Epicure
Epicure Review at-a-glance
Awards: 3 Michelin star
+The black truffle dessert was one of the most original and best desserts I have had, bar none. An ingenious use of truffle in an unexpected way.
-Cooking style was neither modern enough to be exciting or as enjoyable as my favorite classic three-stars
Review Rating: 91.5/100
Verdict: Other than dessert, which was fantastic, my lunch at Epicure was largely just ok. The cooking was capably done and fit the bill if you are looking for well-executed French food. However, it lacked personality and, save that aforementioned dessert, is indistinct in my memory. As far as classic meals go, this wasn’t at the same level as the very best I have had. This critique may have been the product of going for the lunch menu - there is also a more extensive tasting menu offered which includes many luxurious ingredients and all of Chef Eric Frechon’s classics. However, based on what I saw on the lunch menu, I won’t be running back to spend €380 on dinner to find out if the menu makes the difference.
Price I paid: €197 for lunch tasting menu including €32 supplement for black truffle dessert
Value: 12/20
Epicure and Eric Frechon Background
Like many of the three-star restaurants in Paris, Epicure is located in a posh 5-star hotel - in this case, the Hotel Le Bristol which is only a few minutes walk from the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysée. The main dining room was being refurbished when I visited (no complaints as this was clearly indicated when I made the reservation) so my lunch took place in one of the hotels private dining rooms which had an old-world luxury to it but was nothing special.
The chef at Epicure is Eric Frechon who has a long history in the world of gastronomy, spending his formative years in the 1980s working in the kitchens of Tallivent, La Grande Cascade, and a two-year tour in Spain. After returning to France, Frechon quickly achieved success while earning the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 1993 while working at Le Crillion. Eventually, Frechon moved to his current residence at Epicure and Hotel Le Bristol as Executive Chef in 1999, earning the ultimate third star in the Michelin guide a decade later in 2009. Frechon’s cooking style definitely tends to be more classic French albeit while also welcoming modern techniques and ideas.
Epicure has a wide selection of menus including a la carte (starter €72 - €160, mains €90 - €135, desserts €32 - €36) and a signature tasting menu which comes in at a hefty €380. While that is an absurd price for a tasting menu, it at least comes with many luxurious ingredients including black truffle, caviar, and an elaborate Bresse chicken poached in its bladder. As I was visiting for lunch I went with the relatively kindly priced lunch tasting menu which costs €165. While the lunch menu understandably did not include any luxury ingredients it still felt like a complete experience as it featured a starter, seafood, meat, cheese, and a dessert.
The meal got off to a little bit of a bumpy start when I arrived punctually for my 12:00 reservation and they told me the restaurant does not actually open until 12:30. Why they took a reservation for 12:00 then is beyond me. Nonetheless, I waited dutifully in the lobby but somehow ended up as one of the last tables seated as by the time the host came to seat me the restaurant was almost full.
What we ate at Epicure
The meal started with a carbonara style Paille onion with ham, parmesan cheese, and black truffles featuring faux pasta made of onion served in a hollowed-out onion. This dish was an impressive bit of technique as they managed to mellow down the onion flavor without making the onion too soft. That said, while it was a clever dish I can’t say this was really better than a plate of carbonara with actual handmade pasta. Just ok.
Next up was eel from sargasso sea served with griolle mushroom and black truffle stuffed cabbage. Using Eel as the main fish course was an interesting choice and very different from the usual parade of Turbot, John Dorty, and Sole you get in Europe. The eel was cooked “Meunière” style with a quick dredge of flour, sear in a pan, and served with a pan sauce of red wine and parsley. This was a fine fish but difficult for me to judge as most of my eel experiences are on sushi or grilled with Kabayaki sauce. That said the sauce had plenty of flavor. The truffled cabbage presentation is the third time in the past year or so I have had a similar layered side so definitely not the most original technique which I believe is based on the savory millefeuille at L’Astrance.
The main course was roasted duck from challans served with a reduction of its cooking juices, orange juice, honey, and coriander. A textbook duck dish with crispy skin, moist meat, and a nice glossy sauce. The highlight of the duck was the spice mixture used on the breast, providing a nice pronounced flavor to the dish without being overpowering. Great work from Eric Frechon and the rest of the team at Epicure although it could have used a bit more textural contrast - perhaps some crisp potatoes?
As with any proper french restaurant, Epicure has a good selection of well-kept cheese, mostly of French origin. I appreciated they included the cheese board, often a supplement in even the most expensive tasting menus, as part of the basic lunch menu.
The highlight of the meal was dessert, a Black truffle emulsion with roasted hazelnut, black truffle ice cream, and gianduja sauce, which I swapped into the lunch menu for a surcharge (€32). Stunning presentation and flavors. The dessert consisted of a blown sugar sphere shaped like a black truffle and filled with black truffle ice cream and black truffle emulsion. This giant “truffle” was then placed on top of a bed of hazelnuts and topped with a rich gianduja chocolate sauce. Besides having a very Instagram-friendly presentation the flavors and textures of this dish were some of the best I have ever had in a dessert. I am not sure there would be a price I wouldn’t be willing to pay if they sold the black truffle ice cream in this dish by the pint. Epicure’s pastry chef, Julien Alvarez, has developed quite the following of his own. Based on this one dessert it is well justified.