L’Ambroisie is a three Michelin starred restaurant in Paris that I’ve wanted to dine at for years. Representing the best of traditional French gastronomy and with the longest run of at the top of the Michelin rating system with three stars since 1988, it is Chef Benard Pacaud’s one and only restaurant.
Tables for one are accommodated at lunchtime so I was delighted to arrive at the beautiful Place des Vosges to finally lunch at L’Ambroisie in July.
In this post:
L’Ambroisie History
Chef Bernard Pacaud opened L’Ambroisie in 1981 and moved to the present location at 9 Place des Vosges in 1986. Two years later the restaurant was awarded its third Michelin star, which it has maintained now for thirty five years.
Starting his culinary training at age fifteen under the famed Eugenie Brazier, the first person to be awarded six Michelin stars, where the cuisine featured simple dishes with the highest quality ingredients.
Today, that tradition continues with a classic menu of nouvelle cuisine so highly regarded that President Hollande hosted dinner for President Obama at L’Ambroisie in 2015 rather than at the Élysée Palace.
L’Ambroisie Review
Arriving a few minutes early, I was warmly welcomed for lunch and offered hand sanitiser before being shown to my table.
L’Ambroisie has three dinings rooms of four or five tables each, creating a comfortable residential ambience. All five tables in the middle room where I was seated were taken, with a predominantly French clientele.
The waiting staff were immediately at hand with the menu and the sommelier stopped by shortly after to present the wine list.
L’Ambroisie Menu
There are no tasting or degustation menus at L’Ambroisie. The dining philosophy is traditional a la carte with three to four courses of luxurious food served in generous portions.
| C A R T E |
Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce au curry 120 Chaud-froid d’œuf mollet à la Kiev, caviar Kristal 150 Minestrone d’escargots en arlequin de légumes, émulsion au basilic 98 Pastilla de thon rouge aux abricots et pistaches, duo de tomates à la coriandre 110 Escalopines de bar à l’émincé d’artichaut, caviar Kristal 170 Interlude de homard aux légumes primeurs, nage réduite à l’anis étoilé 150 Viennoise de sole à l’émulsion d’oxalis, ravigote de girolles aux amandes 140 Éventail de rougets-barbets à la marjolaine, caviar d’aubergine 110 Pomme de ris de veau braisée à la diable, ravioles à la sauge 140 Cominée de pigeon, salmigondis de carottes confites 110 Côte de veau double glacée au jus, fricassée de girolles (2 pers.) 280 Noix de côte de bœuf jersiaise sauce Choron, frivolités de légumes 140 Fromages frais et affinés 45 Tarte fine sablée au cacao amer, crème glacée à la vanille Bourbon 38 Pêches blanches au cassis, glace à la verveine, pain de Gênes 40 Fraîcheur de cerises à l’émulsion d’aloe vera 40 Dacquoise pralinée, tombée d’abricots du Roussillon 38 Assortiment de desserts et pâtisseries 60 |
Amuse Bouche
With my order taken, the meal could begin in earnest with beautifully light and airy cheese puffs. These were rather good with just a hint of cheese melted over the puff.
An amuse bouche of mushrooms with almonds arrived next, and this was warming and comforting with a slight hint of pepper. The almonds provided crunch and contrast to the mushrooms.
Langoustines in Curry Sauce
The Feuillantine de langoustines aux graines de sésame, sauce au curry is a cult classic at L’Ambroisie and it’s easy to understand why.
Incredibly sweet and firm langoustines are sandwiched between the thinnest discs of pastry with sesame seeds, sat atop a bed of spinach and surrounded by the lightest curry sauce. The curry sauce provided a great contrast to the sweetness of the langoustines, and then left the slightest trace of heat on the tongue.
The spinach and sesame discs provided texture and the most delicate crunch to the dish, with the sesame seeds rounding out the flavours. Superb!
Lobster in Star Anise Sauce
My main of Interlude de homard aux légumes primeurs, nage réduite à l’anis étoiléwas equally excellent with a milky star anise sauce again providing a lovely contrast to the lobster. The lobster itself had the wonderful slightly salty flavour of the sea, which was most pronounced at the base of the claws.
A glass of Verre Meursault Gaunoux 2019 was the recommended pairing for the lobster and provided a refreshing and fruity contrast to the dish.
Sorbet
The transition between savoury and sweet began with a refreshing lemon sorbet, with the cold and citrusy flavour refreshing the palate in anticipation of dessert.
Chocolate Tart
The Tarte fine sablée au cacao amer, crème glacée à la vanille Bourbon is the stuff of legend and a natural choice for dessert. With an incredibly light whipped filling that melted on your tongue, a perfect crumbly tart base and a generous dusting of pure cacao it’s easily the most memorable chocolate tart I’ve eaten.
Interestingly the vanilla ice cream had the wonderful pure vanilla flavour but with only a fraction of the creaminess you get in the likes of Haagen Dazs (which I consider the benchmark for supermarket vanilla ice cream). Reducing the cream allowed the dark chocolate in the tart to really stand out and left that slight bitterness you only get from ‘real’ chocolate.
Rounding out the meal was a selection of petit fours including a petite Canelé de Bordeaux and a generous bowl of cocoa dusted nuts.
L’Ambroisie Service
It’s fair to say that L’Ambroisie is a temple of French gastronomy, with all that title entails. While there are certainly reviews who felt the service was unfriendly, I found the service warm and hospitable despite it being my first visit.
The front of house team is led by Chef Pacaud’s wife Danielle, who stopped by each table during the meal to chat with diners, and I found the waiters polished and friendly in that restrained European way.
L’Ambroisie certainly provides formal service, but without stuffiness. I’d say my experience was marginally more formal than Jean Georges New York or Odette Singapore.
L’Ambroisie Réservations
Reservations are now able to be made online up to three months in advance.
L’Ambroisie Price
Meals at L’Ambroisie range between €246 and €520, with my three course meal and glass of wine coming in at €386. The quality of ingredients and skill of the kitchen makes this an experience worth having at least once.
As is experiencing the French Air Force flying over Place des Vosges as they prepared for Bastille Day!
L’Ambroisie Dress Code
While L’Ambroisie does not have a published dress code, the unwritten rule observed by the diners at lunchtime was smart casual with most gentlemen wearing a jacket or blazer too.
L’Ambroisie Review Summary
L’Ambroisie is an understated temple of French gastronomy, about as diametrically opposed to Alinea in Chicago as you could get, yet delivers an incredible meal and memorable experience. I can’t wait to go back!
