L'Arpège

L'Arpège

Paris, France

(Invalides, 7ème)

Chef Alain Passard

L'Arpège currently holds number 16th position on San Pellegrino World's Best Restaurant 

http://www.theworlds50best.com/awards/1-50-winners/larpege/

Recipient of three Michelin stars

Chef Passard is a real prophet of la cuisine légumière.  Brittany-born Alain Passard, one of the most respected chefs in Paris,  works with each product cultivated from his three organic (no machines, no tactors and no chemical treatment or fertilizers) vegetable farms around  the outskirt of Paris with daily shipment via TGV to the restaurant. 

 Located on a quiet street, opposite the Musée Rodin and near the prime minister’s offices and government ministries, L'Arpège (Arpeggios in Italian) is eloquently named as it can be compared to a composer with his music, where tasting of food is an art of its own.  

We were seated downstairs in the wine cellar, a cozy unassuming intimate setting.  

Center piece setting: 

Vegetable is THE center of Passard's creations, inevitably each table is adorned with a little artistic gathering of the vegetable sculpture to showcase how a simple ingredients can be elevated to the realm of art. 

The menu was all written in French.  With my vocabulaire limité in Française, it was best to have our "serveur" translate to us in detail. 

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There is one upside to the high sticker price menu - a take away memento: the very knife one uses during the meal at L'Arpège with the name of the restaurant inscribed on it.  At the end of the meal they clean and fold up the knife. I love it! More restaurants should do this

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The amuse-bouche was a series of tiny, exquisite tarts, dazzled like a gem. 

- Zucchini and spinach

- Beet butternut squash

- Yellow pepper

All served on a thin crisp potato shell 

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A perfectly homemade soft country wheat bread with  firm crust paired with salted butter from the north coast of Brittany. Simply irresistible. 

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Gaspacho de tomates au naturel

crème glacée céleri à la moutarde d'Orléans

Deceptively simple dish was the tomato topped with celery and mustard ice cream.  It was simply exquisite!  

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It was heavenly to taste, but a bit questionable to look at.  It was delicious soup and the ice cream was light and tasted refreshingly of tomato and celery, but not much mustard.

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Sushi légumier fleuri aux feuilles de figuier
transaparence de betterave

This dish is known as the vegetable Beet sushi.  It is rated as one of the 80 dishes around the world by London Evening Standard. 

A piece of sushi constructed of warm rice, a cool sliver of white beet, feathery bits of horseradish and figs,  and finished with a fresh strawberry on top.  Fine and innovative. 

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Couleur, saveur, parfum et dessin des jardins

création éphémère

A salad with four spices cream with green and yellow tomato, strawberry and sprinkled with purple rock salt. 

The freshest ingredients that we've had in a while. 

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Jardinière <Arlequin> acidulée au géranium

carotte jaune du Doubs, concombre lemon, haricot cupidon...

Mixed veggies on a bed of sweet n sour sauce made with onions.

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Cucurbitacées en fin velouté

crème soufflée au hareng fumé

Looking very much like a crème brûlée,  this dish comprised of a golden, paper-thin gratin of onion and Parmesan, topped with slivers of lemon confit and dressed greens. 

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Ecailles ou plumes

 reflet de la gourmandise

Zucchini velouté with smoked herring cream.  Innovative. Tasty. Definitely one of a kind. 

The momento. 

 

Collection caprine de Malicorne sur Sarthe

ferme de la Souche

Pigeon

 glazed with coffee and soy and crusted with almonds

Salmon

slowly cooked salmon with hibiscus sauce 

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Goat Cheese

Fermented from 1 Month, 3 days and 24 hours  

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DESSERT

Signature Dish:

Apple tart with salted caramel

Looking like a bouquet of rose, this tart showcased the skill of a three Michelin stars pastry chef with intricate swirls and curves of each apple goodness.  This is why this dessert has become the totem of the head.  

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Fresh citron tea leaves from the chef's private garden

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Strawberry poached in hibiscus

The sweet strawberries were poached in this spicy cinnamon and hibiscus juice.  A little bit on the sweeter side for us, but nonetheless, a fine dish. 

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The disappointment factor came at the end of our meal.  The server forgot our petit fours until we asked for it! Since we were stuffed with the vegetable goodies, we decided to take the petit fours in a to-go box.  

The macarons were apples and tomatoes, but no matter how good they were, it cannot beat Pierre Hermé, or Ladurée .  

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We were lucky enough to have Chef Passard there on site that day.  He is a handsome and sweet man with a limited English vocabulary. 

Chef Passard even signed our menu!!!!!!!

Overall the execution was flawless. 

You are probably paying more for less. You pay for finesse, balance and elegance not sheer size and weight. The food was inventive without losing focus. There are many great chefs in the world who do excellent vegetables, but there is only one original - Alan Passard and team. 

Food: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★☆

Ambiance: ★★★★★
Presentation: ★★★★★

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