Spring Gourmet Tasting Menu at Le Cinq, Paris

It's Sunday and most restaurants in Paris are closed. For lunch today, I decided to head to Le Cinq in the Four Seasons' George V hotel, a short walking distance from the Arc of Triumph. I believe this is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the city to be open on a Sunday. This restaurant currently enjoys the top spot for fine dining on Tripadvisor, and is particularly famous for its historic underground wine cellar and impressive wine collection, possibly the largest in France. The kitchen and cellar are run by Eric Briffard and Eric Beaumard respectively, both very well-respected figures in Paris' gastronomic scene. And of course, one can always count on Four Seasons' hotels to deliver the most stellar service in a luxurious yet elegant atmosphere. Escapism at its best indeed, on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Beautiful flower arrangements in the lobby.

Tea room

Impressive reception area of Le Cinq, with an intricate
antique piece of French tapestry on the wall.

Bright and spacious dining room

It was a strangely quiet afternoon despite being a Sunday, but I wasn't complaining - getting the (almost) undivided attention of very pleasant service staff throughout the meal helped me to relax and enjoy every moment, despite the apparent formality and opulence of the set-up. I just knew that this was going to be one great afternoon. I had actually intended to have only the three-course set lunch menu, but ended up going for the seasonal tasting menu of 5 courses instead, as every dish sounded incredibly exquisite (menu descriptions were extremely detailed, as with most fine restaurants in Paris) and contained some of my favourite ingredients, some of which are not common in the UK, as you will see.

Canapés: black olive tempura, parmesan cracker, and salmon sashimi with green apple.

What a great way to kick start the meal with a range of savoury tidbits. The brined olive was juicy and not too salty, with a delicate batter for extra bite; the cracker's light and crisp texture belied its rich and deep flavour, while the fresh and firm salmon had a characteristically full-bodied taste that was very well complemented by the sweet, crunchy and juicy bits of apple. Every morsel was a delight to behold in the palate.

Next came bread and butter. The seaweed butter had an incredible umami and generous bits of seaweed within; I simply couldn't help slathering loads on it onto my bread and finishing the whole mound! As for bread, I chose a classic brioche as well as black olive bread; the former was buttery, flaky and feather-light, while the later had a firmer texture with juicy bits of brined olive within; both were just lovely.

Amuse-bouche(s): pea velouté with sweet onion mousse mixed with licorice, radish with radish butter on spinach, puff of goat's cheese from Corsica.

Another stellar assortment of bites before the meal proper! Equally if not more exquisite than the first tray, these ranged from a simple goat's cheese puff with a thin crust barely concealing a rich and full-flavoured filling, to a delicate and wholesome vegetable 'sandwich', and finally a cup of smooth and sweet pea soup, given an additional richness in texture and flavour by the creamy topping of aromatic onion and bittersweet licorice, and finished off with crunchy bits of fresh peas and pea shoots. This last item was my favourite - simple, elegant and remarkably tasty.

First course: Mediterranean octopus and wild prawns marinated with 7 spices, crunchy vegetable dressing with marjoram, cured fish roe*, squid ink crackers.

*Poutargue: smoked, dried and pressed roe of red mullet, shaved thinly for consumption (like parmesan). A highly sought-after delicacy associated with the seaside Provençal town of Martigues (where it is commonly known as caviar martégal), about only 50 kg a year are currently produced by a single company Le Pêcheur de Carro in nearby Port-de-Bouc, ensuring its exclusive gourmet status.

The Mediterranean has traditionally been the source of the best seafood and produce in Europe, and what better way to start the tasting menu than with a seafood dish derived from that region? Everything about this dish was stunning, from the presentation to the quality of the ingredients on the plate. One would normally be hard-pressed to find a dish in European restaurants with octopus as its main focus, due mainly to the difficulty of cooking it as well as to its unappealing image in the Western world. All too often, it becomes tough, rubbery and bland under the treatment of lesser chefs. This, however, was simply amazing: despite the thickness of each chunk, the flesh remained beautifully tender and succulent, and I could cut and chew through it effortlessly as if they were the best cuts of red meat. It really reminded me of the mind-blowing experiences I had with this mollusk in top kaiseki restaurants in Japan.

