Restaurant Le Parc — Restaurant in Reims

As a break in trying every Parisian Michelin Stars in less than a year (follow me for all the reviews) I went to Reims.

It’s a love letter from an man to his adopted region. It’s a two stars Michelin, so my usual question here is what is extraordinary, because you need to stand out to get a second star (in France, there’s roughly 7 times less 2 stars than one, and “only” 2 times more than three). I’ll start with the 2 most obvious points and I’ll finish with a more personal one. The package setting and service. Starting when your car enter the domain, to the dining room, it’s gorgeous. It’s more class than luxury. Let me rephrase, they went for very luxurious but removed the shiny “dorures “ (golden stuff) and focused on the craftsmanship, the wood, the quality. Basically, it looks luxurious because it is luxurious, not because it s shiny (I made a small video where you can see the interior ). The service is at par. You’re in a Relais & Châteaux, the high end hotels association based in France. It’s the best service you can have, with the palaces. The ratio staff/customers is excellent, and the staff is amongst the best coming from everywhere in France. For example one of our sommelier, was from Burgundy. But this is just a transition (to say thanks to him) and to speak about the second obvious point: The Champagne! I’ve already said it in several reviews, but a low sugar dosage Champagne, preferably Blanc de Noirs, is the best wine to accommodate a gastronomic meal. It won’t be in conflict with the chef expression. Trust me and try it. If you’re afraid of looking too decadent, do like me, drink it in wine glasses… (actually it’s also better for the tasting so it’s a double win). And if there’s a place to try it, it’s here! The wine card is a monument. So much so that I forgot about my phone and taking pictures! I would recommend to ask the sommelier for recommendations. I didn’t do so, I went straight for some of my favorites. But if you love Champagne, this is the place. This is the moment. Which brings me to the last point, I know someone who loves Champagne Region and came here: the Chef. First, the chef is a MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France- Best French Craftsman). It’s an incredibly difficult and selective competition, that makes your food reality show looks like kid play. I’ve already spoke in length about it in other reviews (Chabotterie, pré catelan, Solstice, Relais louis xiii, etc…), so I’ll stop here. The common point is perfection. Every dish is view as a work of art and has to be perfect, complete. Look at the play with texture, acidity etc… Every dish is a stand alone work of art. But that’s not the point here. The point is that the Chef uses his skill to express his love for the region. Was he in love before or did he fall in love once there? Big question ;-) But the fact that is looking for small producers, the way is associating etc… would make me think of the later. Still the question is more “will you fall in love with the Champagne region “? Well, this restaurant should at least give you a strong push.

The crowd/mood: Quite high end. But you don’t care. Dress well, have some Champagne and forget about them.

A very solid two stars enamored with the region.

Ps: Dear moderation algorithm, tell me what’s...

The restaurant has 2 Michelin stars at the time of writing, and judging from what everyone else is saying, the restaurant may soon be awarded the third star, hence I am going to review this restaurant as if it is already a 3 Michelin star restaurant.

My wife and I came for dinner on a Saturday. Coming to a restaurant like the Le Parc should be an “experience”, not purely a “meal”. Overall the experience was memorable and we had a lovely evening.

Service: Very attentive, plenty of staff around us, which is expected for restaurants at this level. My wife had some issue with the potatoes that came with her chicken dish, which we promptly told the staff in charge of our table. Given we are tourists from a foreign country, we had expected that the staff would just keep the comment to himself (i.e. it would be ignored). To our pleasant surprise, the manager in charge (Max) was notified and promptly came to our table to understand the issue, and he quickly apologized on behalf of the kitchen. Sometimes when customers make a comment, the restaurant would try to “explain” out of the issue, or try to brush away the issue with some excuses, or even try to blame the issue on the customer. Happily, Max was different, he reacted humbly, he was quick to apologize, which we gladly accepted with a warm smile. From a customer perspective, we felt our comment was respected, and we feel the team deserves a 3 Michelin star from service perspective. I give Max the maximum score here.

Food: As I said, I am judging this restaurant as if it had already had 3 Michelin stars. We had the “Voyage avec Le Chef” menu. The ingredients were all good, and we found no fault with the execution (except for the potatoes in my wife’s dish which I mentioned above, and if I can be picky, I felt the fish skin could be a little more crispy). However there wasn’t any surprise in the taste of any of the dishes (except for desserts). The amuse bouche (no pictures included here) were just boring in look and taste, didn’t quite excited our taste buds. I am sure some customers would find the food here perfect, but to us the taste lacks any wow factor (for clarity, when I say wow factor, I am referring to the taste of the food, not whether the food is Instagrammable). After all, a 3 Michelin star restaurant is defined as “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”. To us, the Le Parc is unable to meet this from a food perspective.

Dessert: the desserts however were all good, and in our view deserve 3 Michelin stars. Well done to the team in charge of...

A truly fabulous anniversary lunch — every detail perfection! 💫🍾

We celebrated our anniversary with lunch at Le Parc inside Les Crayères, and it was absolutely fabulous from start to finish! Exquisite food, impeccable service, beautiful atmosphere — and that stunning setting within the hotel just elevated the whole experience.

When we arrived, they first seated us in the lounge area where we started with glasses of champagne. We ordered two glasses of Flora Debout and two of Billecart-Salmon Rosé, both of which were excellent. They served us a lovely selection of hors d’oeuvres to pair with our bubbly while we relaxed and looked over the menu. Once we were ready, they guided us to the dining room — we got the best table by the window, and the room itself was absolutely gorgeous.

The four of us chose the Plaisir de Table menu — a five-course tasting — though it turned out to be quite a feast since they include several surprise bites in between courses to keep things interesting. 😊

Our menu included Candied duck foie gras, John Dory filet, glazed Mallard duck breast, Farm Langres cheese, and Grand Cru chocolate from Indonesia. Every dish was flawlessly executed — the flavors balanced beautifully, and the proteins were cooked to perfection. The bread and butter were also outstanding (and for me, that’s crucial — it sets the tone for the whole meal!).

Service was attentive and polished throughout. Even though a few staff members seemed newer or in training, everything ran smoothly. Toward the end of lunch, they surprised us with an extra dessert and a candle to celebrate our anniversary — such a thoughtful touch!

At one point, the sun was streaming through the window, so I asked if they could lower the shades — and to my amusement, they controlled this mechanized awning outside right from inside the dining room! It was such a cool little detail that made us all smile. 😄

Even the valets were wonderful — warm, friendly, and eager to share a bit of the hotel’s history and their current renovations while fetching our car.

All in all, it was an extraordinary dining experience — elegant yet welcoming — and absolutely worthy of its two Michelin stars. Next time I’m in Reims, I’ll definitely be back, and I’d love to stay at Les Crayères as well. With drinks, the total came to around USD $1,200, and honestly, it was worth every penny for such a memorable...