Roellinger, Gerard Besson,  Georges Blanc when they are / were  at  their very best). Chef Bernard Loiseau (had couple of meals cooked by him in 1992, 1993, 1997) , who unfortunately took his own life, will always be remembered too as one giant who has never failed to serve me what still rank, years later, among the best moments of all my Michelin starred meals (for those who went recently dining at his restaurant, please send me an email with details of  your own experience. I am curious to learn about the cooking of their current Chef, Monsieur Patrick Bertron).

Of course, I did also experience few  other  3* events that did not seduce, of which I could easily identify the major problems: usually it was either a hasty interest in modernizing the cuisine or a lack of clear culinary identity (this oftently happens when the kitchen switches in between the hands of too many cooks or a Chef whose brigade is weak / lacking in leadership).

How I chose a 3* table:

Most people I know won’t bother with careful long research on restaurants when it comes to  dining out. They  basically rely on opinions of who they think is enoughly reliable, eventhough this is clearly not a matter of reliability but of personal preferences as in  the preeminent and realistic long formula “”food enjoyment = personal expectations + knowing what you like Vs what you do not + what your palate has bookmarked as previous references + misc personal encounters during your diner + the ability of remaining humble enough to avoid unnecessary pretention +  how informed you were about the place you are dining at + what you have been eating before you head there + your state of mind + how open minded you are…and I’ll stop here, Lol! “””.  I can’t blame them (there are certainly other interests that deserve much attention), but my choice for a dinner goes through an absurdly (yeah, I’ve got to admit this…although I will always maintain such diligence) extended process: I read ALL, absolutely ALL possible comments, inform myself a lot about the Chef’s philosophy/creations/ background/achievements + the type of restaurant, its history, its style. I do the same, whenever it is possible, with the authors whose opinions  I read: enquiring about the style of dining he or she usually favors is one (among others)  essential piece of intelligence.

This dinner at L’Ambroisie is the result of a two years long  study on an impressive list of 3* Michelin tables around the world. Two years is time consuming, but I do not go to restaurants just for the sake of piling numbers (The  number of restaurants you visit says nothing about the quality of the dining experience you accumulate). I go to a restaurant for the adding value I presume the restaurant can bring to my personal dining experience.  Back to L’Ambroisie, it is interesting to note that  I could have picked restaurants on which there seems to exist more favourable conscensus. In Paris, if you do not want to miss the boat on the upper 3* Michelin starred dining echelon, just pick Guy Savoy, L’arpège or Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athénée. They are great: their food is consistently good and they treat you like you are a king. Exactly what we all should expect from an   expensive and haute  dining experience. But what attracts me to a restaurant is a combination of very precise factors: (1) food that has a chance to set some kind of new reference to my personal gustatory repertoire,  (2) food of a Chef mostly praised for that little touch that sets the truly talented cooks apart. And in the case of L’Ambroisie, there is also this reason: he –Bernard Pacaud – is one of the last chefs from the nouvelle cuisine movement. There is nothing ‘’nouvelle’’ anymore with that culinary movement , but this is one type of cuisine that suited well with my palate. Before Chefs like Pacaud  retires (He is 64 yrs old ), I’d suggest anyone interested in French fine dining to try at least once in their life the cuisine of those  last pioneers of the nouvelle cuisine.

I  was lucky enough to fullfill this aim to sample the food of some of them:  Michel Guérard (I sampled his food in 2005 and 2006 at Les prés d’Eugénie in Aquitaine. I hope it is still as great as it used to be since I never went back since ), Bocuse’s Auberge du Pont de Collonges in Lyon (2006,2007,2008 All three meals were admittedly not among the best I ate, but they all featured some dishes with character that  still rank high among those I keep referring back to whenever I indulge in French haute dining), Alain Senderens whose food I tasted in 2004 and 2009, and of course the other Chefs that I mentioned previously.

The meal began ..NOT with their  usual expected  serving of classic French cheese based savory choux pastry from Burgundy (gougeres), BUT with

Langoustine, ananas, velouté de crustacés - Bien, voilà. Yesterday, when I was at the other 3 star Michelin Parisian restaurant (Ledoyen) and I kept writing that I was not amazed by the food, what I meant is that the type of gustatory amazement that I am seeking at this level of cuisine does indeed exist and was not found there. It took no time for L’Ambroisie to give me the chance to write about the perfect example of what I was expecting.  On this amuse bouche, the langoustine itself was a treat (divinely tasty, moist) but the amazement did not stop there: that little complimentary ‘brunoise‘ of pineapple (mixed with dices of green, red peppers) was not your next-door brunoise. Think of a luxurious, geniusly-concocted brunoise that sets the reference for all other brunoise. And a lifetime  will never be enough to find  superlatives to describe the taste of that velouté. That was all I am looking  for at this level of dining -> Delicious with a huge D! And for sure, the  most successful food item I ever sampled at  a 3 star Michelin table since my meals at Joel Robuchon’s Hôtel du Parc and Frédy Girardet (both dinners occured in 1995)  . And those are far from being the last 3 star Michelin that I’ve visited. Which says a lot about the stunning palatable impact of this one food item (but it was not just tasty. It was packed with such  impressive technical mastery that most of the top restaurants out there would never manage to achieve in their entire existence). A 10 over 10 and off we go for one of the best food items I ever sampled with  any Michelin starred and Non starred dinings !