All the accompaniments served to highlight the freshness of the octopus and to enhance its delicate taste. The small wild prawns were extremely sweet and juicy, and had a delightful spring to the bite; one could hardly go wrong combining them with savoury shavings of poutargue. The squid ink crackers had an incredibly deep umami despite their fragile texture. A subtle 7-spice marinade and vegetable dressing with marjoram contributed additional aromas and flavours without upsetting the refined balance of the dish. This was probably the best octopus dish that I would ever have in Europe.

Second course: green asparagus from Lubéron cooked à la minute, with black olive, sheep's milk yoghurt, gnocchi, spring onion and rocket garnish. Served with sides of lemon brioche and (in the glass cone) asparagus & pistachio sorbet, with pistachio powder and globules of olive oil.

How could I miss out on my favourite seasonal vegetable? These two stalks of freshly-cooked green asparagus from the Lubéron countryside of Provence (particularly famous for lavender and olive products, amongst other general produce) were the thickest, tenderest and juiciest that I'd ever eaten. The accompaniments enhanced their sweetness in various ways: a single olive tempura (same as in the canapé) with its delicate brined taste, sheep's milk yoghurt with a mild acidity and spiciness from a sprinkling of pepper, rocket garnish with a piquant nuttiness and spring onion with additional aromas. It was truly remarkable how so many seemingly disparate elements could be made to work on the same plate.

The creativity didn't stop there; on the side, a light and flaky lemon brioche constantly refreshed the palate with citrusy wafts of flavour, while a glass cone with a most unusual sorbet of asparagus & pistachio with pistachio powder and olive oil very nearly stole the show from the main plate; similar to the rocket garnish, the aromatic nutty taste of pistachio contributed a real panache when blended with asparagus, while the fruity and slightly bitter olive oil was very effective in bridging the flavours of these two ingredients. On the whole this course was nourishing, delicious and very intelligently conceived, a real pleasure to behold for all the senses.

Third course: fresh morel broth with swiss chard ravioli.

More straightforward and traditional than the preceding courses but no less excellent, this was a smooth, concentrated, delicious and fragrant broth with the characteristically deep earthiness of fresh morels. There were also a few whole pieces of this highly prized spring mushroom in the soup, and apart from their luxurious flavour and aroma they also gave a lovely spring in each bite. Swiss chard ravioli balanced the understated indulgence of this broth with a sharp, bitter and slightly salty flavour. Very enjoyable indeed.

Fourth course: rabbit from Poitou with oregano, pine nuts and Muscadet wine sauce. Served with a side of carrot, artichoke and spinach tagine with pomegranate molasses.

Wine pairing: 2009 Domaine David Duband Morey-Saint-Denis, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France.

Upon request a friendly sommelier Edmond came to my table to suggest a nice wine to drink with my main course. He is particularly passionate about Burgundian wines due to the purity of their composition (made only from Pinot Noir grapes for red wine, and Chardonnay grapes for white wine) as opposed to wines from other regions which are usually a blend of various types of grapes. He considers Burgundian wines to be the most authentic expression of their terroir. The wine he recommended, a medium-bodied 2009 vintage from Morey-Saint-Denis, was very pleasant and easy to drink: predominant notes of red berries with a slightly woody/earthy edge, and a long harmonious finish with hints of wood, spices and licorice at the close. Certainly good enough to be drunk on its own, and the perfect pairing for the mild gamey flavour of rabbit.

On to the food: all edible parts of the rabbit were featured - loin, breast, leg, and a piece of offal (probably liver) - and generally very well cooked, except for the breast meat (coated with breadcrumbs) which would have been rather dry and tough if not for the wine sauce. I certainly enjoyed the other parts - the leg had a particularly rich flavour and a melt-in-the-mouth texture, while the milder-tasting loin was lean, tender and succulent. To balance the gamey nature of the rabbit, there were herbs such as oregano and chicory with their fresh bitter taste, as well as a light and crisp Muscadet sauce. A sprinkling of pine nuts imparted a lovely bite and further depth to the flavour of the rabbit. The side of vegetable stew was both tasty and refreshing - the carrot and artichoke had been cooked to ultimate tenderness and sweetness, while the tangy sauce of pomegranate molasses (made by boiling and reducing pomegranate juice to a thick syrupy consistency) definitely helped to eliminate any feelings of bloatedness from a relatively substantial meat course. I was ready for dessert!

