The restaurant was so atmospheric, with the dim red lighting and the central chef’s table. It‘s located up a spiral of stairs from Le Jardinier, which I have already reviewed.
The crust on the baguette was so brittle and the bread was fresh out of the oven. The inside was soft and a great way to mop up the sauces of later courses. The croissant was so flaky, light, and buttery. The crumpet was also really soft and buttery, and it was the best out of all of them. It had such a delicious flavor and fluffy texture. It was like a buttery cloud. The bread here is truly unmatched. 10/10
The foie gras royale was so smooth and fatty, and the complex yet light wine reduction balanced it out well. The Parmesan foam added some savory umami notes and another layer of flavor. This worked amazingly with the bread, especially the crumpet. The parsnip was very flavorful, with the fruit providing nice acidity and sweetness. This was a great and flavorful way to begin the meal. 10/10
The beef was really tender, and the caviar added great salinity. The egg was quite unnecessary, and it lacked something to tie it all together. It was just a bunch of separate elements that don’t necessarily combine perfectly. 7/10
The celeriac’s sourness worked well with the salmon mousse and sweet and acidic grapefruit. The three small slices of truffle were disappointing even though the truffle was good. The textures were also interesting, with the celeriac’s slight crispiness and freshness contrasting with the creaminess of all the mousses. The crisps and truffle slices also served this purpose. Overall it was a cohesive but not too impressive dish. 8/10
The tuna was extremely fresh; it did not have any iron or fishy flavor or any skin that was tough to chew. The brown butter added a delicate gloss and flavor. The mustard seeds and lime had a nice sourness and pop that worked well with tuna. The delicate flavors and textures in this dish were amazing together. The quality of the ingredients truly shined through here. 10/10
The scallop was extremely tender and caramelized. The cilantro broth was light and herby, which worked great with the scallop. The calamari added crispiness and even more shellfish sweetness. Finally, the coconut foam added some sweetness and another layer of flavor. This complex and delicious dish deserves being called the most well-balanced dish on the menu. 10/10
In contrast to the previous dish, this is the most decadent of all the dishes. The sweetbreads were fatty and slightly sticky. The carrots added some sweetness to the sweetbreads, and the stuffing had some savory flavor. This was a very hearty and satisfying dish, and all of the accoutrements worked well to enhance the flavor and decadence of the sweetbreads. It was still an extremely rich dish, and it could have used some acidity. 9/10
These were the most unique burgers ever. The Wagyu patty was so tender and fatty, and the foie gras added even more richness, creaminess, and fattiness. The spicy peppers added a lot of sweet and spicy flavor and helped balance out a bit of the richness of the rest of the burger. The fries were also light yet still had the texture of potatoes inside. Overall this was incredibly delicious and memorable, and probably the best burger I ever had. This is definitely a must have at this restaurant. 10/10
The lobster was unexpectedly tough, so even though the hearts of palm were soft and fresh and the sauce had great flavor, the whole dish was a disappointment due to the bad technique. This was definitely not worthy of even a single Michelin star. 4/10
The short rib was so tender, and when combined with the fattiness and creaminess of the foie gras it was amazing. The texture was so luxurious, and the foie gras basically melted into the beef and added the missing fattiness. The Savoy cabbage provided a nice respite from the richness and soaked up the flavors well. It also had a slight freshness and crispiness. The complex richness of the sauce tied the whole dish together and added another layer of flavors. This was a truly phenomenal dish. 10/10
The duck was so tender and juicy, and it had a slight snap when bitten into. The flavor was also intense and meaty, with notes of savory and umami from the aging. The fig and raspberry complemented the duck well by adding fruitiness and tartness, and the fennel reduction was also savory, adding another layer of flavor. Overall, the dish was very centered around the duck and could have used a bit more interesting side pairings. 9/10
The potato was so buttery and smooth, while the texture was still rich and velvety. This worked really well with the red wine sauce of the short rib. It makes sense that Robuchon built his restaurant empire on these. 10/10
First off, the pickled grape was acidic and sour, which was…interesting. The rest of the dish worked well together, with the slight funky and savory flavor of the Brie foam combining with the sweetness of the grape sorbet. The foam also coated the sorbet for a smooth texture contrasting with the fresh, chunky texture of the sorbet. The dish was very interesting, and I am extremely conflicted on the rating. 9(?)/10
This was indeed a sensation, with the first crack of the top layer leading into the rich and smooth texture of the ice cream and chocolate sabayon. The piece at the top was flaky and provided textural contrast to the rest of the dish. The flavors and textures in this dish were extremely satisfying and delicious. The lightness of this dessert was extraordinary for a dessert based on chocolate, possibly the best dessert I ever had. 10/10
The mousse looks a bit awkwardly like a donut and is plated rather plainly. The cracker does break up the monotony a bit but it still was not that interesting. The flavor itself was tart and refreshing, which was nice after the heavy meal. It was also really smooth, which was complemented well by the crispy sablé. The dish was well-executed and refreshing, but it was not anything too spectacular. 8/10
Contrary to the previous dessert, this was plated amazingly. The rocks had a nice flavor of wine, which was interesting. The texture was also satisfyingly crumbly. The mushroom itself had a mild flavor, and the outside texture was light and crisp. The inside of the cake had a delicate white chocolate and raspberry mousse. This was a great dessert with an amazing presentation. 10/10
The financier had a nice almond flavor and crumbly texture. The cream puffs were tart, acidic, and refreshing. The airy texture of the puff worked well with the cream in the middle. This was a nice note to end the meal on. 8/10
Final review: The food here was mostly amazing, and the overall mood was very atmospheric. Our waiter was so helpful and friendly, and he made the whole experience really deserving of 2 Michelin Stars. Even though a few dishes fell short of expectations, this was a great experience and I would definitely return. 10/10