Chaud froid d’oeuf mollet au cresson , asperges vertes, caviar oscietre gold– The oeuf mollet (the egg is  successfully half cooked as it should)  was covered with a layer of watercress sauce (I enjoyed  the interesting kick brought by the sourness of the watercress to the egg)  and served along asparagus (they have mastered the doneness of the vegetable pretty well) and caviar (typical oscietra thin flavor, a rich quality salty fish roe   as I expect at  such heavy  price). A dish that has been perfected to deliver memorable deliciousness. 10 over 10

On the side, I was served with their:

Oeuf en coque: Sorry Chef Passard (at L’Arpège), I love your famous ‘egg’ appetizer … but the ‘Oeuf en coque’ of Chef Pacaud tantalizes me more:  DELICIOUS taste, kept all the essence of Oeuf en coque while boosting it with the simplicity of chives. Amazing. The huge D in  DELICIOUS! Another 10 over 10!

Sea bass and artichoke atop a caviar (Ocietra gold from Iran) white butter sauce -  Sea bass has always been one of my favourite fishes (especially the Chilean sea bass, with pan roasting being my #1 cooking method for fish). The seabass was nicely cooked (perfect moist interior) and tasted great (it is amazing how this ugly fish can taste good ;p).  The butter sauce had great textural quality, balance between its ingredients (shallots, white wine), and  enough acidity (coming from the sauce’s white wine) to control its richness . The mild flavor of the artichokes (sliced artichoke hearts) paired  well with the sauce and the quality of the sturgeon’s processed salted roe was at its finest. Overall, a dish that is technically without reproach  (you can see that each step of the preparation of that fish was well-timed) and more importantly delicious. It did not have the ‘magic’ of the previous courses, but deserved its rank among the best 3 star food items out there. A 8 over 10.

Concluded with an excellent pamplemousse Ice Cream (Again the D in DELICIOUS was at the rendez vous here again):

The Pamplemousse Ice cream

DESSERT:

Tarte fine sable au cacao, glace à la vanilla bourbon – A chocolate pie, its topping  made of a powdery cocoa layer, paired  with vanilla ice cream. I love pies because they reveal a lot about the technical level and personality of the Chef behind it. Yep, the pie … that simple item that we all virtually never miss…it hides some dirty little secrets, Rfaol! Pies are amazing: they are vibrant in taste and texture in the hands of a fun Chef, they are as great as the talent of their creator. I know this can be said of any food in general, but it shows up way more convincingly through a pie. Pacaud uses a dark rich chocolate from a famous Parisian chocolatier known for its quality products: Christian Constant. This is only my 5th or 6th experience with  Constant’s chocolate. They are fine but not my favourite (really a question of personal preference: I prefer Debauve & Gallais, Robert Linxe’s creations at la Maison du Chocolat where Constant used to work, Jean-Paul Hévin). Pacaud’s pie is indeed a little curiosity when you taste it for the 1st time (which is my case): it’s unusually delicate in both shape and consistency. And as I initially anticipated, it told me a lot about Pacaud: the raw talent (shown in the perfect thickening of the pie’s filling,  a soft and creamy plain chocolate filling that  was flawless in execution), the discretion and humility (no shocking deep flavors, no adornments), the exclusivity (not a common pie), the profound respect for the product’s identity  (I have spent years studying the signature tastes of many chocolatiers creations, and if you are familiar enough with those, you would not fail to decipher Christian Constant’s imprint in that chocolate). The challenge here is epic: we appreciate the effort,the quality of the product, the impeccable technique but did it live up to what matters: was it delicious? Was this the best chocolate pie my palate has ever flirted with? Response: YES, YES, Hell YEAH!! A perfect 10 (This pie is NOT raw…as I read in some reviews! And more importantly, it unveils  amazing culinary technical mastery mixed with DELICIOUS taste. Pair  that choco pie  with the vanilla ice cream that comes along –I forgot to ask but it tasted more like Tahitian vanilla rather than Malagasy one — and … ambrosially amplified goes the taste. Divine!) 10/10

I read a lot about L’Ambroisie before going there. Some found it sublime. Few others found it subpar. Based on this very specific lunch,  I am asking myself if those who found it subpar dined at the same restaurant? Or perhaps no one was in the kitchen when they dined there, Rfaol!..Joke apart, this one Lunch that I enjoyed on Friday March 25th is the perfect example of what I consider as the perfect 3 star dinner: food that is UBBER-DELICIOUS and …. read the rest!