Pre-dessert: goat's cheese sorbet on a bed of dried goat's yoghurt and green apple & coriander jelly, with toppings of kumquat and vanilla & olive oil dressing, and a touch of black pepper. On the side, a small dollop of black tapenade.

This was the most complex and impressive palate cleanser that I'd ever encountered - really, it should have been a full dessert item in its own right. The refreshing acidity of the goat dairy components was very well complemented by the bottom layer of sweet apple jelly, with a crisp and subtle bitterness from the infusion of coriander. This elegant balance of sweet and bitter flavours was also evident from the fruity olive oil mixed with real vanilla pods. A single slice of kumquat topped off this dessert with a lovely zestiness, while a small dollop of black tapenade on the side gave it a most unexpected but effective savoury touch. A truly harmonious symphony of flavours to tease and invigorate the palate after the opulence of the preceding courses.

Dessert: George V-style fraisier à la minute - sliced Ciflorette strawberries, strawberry granita on vanilla cream mixed with crushed biscuits and violet sugar, strawberry sorbet, cheese wafer, strawberry syrup.

Probably the prettiest strawberry dessert you'll ever see; I nearly couldn't bear to dig into this work of art. This particular French strawberry cultivar is considered top-of-the-range, even superior to the renowned Gariguette in possessing the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, and a firm and juicy texture. These qualities were fully evident in the dessert; with the exception of Japanese strawberries I have not tasted anything better in another part of the world. The sorbet was just lovely, so delicate and smooth. In the core lay a delightful hidden mixture of light vanilla cream, biscuits and violet sugar for appropriate weight and bite. A flaky cheese wafer completed this beautiful and wholesome dessert with a pleasant hint of savouriness. Kudos to the pastry team for this divine creation!

A short while later, a server came to my table with an impressive trolley of mignardises; I was already pretty full but this seemed too good to miss.

Covering nearly all the available choices, this was what I had (in clockwise order): marshmallow-coated fresh strawberry with chopped pistachio, candied orange peel enrobed in dark chocolate, coffee & chocolate cake, vanilla canelé, fraises de bois (wild strawberry) tart, calisson (a specialty of Aix-en-Provence, consisting of a paste of fruit and almonds similar in texture to marzipan, topped with a thin and crisp layer of royal icing), red fruit caramel, soft nougat. All of these little gems were lovely, and perhaps not surprisingly I enjoyed the strawberry items the most. What a way to end a marvellous meal!

My visit was not about to end yet; I'd asked to visit the famed underground wine cellar when making the online reservation, and in the absence of the cellar master Eric Beaumard (given that it was a Sunday), my amiable sommelier Edmond took me on a brief tour of the cavernous space. 50,000 bottles covering all regions and vintages - needless to say I was awestruck. Some regular customers have also stored their precious wines here; particularly memorable was a private collection of rare Pétrus vintages.

Edmond's knowledge of wine was truly impressive and he spoke flawless English, having worked a year or so at Greenhouse restaurant in London's Mayfair district (well-known for having the most extensive wine list in the city). I really liked that he approaches wine from a practical value-for-money perspective, and tries to find something for every customer's budget and taste without deliberately upselling them. I imagine that a €21,000 bottle (yes, a table really got that the previous evening according to him!) doesn't necessarily give 100 times more pleasure than a €210 bottle, even though the former is good for business when the occasional Soviet oligarch or Chinese tycoon visits.

The cellar was constructed out of an old stone
quarry; the same stone was used to build the
famous Arc of Triumph - in fact there is a
secret passage (now sealed) leading to it!

Wines are sorted by region -
this is the Burgundy section.

The oldest bottles in this cellar: vintages
of Madeira going way back to 1795!

Edmond :)

I was almost reluctant to leave the restaurant after having experienced such superb cuisine and service that afternoon. Despite its extremely posh surroundings, every member of staff had a genuine warmth that instantly put me at ease. Also I should mention that fine-dining doesn't come cheap in this city, but for what I got this afternoon I thought it was very good value for money by Parisian standards. In hindsight, of the three fine restaurants that I tried over the weekend I enjoyed this meal the most, and I would return without hesitation whenever I am in Paris. I do wonder why this restaurant hasn't obtained its third Michelin star!

Nice hotel courtyard for casual
al fresco dining and afternoon tea.

Looking forward to coming again on my next getaway in Paris!