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Image 1: Place des Vosges is the oldest square in Paris. Many politicians including Bill Clinton have dined here as it is not far from the parliament.
Image 2: www.ambroisie-paris.com Chef: Bernard Pacand.
À la carte menu: About €85 appetizer and €100 main course
Closed on Sunday and Monday; the month of August.
Image 3: The restaurant is a refurbished 17th century house. They only offer à-la-carte here! I can't think of another 3-star that offers no tasting menu!
Image 4: Mini warm brioche to accompany our champagne. We followed our server's advice of ordering the signatures except that I insisted of having the foie gras main dish.
Image 5: This is their signature starter on their menu since Day One. Sandwiched between two paper-thin sesame crisps were...
Image 6: ...Langoustine and spinach. This was perhaps the best langoustine dish ever! Surprisingly, the mild curry sauce was in perfect harmony with the fresh langoustine; the sesame crackers provided a nice crispy texture to the course with a hint of sesame nicely carried throughout. This dish was perfect in every possible way!
Image 7: We hesitated to choose the most expensive appetizer on the menu (€110), but it was Lobster, my favourite, I had to give it a try! Gorgeously presented, sliced whole lobster tail lay on top of a carefully arranged cucumber and pasta salad.
Image 8: The whole thing was placed on a thin layer of transparent tomato jelly and garnished with a scope of dressing with lobster claw. It was awesome that every bite was full of lobster meat without getting our hands dirty at all. Very “eater-friendly”! What a royal treat! Needless to say, the lobster was beautifully timed with remarkable texture. I must come back to have this course again!
Image 9: This was their signature main course and the most expensive item on the menu (€150). The sauce was just mild enough not to overshadow the light filets of seabass and the delicately sliced white artichokes. The amazing part was the natural seasoning burst out from the sparkling Osetre caviar. What an elegant taste from the sea! Impeccable! It was impossible not to enjoy this dish!
Image 10: A generous portion of seared foie gras, actually too generous! My first time having foie as main course and I will never do it again! I should have listened to their advice about other recommended dishes. Don't get me wrong, the seared foie gras was great but I was overwhelmed by the excessive amount of richness in one go. Well, I will know next time!
Image 11: Before the dessert, a refreshing seasonal berry sorbet along with some fresh fruits underneath. Simple but very nice!
Image 12: A light cheesy cream with thin puffy pastry accompanied by rhubarb and raspberry. Nothing complex but a dessert of comfortable flavours.
Image 13: And the other dessert. According to the restaurant manager, this chocolate tart has no flour, no butter, no cream! I don't care what it contained or what it didn't contain, it was a damn good chocolate tart!
Image 14: Traditional set of petits-fours. It was a quick but an exceptional 3-course dinner without any unneccesary visual wonder. Definitely one of the most delicious fine dining experiences. Although it was very expensive, the luxurious ingredients and the high quality of cooking worth every single penny!