La Truffière — Restaurant in Paris

To celebrate our wedding anniversaries (six of us) we chose to dine at La Truffière, tucked in the 5th arrondissement on rue Blainville. We expected an elegant meal. What we received was an all-senses, soul-stirring experience that transcended every imaginable standard of hospitality and cuisine.

We selected the chef’s 5-course tasting menu—though in truth, it unfolded into EIGHT indulgent chapters, each more surprising and transportive than the last. From the first amuse-bouche to the final mignardise, every plate was a canvas, every bite a story. Consider the cucumber roll—a delicate scroll of fresh, vegetal brightness paired with a verdant sauce that danced between herbal and creamy. Or the house made foie gras—rich, complex, cut through with an earthy black truffle vein and served with the sort of bread that makes you…want to write home about bread….or at least take an extra suitcase home full of…bread!

Then there was the moment—the oxtail. The aroma was intoxicating, the texture like velvet, the flavor a crescendo of deep umami. It was nothing short of divine. (Side note: It’s been rumored this dish has brought tears to ones eyes…not these eyes…but how appropriate it would have been).

But to speak only of the food would be to miss the soul of La Truffière. What elevated the night to something Michelin should revisit, was the TEAM who delivered it.

Yannis Bouskri, our head waiter, is the kind of person every diner dreams of but rarely meets. Effortlessly warm, intuitive, professional without a trace of pretension—he anticipated our needs before we could articulate them. Each course brought not only a new culinary wonder, but an entirely new set of silverware. That alone deserves a round of applause. And while serving fine cuisine, Yannis still found time to banter with us about the PSG–Inter Milan match and teach us the club anthem with a proud “À LA PARIS!” It’s not often you find someone who can plate a perfect joke and a perfect dish in the same night.

Martin Saucais, the sommelier and maître d’, is a man of integrity and extraordinary talent. When a mishap (MY fault!) with our reservation could have disrupted the evening, he didn’t just resolve it—he ELEVATED the night. We were ushered into a private cellar, where Martin guided us with gentle authority and genuine care. He poured not just wine, but wisdom—suggesting a few bottles that were not only perfect for our meal, but perfect for our budget. No pressure. No upselling. Just gracious, grounded service. His generosity extended to tastings of Armagnac and Cognac that rounded the evening like a benediction, followed by a tour of their extraordinary wine cellar. This is a man who understands not just hospitality, but humanity.

And finally, the artist behind it all: Chef Quentin Maisonnobe. In lesser hands, truffles can be clumsy and overbearing. In Chef Maisonnobe’s, they are a subtle symphony—woven in with restraint, imagination, and at just the right moments, a glorious abundance. We had the pleasure of meeting him after the meal, and his humility matched his talent. Talking with him felt less like meeting a celebrity chef, and more like reconnecting with an old friend. A quiet maestro who lets his creations speak volumes.

There are meals you enjoy. There are meals you remember. And then there are meals like this—where food, service, and setting align so harmoniously that they embed themselves into your life story.

Hey Michelin! Give La Truffière another star. They’ve already earned it.

– Dennis & Co., still smiling...

Let me preface by saying this is my first 1 star review on Google. Never have I felt so compelled to share with you my feelings towards this restaurant, because I so vehemently disliked my experience, that my wish is that whoever is considering this restaurant while travelling in Paris should consider my review. If Mediocrity was a God, her manifestation could be La Truffiere.

We are late 20s American travellers who love fine dining, and unfortunately only speak basic conversational French (this is the type of restaurant that will make you feel bad for not being fluent in French). Understanding we are much younger than most people who go to the restaurant, we are still paying customers that wanted to be treated with a basic level of kindness. Have you ever walked into an establishment, and felt that every move you make is judged, the outfit and watch you are wearing is the subject of whispers among the staff, you can only whisper quietly for fear of being judged, and choosing the wrong line item or wine on the menu is subject to sneers and giggles from the staff? That all happened, combined with the fact that our food was lacking in flavor, depth, and uniqueness made us feel very upset that we paid $250 for this "experience". Never have we been made to feel so unwelcome in a restaurant, especially at this price tag. Perhaps our experience was an isolated incident, but I would suggest that if you are a traveler that fits our profile, consider another restaurant that may treat you with a bit more respect. Maybe, justtttt maybe, the over inflated attitude of superiority towards the customers was meant to disguise the mediocrity of the cuisine they offered.

The food, service, and ambiance was sub par at best and soul crushing at worst. Hypothetically, if the only requirement to get a full refund for the ~$250 we paid for our meal for two people, is to step foot in this establishment just ONE more time, I would step in, take the $250 cash, burn that cash, take the ashes of that pile of cash, put it in a saltshaker, and sprinkle it onto the main courses. Maybe then, their menu offerings would have some...

Incredible experience. In a very discreet cozy place.

The dishes : they are indeed modern and creative. Diner was a choice between 3 menus. Discovery, pleasure of above. We choose the discovery one. 3 courses. We had the Panais with Litchi. The glass with the Litchi émulsion with the little panais was really great. I had the scallops with the tartare and to be frank they were the best I ever had. The emulsion, the gelée and the tartare with the scallops were incredible. My friend had the deer. You could smell the forest. Seriously. The mix with clementine and meat was so interesting. Then for desert, the Panais and Pear, who could have thought the mix of those two would be really interesting ? And it was. In between all the inter-courses and amuse-bouche were delicious, the truffle butter, the lentils soup… really tasty.

Wine : the wine steward was incredible and described with perfection every wine we had. As we were interested in a specific one, they let us taste some. How sweet !

Service : all people are really kind and very much here to help you. They are sweet, fun, and all ears to all your demands. They are indeed very professional and it made this experience way better.

Overall, we had an amazing experience and discovered how creative is the chef and the team. The service really leveled up everything. Seriously, good job !

I had a fantastic time and you’ll sure do have the same if...