SERVICE: Here again, I need to drop a few words. I know some wrote that the service was perfect. But what about those who wrote that they met with ‘bricks of wall’. To the latest, I urge them to not confuse ‘being serious’ with ‘being cold’. I know..I know..I know: the service is professional, serious. BUT what do you expect at a 3 star restaurant??   This not a Brasserie nor a Bistro, right??  Mr Pascal, my Maitre D on this lunch is  a serious professional and amazing gentleman. Oui, Oui…he looked serious and reserved, so what? I just craked some jokes with him and he was relaxed aftterwards.  We talked about Mr Lemoulac’s departure a bit, the amazing 2006 Meursault Leflaive I chose for the meal, and many other interesting subjects. All along this  meal, observing this impeccable service I was enjoying on this lunch, I kept repeating to myself  “”but what were  some complaining about? are we at the same restaurant, Rfaol!..perhaps the language barrier…but still, they were all nice, so what….anyways.”"”.    Bottom line: an impeccable service as you might expect at a top 3 star table.

DECOR:
If like me, you are fond of baroque style , then L’Ambroisie interior will appeal. I noticed the Aubusson tapestries that I kept hearing about when informing myself on L’Ambroisie (http://www.finehomecrafts.com/aubusson-tapestries.htm), the marble floors, paintings.  It is not  as grandiose as I had once anticipated, but extremely charming.

PROS:  I think that Bernard Pacaud’s  cooking (he was cooking on this lunch) is the finest haute French food that has ever blown away my taste buds since Joel Robuchon and Frédy Girardet have  retired. To my taste, this  overall dining experience on Friday March 25th at L’Ambroisie is exactly what reaches out to my own definition of the pinnacle of a 3 star Michelin dinner.

CONS: Nothing that  comes to mind.

CONCLUSION:  My definition of ‘’great food’’ turns around a  combination of   80% from  the natural talent of the Chef (the personal touch of an exceptionally skilled artisan, whatever magic his personal impulsive genius can generate, the s-o-u-l of the Chef!!)  + 20%  that will come from the quality of the ingredients. Basta! The rest (whatever philosophy, vision is great for both the Chef himself on a personal level and/or his marketing team) is theoretical.

There is an important distinction between talent and personal touch:

a Chef can be technically skilled (mastering various cooking methods, cooking at the correct temperature, with the right ingredient combinations, etc) but his food lacking in terms of soul (ever wonder why out of a team of highly talented chefs, cooking the exact same dish, with the exact same ingredients, there is always one or two who still manage to elevate the dish  to some kind of gustatory reference?). Passion? It should already be part of the personality of a great Chef  or else he has no business being a chef. Great ingredients? Absolutely, but in the hands of a non talented chef, they worth nothing.

Going there, I was looking for great cuisine that is taking no risks nor trying to be trendsetting (“dated” in not part of my vocabulary. Good or bad food are), but that is delectable and heartwarming. Going there, I was expecting Bernard Pacaud, a Chef widly praised  for his exceptional talent, to make a good impression on me. Fortunately, I got all of  of that at this restaurant.

The overall  may boast an impressive price tag, which most (opinions over the web + among those close to me who are regulars of Paris haute dining  ) have agreed on, but the most important was delivered:  food that  was superbly D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!  Many Michelin 3-star dinings have pleased me, but I can count with the fingers of my hands the few remarquable moments  when food was as savourish as on this one lunch.  Now that I’ve visited all current Parisian 3 Michelin star establishments –Le Doyen and L’Ambroisie being the only two that I had not visited up to this day (luckily, there are not that many and no newer Parisian 3 star have emerged lately), I can confidently state that L’Ambroisie is — at this moment —- my personal choice for #1 best Parisian three Michelin star (for the record, L’Arpège used to be my personal #1 for a long time, in Paris) .

L’Ambroisie reaches out to my dining expectations and philosophy:  I am not one interested in whatever theatrical or conceptual aspect of food. It is food and its main duty has to be fulfilled: it has to storm my palate for its superior savourishness.  They did it with the highest mastery one might expect at this level of cooking, shining with equal excellence on both the savories and the desserts. But L’Ambroisie went way beyond that:  this type of  decor, the service (elegant, serious and focused) , the way the sommelier did his work  (grace and efficiency),  absolutely everything went in line with what I expect from the best 3-star michelin   ventures.

To quote il Maestro Gualtiero Marchesi, one of my top favourite Chefs around the world: ”’A melody is composed only of the necessary notes‘.  L’Ambroisie, on this lunch was profoundly melodius. Our lives are defined by moments. This was a moment.  A moment of two hours and a half , transcendent and memorable.

