La Cuisine
37 Avenue Hoche
Cuisines: European, Continental, French
About
As soon as you enter the hotel lobby of the Royal Monceau and are quickly escorted to your table at La Cuisine, you feel eminently taken care of. The staff (of which there are many) are extremely attentive, and care for your every need. This level of service far exceeds the typical brasserie or even fine dining establishment in the city, and comes with none of the arrogance or snobbery that some travelers might encounter in higher-end places in Paris. For example, the sommelier was friendly and self-effacing (while still being quite knowledgeable on wine pairings), we we offered a choice of various breads and salts, and even a selection of different knives ("this one's from Japan", "this one's from Italy", etc.) to cut our food. The staff was also smiling instead of surly, and was happy to linger and chat, if we wanted. Perhaps because the restaurant sits inside a 5-star hotel catering to global travelers, the staff takes their cue from that hospitality DNA, Now for the food -- where to begin. The cold lobster salad was beautifully plated and fresh, and the fennel soup was quite possibly the best we've even seen for this humble dish, bringing out multiple nuanced flavors at once. Likewise, the pork medallions and angus filet were tender and perfectly cooked, and came accompanied by an excellent semi-dry burgundy recommended by the sommelier. And finally, the dessert. Oh, the dessert! The vanilla tart ws to die for, and incredibly unique, unlike anything we've seen before. The vanilla bean-flecked light mascarpone on top of a pie-like crust was truly sensational. And of course, the caramel mille feuille was true to it's name, with an infinite number of flaky pastry layers sandwiching a dose of creamy heaven. If those options aren't enough, the dessert menu (and accompanying digestifs) offers more options than most full menus. Located on the right bank near the Arc du Triomphe and inside the Raffles Royal Monceau Hotel, La Cuisine is a great choice for travelers looking for an attractive mix of service and food quality, and where English is spoken easily and willingly. Reservations are highly recommended.
