🇫🇷 Dining at Le Gabriel

Finally got the chance to visit this newly-minted three-Michelin-star restaurant from last year. There are already plenty of posts about the €98 lunch, so let's focus on my favorite dishes from the Brittany seafood menu, Virée. ☑️ Food: 4.5/5, Service: 5+/5, Price: slightly lower than similar restaurants ☑️ My personal ranking would be: duck jus squid fettuccine with caviar, black truffle roasted free-range chicken, and P9 wine-braised mackerel with Bordelaise sauce. ⭐ The squid fettuccine immediately reminds me of the dish from a cooking competition in a Chinese cartoon. The squid is cooked to a perfect tenderness with just the right amount of chewiness, matching the creativity in the cartoon. The seasoning with duck jus and squid ink adds richness and umami without overpowering the seafood flavor, and the caviar complements it beautifully. The only downside is that the presentation is a bit understated; otherwise, I think it could outshine the recommended mackerel as a signature dish. 🍜 ⭐ The roasted chicken is executed well, with crispy skin and tender meat, even the breast is above average. The innovation here is the truffle slices tucked under the skin, infusing the fat with truffle aroma. The result is a fragrant and layered texture that's truly delightful. 🍗 ⭐ The mackerel seems to be a showpiece dish. The chef likely trained in Japan and loves Japanese techniques. Mackerel is a fairly ordinary ingredient, but it's been Japanese-style aged and smoked with pine needles. The unique touch is the use of whiskey poured over hot stones at service to instantly vaporize and remove any fishy odor. The accompanying Bordelaise sauce is a Provençal fish soup seasoning based on aioli. Despite all these details, the mackerel itself didn't leave a lasting impression on my palate. It's like a Chinese steamed fish with a different sauce, so it ranks last among the main courses. 🐟 ☑️ Another impressive aspect of this restaurant is the service. The waitstaff must be well-trained, as the coordination is impeccable. When serving each table, multiple waiters move in perfect unison, from carrying the plates to drizzling the sauces. It's almost like watching a ceremonial guard. I observed the table next to us, and the synchronization was just as impressive. 🎉 ☑️ The location is also a plus for tourists. It's right by the Champs-Élysées, close to the Grand Palais and the Arc de Triomphe, and just a stone's throw from the metro station. Overall, it's a great spot for a Michelin-starred experience, but don't set your expectations too high if you're a food connoisseur. 🌟 #HiddenRestaurantGems #AmbianceRestaurant #DiningWithStyle #FrenchCuisine #ParisTravel #MichelinRestaurant