If you came to me with such a statement as “”"this is currently the best classic Haute french michelin 3 star in operation in the world”’,   I’d reply that  ”’I concur with you””!  This one specific lunch was simply divine. The price? No..No..No..I won’t reveal it simply because as human beings, we tend to overwhelm excellence by material value. Which is not an issue when the experience is average (in which case, I see the $$$ in BOLD!! Rfaol!), but when it is exceptional — as it was with this one specific lunch at L’Ambroisie — I will never let numbers overshadow exceptional dining occurence!  There was,  on this lunch, a feel of remarkable  grace and  profound commitment  for   ultimate delicious  food   that will mark my souvenirs for a long time.

Wishing  you this  same amazement!

ADDENDUM – MY CURRENT FAVOURITE  3 STAR MICHELIN IN FRANCE (I am adding this section just for informative value only; added only to reviews of 2 and 3 star Michelin in France since it’s the country which restaurant scene I did familiarize myself with)  -> L’Ambroisie (this is a tricky one. Pacaud was on the verge of retiring when I lunched there, but he was cooking at lunch time when I was there. Based solely on that visit, it is clear in my mind that L’Ambroisie is simply the best Classic Haute French 3 star Michelin around the globe, let alone in France. Yep, with not one single hesitation regardless of the fact that such claim is always controversial. Now, is it the same when Pacaud is not there? I obviously can’t tell), Troisgros (I am normally not a big fan of the Troigros, primarily because I find it odd that a 3 star Michelin in France would opt for Intl influences as intensively as they do. Ironically, that does not bother me at all at the 2 star Michelin level, Rfaol! Go figure! Lol. But at the 3 star level, in France, Nah. Regardless, when this kitchen is in its prime, it is indeed one of France’s finest 3 star Michelin destinations and it is based on that observation that Troisgros somehow fits among my  favourite 3 stars in France), L’Arpège, Paris (Before I visited L’Ambroisie, this was my #1  three star Michelin in Paris. Many Chefs claim to treat ingredients with passion, which is a claim that I usually do not care about since they have to. But when such claim comes from the mouth of Alain Passard, it means something else. We are here among the exceptional few which love for the ingredient is genuine, not dicted. I am a huge fan of Passard, even when things did not go the way I wanted – for example on lesser impressive meals at L’Arpège —  because I come from a school of thought with  strong emphasis on how to treat and respect the produce from the second you remove it from the soil till it gets into your mouth. It would take an entire article to elaborate on that spectacular journey of the ingredient accompanied by its companion —because to me, that is what a real Chef is about…serving as the guide/companion  to his ingredient –   but Alain Passard was the one that better expressed it ), Les Pres d’Eugenie in Eugénie Les Bains (oh god, it has been a while I haven’t went back, but the souvenirs that I have are unlikely since not much has changed there, for example the kitchen still has the same staff as on my last visit there. One of France’s most solid 3 stars in my own experience, with French classic food delivered with panache /  Chef Michel Guérard)

WHAT I THINK MONTHS LATER:  Bernard Pacaud was behind the stoves on that lunch, and I regret to have discovered him so late at a stage where he is close to retirement.  Well, at least I had this priviledge because this is what I consider as a priviledge:  skills so exceptional that they pertain to my top 5 all time favourite Chefs of the globe, alongside Joel Robuchon, Jacques Maximin, Constant,  Girardet,  Besson.  Again, I never tried this place when Bernard Pacaud is not behind the wheels, so I can talk only for this one instance.

Ledoyen, Paris

Event: Lunch at Restaurant Ledoyen, Paris
When: March 24th 2011, 12:30
Michelin Star: 3
Type of cuisine:  Haute French with a mix of classic and contemporary fares
Addr: 1 Avenue Dutuit,  Carré des Champs Elysees
Arrondissement: 8th
Phone:+33 01 53 05 10 01
Metro: Champs Elysees-Clemenceau

Food rating: 6/10 I would have rated this meal with a 5/10 based on the ordinary savouries that I have sampled on this lunch,  but the dessert and depth of refinement shown in  the work of the nibbles showed impressive skills worth of an extra point on the aspect of the  overall food rating. With that said,  there is a section called “what I think months later”. You will find it at the bottom of this review. It sums pretty much everything I needed to say regarding this meal.
Service: 10/10 (Maitre D’ Bertrand Pagnet offered a highly accomodating  service)
Overall dining experience: 7/10 Although everything was to my taste (the classic decor, the service),
I did not find the dining experience to feature anything really particular on this lunch
Food rating: Exceptional (10), Excellent (9), Very good (8), Good (7)

