When it comes to 3 Michelin starred L’Ambroisie in Paris (9 Place des Vosges 75004 Paris;tel.+33 1 42 78 51 45) there are two camps of opinions: for some, it’s the ultimate French haute gastronomie experience, for others – the restaurant is too classic and boring.
Dining at L’Ambroisie is like travelling back in time in many aspects. The whole experience (the magnificent 17th-century townhouse, impeccable, old fashioned (in the good way) service and classic cooking with some of the dishes dating back over 20 years) was light years away from trendy gastronomic restaurants where borders between the diners and the kitchens are melting and the good old à la carte is being replaced by tasting menus created from the best ingredients of the day. And this is precisely the reason why I enjoyed L’Ambroisie so much. Every dish, starting from the perfectly crispy bread, delicate sea bass filet (cooked in the oven, normally used at restaurants to keep the plates hot), finishing with the incredibly light dark chocolate tart, was sublime. Very expensive even by Parisian 3 Michelin institutions standards, but something that will stay in my memory for a long time…
The first amuse bouche : choux pastry with cream and caviarThe second amuse bouche : foie gras with pepper crustSoft boiled and boiled eggs with watercress sabayon, green asparagus and caviarCaviar (I was told, from China)Soft boiled egg with watercress sabayon, green asparagus and caviar. Luxurious in the taste and appearance.Soft boiled and boiled eggs with watercress sabayon, green asparagus and caviarLangoustines with sesame pastry leaf and curry sauce.The best langoustines I’ve ever had: tender and delicious.Langoustines with sesame pastry leaf and curry sauceSea bass with artichokes and caviar. The caviar was slightly warm. What impressed me most was the way the fish had been cooked. So delicate and melllow.Sea bass with artichokes and caviarDark chocolate tart (crusty pastry and chocolate sabayon). You will eat it even if you are not hungry anymore!Dark chocolate tartPetit foursThe chefsThe restaurant doesn’t offer any tasting menus. The langoustines and the sea bass I ordered were half portions, but not exactly half price. As far as I remember, the discount for a half portion dish was around 30%.
