Jean-François Piège, Alain Ducasse’s distinguished pupil who became his chef de cuisine, is the best neoclassical cook in France –in the world, we could say. After his triumph in Les Ambassadeurs, the sumptuous restaurant of Hôtel Crillon, he decided to start up a new adventure, adapted to the actual social and economic reality. He therefore created his first restaurant, which was then followed by other businesses, like the gastronomic restaurant located on the first floor of this building, aimed at 18 guests per service, to be opened at the beginning of next summer. An exclusive place in which you will get the opportunity to savour luxury as well as a reinvented aristocratic cuisine in line with modern times.
In a record time, the restaurant became a benchmark regarding quality, distinction, informality, affordability, possibilism, actuality, … This contemporary urban business is setting trends and proposing a rigorous and uninhibited orthodox gastronomy. This symbiosis between tradition and relative audacity offered at such outrageously cheap prices for Paris is the reason why the place is always full at lunch time –100 meals – and dinner time –200 guests.
Among the brilliant versions, which always respect the historic memory, is the squid sliced in noodles, slightly sautéed, soaked with a tasty carbonara that expresses the power and the consistency of the parmigiano-reggiano, of the bacon, of the crème fraîche and of the other ingredients of this traditional sauce. In the same line, we find the new version of the pizza, whose souffléed dough hides a piece of raw browned tuna, burrata cheese, mashed black olives, arugula, … This passion for Italy is also reflected through half a dozen dishes. The free visions have also been applied to the Angus beef hamburger, judiciously different and successful, entertaining and gratifying.
The menu abound with eminent products that are prepared in line with the most conventional recipes with the chef’s personal touch: caviar with potatoes, foie gras with raw and cooked apples, slightly cooked green asparagus from Luberon with a light vinaigrette, beef rib steak with béarnaise, lamb ribs with thyme flower, morels with cream, genuine juice, … all this being worked out with the distinguished savoir-faire of the cook.
Among this line of rejuvenation of patrimony, the guest can enjoy the frozen and grated avocado presented together with steamed Cristal Bay prawns, browned outside and raw inside, laid upon a cocktail sauce. Or the more orthodox bacon, tenderly covered with crunchy pieces of its skin and lentil purée. As noble and delicious, the veal from the Piedmont region cooked at low temperature, served with tuna belly, lemon and Parmesan cheese.
The desserts, doctoral, are light and utterly refined, like the strawberries proposed in their own juice with an ethereal Chantilly cream seasoned with vanilla and herbs; like de frozen Vacherin cheese with banana and lime; like the vanilla ice-cream blended with caramelised walnuts; like the caramel cream …
In short, a bourgeois cuisine made with an obvious wisdom, affordable to anybody in Paris.