We all dine at  3 Michelin star ventures for different personal reasons. Mine has nothing to do with its prestige, nothing to do neither with whatsoever gigantic expectations placed upon such dining events. For me, especially in Paris, it is the opportunity  for enjoying ingredients I do not get to oftently enjoy like the “poulet de bresse”, the “canard de challans”,  some exclusive cheese aged by Bernard Antony,  the Poujauran’s bread and many more (France has a soil that is blessed: their produces  are usually simply amazing, and this comes from someone who was born and raised on  a land of stunning poultry, meats, seafood, greens and fruits).  In the hands of a true 3* Chef, this can be worthy of high consideration. At the haute dining level, I have a personal yearly  (or every 2 years if Paris is too far, depending on where I live)  Parisian routine that does not cost that much (well, nothing compared to what you would pay for the menu degustation at those restaurants) and makes sense since it focuses on widly known strenghts o f those  places I’ll mention next:  I go  to L’Arpège only for their ‘Canard de Challans à l’hibiscus’ (à la carte,  with no wine; perhaps a starter and a dessert).  I do the same at Plaza Athénée (Ducasse) for their ‘Poultry Albufera’ when it is available.   Gerard Besson’s (now close) “tourte de  gibiers et foie gras” used to attract me to Paris too, on my (bi)-yearly gourmand trip.

Picking a 3* in Paris is a nightmare for me: there is no doubt that I will eat well at most of them,  but for the price I am afraid that the usual hype, sumptuous decor and nod to history won’t suffice to  impress me. Keeping my feet planted firmly on the ground, I refuse to expect fireworks (it is food,  not a Disney show) but food that needs to be deliciously superior. Whatever the reasons justifying a 3* dining experience,  food at such level needs to come from a Chef who is capable of pushing the limits of deliciousness to heights that are not commonly experienced. This is not about delusional expectations: if you are lucky enough to get  Michel Bras in person cooking for you at his stronghold of Laguiole, you will understand what I mean.    It doesn’t need to be Michel Bras or a 3* Chef, it just need to come from a cook with that magical touch where somehow an exceptional talent, passion and love for savourish food are transferred into your plate:  my lifetime most memorable meal was a simple spiny lobster grilled by an anonymous cook. When I told people how talented he was, most replied that grilling a lobster was no big deal and could not fail to be tasty.  Years have passed, that cook became one of the most acclaimed Chefs of his country and many of World’s most  respected Chefs have tried, albeit in vain, to  attract him to the Western world. Years have passed and not one  claw of lobster have been as impressive as that one…and  I’ve tried them in all variations, at bistros or 3* tables, on the street or by the sea, in different geographical areas. The name of that Chef is irrelevant here.  His magic touch
is. Could that magical touch be purely subjective? Part of it is of personal appreciation naturally, but the exceptional  talent of one Chef never lies: some may like his food, others not, but if seeking for great food is a passion for you, you will  notice the talent that’s behind the meal. That’s my only expectation for a 3* meal: that exceptional talent, that exceptional  touch not aiming to impress but that pulls the most out of the least.

I grew up in Paris and have already visited almost all its  current 3 Michelin star holders (PG, APDA, Arpege, Pré Catalan, L’Astrance, Guy Savoy, Le Bristol, Le Meurice, etc) except Ledoyen and L’Ambroisie.  Ledoyen seemed to be a match with what I’ve always encouraged:  a Chef, Christian Le Squer, mostly praised for his exceptional talent and who is found where he needs to shine: behind his stoves. The same applies to L’Ambroisie, although, in the case of the latest, the fact that it is one of the few last classic strongholds at the 3* dining level weighs a lot in the balance.

My Parisian friends who know both places well recommended that I start with Ledoyen.
”Save the pricier one for the last”, Jean-Luc commended to me. Not that it would make any difference:  I already knew that Parisian 3* restaurants are no bargain.  Anyways, I just need my food to be very delicious regardless of its price or creativity level. VERY delicious, I stressed! VERY DELICIOUS, was I assured.

Preparation is always the name of my game whenever I decide to dine at a 3* Michelin table. It has been like that the very first time I stepped foot in a 3* Michelin restaurant (1990, Alain Ducasse’s Louis XV); the  pattern has not changed more than two decades later.  Mine consisted of  in depth intelligence about Christian Lesquer’s (my readers know how I value true artisans working for real behind their stoves over cooks who serve as name bearers for celebrity-entrepreneur-chefs. Christian is found where he should be: behind his stoves) strengths and weaknesses, type of cuisine, culinary philosophy. At such prices, at such level of dining, I may as well indulge in what he is best known for. Daniel  — a  close friend (of mine)  who has followed Christian Lesquer’s career  since Christian was working at Le Divellec — was my most prolific info provider on Ledoyen restaurant’s strong man. Daniel is an admirer of Lesquer but was very honest about the Brittany’s Chef. He ensured that I was not expecting some kind of techno-revolutionary cuisine but a highly skilled cuisine that is classic with enough modern inspiration in style and creativity to   be worth of the highest accolades.

