L’Empreinte — Restaurant in Chalon-sur-Saône

I am saddened by the experience in this restaurant. The staff was trying so hard to follow all the rules that were probably told to them by the owners that they missed every opportunity to connect with the guests. When presenting the menu, the owner as well didn't try to connect. A personal touch was not on the menu. The food was good, not star level, but some things were really good. On overy dish however, there was something off, or weird. Something on the side that didn't match at all the other elements on the plate. At some point we had to slow them down. We had appetizers and three courses in less than one hour.... The cheese cart and the desert make up for some of the mess during the evening. Although also there, some cheeses on the cart are mismatched with the others and not of the same quality. They just add quantity, but not taste or quality. In the dessert it was the same. It looked amazing, taste was good, but then on another plate on the table, there were some sweets that didn't match the tastes or the quality of the main dessert. It just doesn't make any sense. Don't put that on the table at the same time. With the coffee and bill there were a few more of this small sweets, that were not good at all. If you want to show off your expertise on baking , this is not the right way. When you eat at a restaurant of this price range, you tend to expect not just to be fed, but rather a gastronomical experience. This expectation was not met. We went to another restaurant the next day for lunch. While we were reading the menu, we looked at eachother and both noticed that there was already more warmth from the staff then the entire previous evening. Sorry to say, but L'Empreinte won't get a second...

We had a splendid dining experience at this restaurant. The savory dishes, accompanied by a diverse range of delightful sides, left a lasting impression. Vegetarian options that the chef improvised were notably tasty, showcasing a broad spectrum of flavours - unusual special care in French restaurants!

The dessert (trompe l’œil), as well as the cheese platter, stands out as one of the best we’ve ever indulged in. The inviting atmosphere was complemented by the expertise of the sommelier.

We’re eagerly anticipating our next visit to explore the wine pairing recommendations which we passed on this time. Highly recommended for a memorable...

Petit conseil : Pensez à réserver car si vous y entrez à l’improviste en passant, juste parce que vous avez vu de la lumière, il y a de fortes chances pour que l’on vous demande (très poliment) de tenter votre chance une prochaine fois ! Et pour cause, récemment étoilés du petit guide rouge au Bibendum, Maxime et Tiffany, le jeune couple qui tient de mains de maître (mais dans des gants de velours) les vingt doigts (et leurs empreintes) de l’établissement, font salle comble depuis leur réouverture post Covid, et c’est amplement mérité.

Vous entrez dans une jolie et grande salle en pierres qui jouxte l’historique « Tour Rouge » du XII-ième siècle, le staff est jeune, nombreux et prévenant, professionnel, poli sans obséquiosité, présent tout en sachant rester discret ; la carte des vins riche et variée, elle laisse naturellement une part belle aux coteaux Bourguignons, sans pour autant faire preuve d’un chauvinisme exacerbé puisqu’elle propose des alternatives d’autres régions. Le choix s’invite également dans la largesse des gammes de prix proposés aux menus ou à la carte, qui varient de 31 à 80 euros selon que vous choisissiez un retour de marché ou une signature surprise en 7 services. Quoiqu’il en soit, bien que gastronomique, le rapport qualité / prix est extrêmement correct au vu de la qualité de service apportée.

Quant au reste, puisqu’il est impossible de décrire un plaisir gustatif aussi inventif, osé et varié en quelques lignes, je vous invite plutôt à vite venir franchir le seuil de ce joyau caché au cœur de la Bourgogne avant que Maxime ne vole vers d’autres cieux (il ira loin !), vos cinq sens vous en remercieront, surtout vos papilles (peut-être moins votre banquier, mais je ne dis pas que je le ferai tous les jours non plus !). NB : Seul bémol, parmi la cinquantaine de fromages de régions proposés sur le plateau, ni Babibel, ni Vache qui rit, dommage, j'en ai d'ailleurs fait la remarque à la...