I first wanted to pick his five course ”spécialités‘ (signature dishes), but his prix fixe dejeuner menu is affordable. I chose the latest and added two ‘spécialités’:  the lobster + Toasts brulés d’anguilles.  If I had a second stomach, the sweetbreads skewer would be part of the plan.
FOOD

Today, the  menu dejeuner at Ledoyen consisted  of  a mise en bouche of  “tartare de dorade à la tahitienne”, a first choice of veggies in an emulsion of radish/or some langoustines with its own jus, a second  choice of chicken (supreme de volaille des Landes en croute de pain rassie), cheese, a choice of two desserts: one made of bananas (Transparence banane, fruits de la passion), the other from strawberries (Fraises “Gariguette” parfumées coriandre/Hibiscus).

Tartare de dorade à la tahitienne: great ingredient as expected (the fish was of superb freshness, same could be said of the thin slices of scallops disposed atop the tartare ), perfect balance in taste and seasonings. A good tartare, but at this level, I need this tartare to shine a bit more in  creativity or at least with surprising  flavors. The apple-lemon  gelée underneath was nice, but kept the tartare in a ‘pedestrian’ registry. 7.5 /10

Jardins de légumes vert à l’émulsion de radis – peas (superb quality), green beans (good quality), onions, dried tomatoes in a radish emulsion.  Cute like a bug, that dish…enjoyable too…but not a dish that I am expecting at this level of cuisine neither. Do not get me wrong: I am not expecting fireworks here. Just a touch of next-level  daring-ness may it be in the taste or overall gustatory enjoyment of the course. Good 7/10

Sole de petite cotière étuvée de petit pois – The sole was superbly presented in the shape of a tube. Enjoyable taste, perfect moist consistency of the flesh. Indeed, some great cooking technical mastery in there. The green rolls were filled with a cream of peas and the truffle sauce, although not of memorable mention,  retained a   ‘smokey’ flavor that I enjoyed a lot.  Well done, perhaps, but it lacked  prime palatability . 7.5/10

As mentionned earlier on,  I also ordered two of their signature dishes:

Grosses langoustines Bretonnes, émulsion d’agrumes:
Everytime I try lobsters at a restaurant, it suffers from my instant comparison to my all-time favourite ones: the spiny tropical langoustes of the Indian Ocean. To me, the latest  stands predominate (with the carribbean’s being my second best) despite years of enjoying all sorts of them around the globe. Langoustines are smaller  with (to my palate), a more discrete marine robustness. Comparison aside, I love lobsters and always try them wherever I go. Those of Brittany are familiar enough to me. Not in my top 3, but good enough in taste whilst a tad less appealing (to me) in consistency. Chef Christian Lesquer added a middle eastern touch to the dish: kadaif (vermicelli-like pastry)  balls filled with  the crustacean meat, fried, then set atop the langoustine tail. The citrus fruit emulsion, emulsified with the usual olive oil,  which  basically turned out to be a citrus/olive oil based  mayonnaise was certainly well executed (it was somehow light enough to  not overwhelm the lobster meat and added a pleasant dimension to its enjoyment) …but  as far as in-mouth enjoyment goes, it was suprisingly discrete (where is the punch?).   The idea is good though: it is  no surprise that a citrus flavored emulsified concoction is meant to pair  naturally well with lobster (mayo pairs well with lobster meat, citrus flavors too, etc). I’ve tasted better variations (read more flavorful) of this dish before, but Lesquer’s version is still fine enough (the lobster’s meat was nicely cooked + the effort and idea he did put in the kadaif  deserve a bonus point) for me to rate it with a 7.5 over 10

Toast Brulé d’Anguille- This is how you set yourself apart, this is how the most will notice you, this is how you have chances to seduce the stars: think of a signature dish, one that will evoke souvenirs of you. Lesquer understands this well, as numerous 3* defining dining signature dishes were made by him.  Toasts brulés d’anguille is one of his; an attractive visual curiousity. At first, it reminded me of a miniature  replica coffin. Yep, coffins can be appealing to the eyes. The dark base is made of bread. The violet-colored topping is eel reduced by grape juice and wine. It’s  before such dish that I value the genius of a creative Chef, a really  smart one: why bother with tubes, liquid nitrogen,  when there are a lot left in the hands of all things natural (or “mother nature” as Marco Pierre-White loves to say) –> take the eel (the ingredient) , its lustrous skin (an inspiration for texture), and think of a flavor that hits (smoky… for  the smokiness flavor of that toast). Add talent, add inspiration (with dishes like his spaghetti/parmesan/ham/morels rectangular-shaped signature dish, take his “blanc de turbot”, take the “toasts d’anguille…it’s clear that you need to be inspired to create those ), and you have got a winner. A 10 over 10 for the creativity, the idea, the fun execution. A 7.5 over 10 for its gustatory amazement (It was more cuter than tastier, but tasty  enough to be considered as a good / to very good creation). fyi: What you see on the side is a cube of potato filled with “creme de raifort” (just ok)

Many frequent  star Michelin diners  have raved over those two signature dishes of Chef  Lesquer (Toast brulé d’Anguille + Grosses langoustines bretonnes), but to my surprise both dishes failed to leave any imprint on my memory even by keeping  my expectations as low as possible. The  Grosses langoustines bretonnes was unexpectedly disappointing: I had a similar dish prepared in Turkey (1993) and a Lebanese cook has prepared  a similar one on an Indian Ocean Island that I visited in 1997.   Chef Lesquer’s version never even came close to a quarter of the overall prime palatable  impact that both non Michelin-starred cooks provided through their langoustines dishes.

When I see written here and there than Chef Lesquer makes great desserts, all I can say is that this is an accurate statement:

Fraise “guariguette” parfumées coriandre/hibiscus -   Excellent dessert where sublime taste and lots of creativity were  on display. The parade of  the stawberry, coriander and hibiscus flavours in mouth was a true act of genius.  What I kept waiting for (in terms of superb complementing — or even contrasting — flavors, textures and delicious taste) in the savories … was finally unleashed in this successful dessert.  10 over 10

They offer lots of extras:

Several “mises en bouche”

Many  “mignardises” (excellent licorice macarons, hibiscus gelée, delicious chips of caramel butter, pina colada lollipops)

And they also brought chocolates, some Brittany’s pastries  too.

I know: the ratings of this specific meal  are not what we might expect at a 3 star Michelin level.  But still, at euros 88 (the menu dejeuner), and especially with the superb service I found on this lunch + all the extras that are offered to all patrons, I’d still highly recommend Ledoyen. It is a place where I truly felt good, and for once I’ll forgive the lack of gustatory amazement that was found — on this lunch — the exception being  the dessert (to some extent, the “toast brulé” was also appreciated).

SERVICE

Maitre D’ Bertrand Pagnet is a sociable gentleman, professional and yet extremely caring. This man knows what ‘accomodation’ means and his open mind (he travelled a lot around the world and worked for top restaurants like those of Boulud’s in Vancouver — now closed) is refreshing. The entire service was in line with what you do expect at such high level of dining: courteous, attentive.

DECOR
The exterior is marked by Ancient Greece inspired neoclassical facades of  blank walls, columns. The inside is in Second Empire style: ornamented, elegant surrounding moldings. As a non food related note, if – like me — you enjoy this style of architecture, pay a visit to Le Louvre and the Opera house.

LOCATION
Off Les Champs Élysées

PROS: The service on this lunch sets the bar for what hospitality should be about at this level of haute dining.  And this type of  classic decor appeals to me. Paris truly has an architectural  charm that others will spend their life mimicking,  just mimicking…

CONS:  The food I had on this lunch lacked interest, in my assessment. Not bad, not great neither. And a signature dish needs to shine!

CONCLUSION -  Their prix fixe Lunch menu is one ideal way to enjoy a  3 michelin star meal at  reasonable cost in Paris.

ADDENDUM – MY CURRENT FAVOURITE  3 STAR MICHELIN IN FRANCE (I am adding this section just for informative value only; added only to reviews of 2 and 3 star Michelin in France since it’s the country which restaurant scene I did familiarize myself with)  -> L’Ambroisie (this is a tricky one. Pacaud was on the verge of retiring when I lunched there, but he was cooking at lunch time when I was there. Based solely on that visit, it is clear in my mind that L’Ambroisie is simply the best Classic Haute French 3 star Michelin around the globe, let alone in France. Yep, with not one single hesitation regardless of the fact that such claim is always controversial. Now, is it the same when Pacaud is not there? I obviously can’t tell), Troisgros (I am normally not a big fan of the Troigros, primarily because I find it odd that a 3 star Michelin in France would opt for Intl influences as intensively as they do. Ironically, that does not bother me at all at the 2 star Michelin level, Rfaol! Go figure! Lol. But at the 3 star level, in France, Nah. Regardless, when this kitchen is in its prime, it is indeed one of France’s finest 3 star Michelin destinations and it is based on that observation that Troisgros somehow fits among my  favourite 3 stars in France), L’Arpège, Paris (Before I visited L’Ambroisie, this was my #1  three star Michelin in Paris. Many Chefs claim to treat ingredients with passion, which is a claim that I usually do not care about since they have to. But when such claim comes from the mouth of Alain Passard, it means something else. We are here among the exceptional few which love for the ingredient is genuine, not dicted. I am a huge fan of Passard, even when things did not go the way I wanted – for example on lesser impressive meals at L’Arpège —  because I come from a school of thought with  strong emphasis on how to treat and respect the produce from the second you remove it from the soil till it gets into your mouth. It would take an entire article to elaborate on that spectacular journey of the ingredient accompanied by its companion —because to me, that is what a real Chef is about…serving as the guide/companion  to his ingredient –   but Alain Passard was the one that better expressed it ), Les Pres d’Eugenie in Eugénie Les Bains (oh god, it has been a while I haven’t went back, but the souvenirs that I have are unlikely since not much has changed there, for example the kitchen still has the same staff as on my last visit there. One of France’s most solid 3 stars in my own experience, with French classic food delivered with panache /  Chef Michel Guérard)

WHAT I THINK MONTHS LATER: 3 star Michelin restaurants have a pressure that few others have. They need to be consistent with at least the basic standard that their customers are used to at this level of dining. Ideally, they need to rise at the heights that their counterparts have already set. Again, on a  regular basis. On the other hand, people eat out a lot, so expectations are more and more meaningless, which is why I have stopped expecting anything from restaurants for years.  I just visit, appreciate what they are serving to me and just boldly give my opinion based on what is realistic: for example a piece of meat is cooked anywhere else with a minimum of X beefy mouthfeel. If you go below that common mark of X beefy mouthfeel, then your piece of beef is below average. If you go beyond, then I’ll tell you how far beyond — what I am used to   – you managed to go. No more, no less, no surreal expectations but playing the game with the cards that exist on the table. Now, when you pertain to such an exceptional level of dining, most people will never forgive one single off day. I won’t even go to that extent, being again very down to earth in my way of seeing things as I know that off days are normal, but  I need a minimum and it is called TASTY FOOD. I am not even asking you for divine food, just tasty. And this is where I was a bit frustrated by this lunch ( again, I can talk only for my meal. I never judge restaurants since food and dining experiences are variable by nature, anyways): for example, the lobster and its citrus emulsion. That has no other choice but to be delicious. I am not asking for the moon here, I am not even expecting the heights reached by  some of France’s finest 3 star Michelin lobster dishes (for eg, the finest of  Alain Passard, Olivier Roellinger’s lobster creations  when he was at the helm of his 3 star Michelin venture in Cancale or Michel Guerard’s )…no…BUT  a dish of lobster, even at a low key steakhouse, let alone a hole in a wall serving seafood is widely known as an expected delicious affair. On this reviewed lunch , it was subtle in flavor, rather unexciting. Same could be said of the toast of eel, the pea appetizer, the tartare, all items that can be easily pushed to realistic palatable excitement that this lunch never managed to approach. I was  generous in my score, trust me! But go, since I believe this was just an off day. Well, I hope or else, there’s something I am definitely not getting.

Ledoyen, Paris – Pas du tout emballé…

Dejeuner au restaurant Ledoyen, Paris
Quand: March 24th 2011, 12:30
Étoiles Michelin: 3
Type of cuisine:  Francaise
Addr: 1 Avenue Dutuit,  Carré des Champs Elysees
Arrondissement: 8
Telephone:+33 01 53 05 10 01
Metro: Champs Elysees-Clemenceau

Il n’ y avait, sur Paris, plus que deux triple étoilés Michelin que je n’avais pas encore visités: Ledoyen et L’Ambroisie. C’est fait.  Petit détour par  les champs Élysées, sur l’Avenue Dutuit:  les trois étoiles du Breton Christian Lesquer.  Ai choisi le menu déjeuner (88 euros) avec deux éléments de la carte:  le ”toast d’Anguille” et les ”grosses langoustines Bretonnes, émulsion d’agrumes”.

On prendra pas milles chemins pour en arriver au but:

Les Plus: un excellent service, et un décor classique comme je les aime.

Les Moins:  en ce 24 Mars 2011, sur l’heure du midi, pas l’ombre d’une seule étoile dans mes assiettes! De jolis plats, exécutés correctement, certes…mais sans éclat.  Seul le dessert  et leur générosité (mignardises,  plein de petites entrées, patisseries et chocolats) ont pu sauver la mise…

Ma note: 7/10 pour la cuisine.  Inacceptable pour un 3 étoiles Michelin! Je peux comprendre qu’il y’ait des hauts et des bas, c’est humain…mais lorsqu’on est un triple étoilé, il faut assurer un certain minimum:  sur 6 plats, tous — excepté le dessert — ont été tout simplement ordinaires.

J’y retourne? Non, pas moi.  Par contre, allez-y. Qui sait? Ce ne fut là…peut-etre… qu’un faux pas.

Vous pourrez voir les photos   des plats et un peu plus de détails dans mon article écrit en Anglais.