It had been a remarkable rise to culinary distinction for Le Cinq when, in 2003, it captured its third Michelin star in just three years of operation. Under chef Philip Legendre, the restaurant, located in Paris's historic Four Seasons George V hotel, delivered impossibly refined, modern classics like the black Périgord truffle tart, and wood-smoked lobster with chestnuts.
 
Then, in February 2007, Le Cinq lost its third star. Fourteen months later, Legendre threw in his toque there too. Suddenly, the restaurant that had so quickly shot up the ranks was in need of fresh talent.

Enter new executive chef Eric Briffard, who may be the catalyst for Le Cinq's renaissance. Having earned two stars each at his last two engagements -- the Plaza Athénée's Régence and Hôtel Vernet's Elysées -- Briffard now faces the challenge of recovering Le Cinq's third star.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of staying in Paris at the George V, and made a reservation for dinner to see Briffard in action. It was lucky timing. My Gourmet Tasting Menu (210 euros, not including drinks) straddled new and old, with Briffard debuts alongside Legendre standbys.

Cultivated under the peerless Joël Robuchon at Paris's Jamin, Briffard's technical prowess was no surprise. Take his answer to Legendre's lobster, served in two dishes side-by-side. The first was an exercise in restraint, with tender claw-meat in a delicately herbed broth of natural juices that resonated with deep, briny notes. The second, in contrast, was a more intricate pairing of lobster tail with brousse cheese gnocchi and vanilla-scented fennel. Other sophisticated combinations popped up elsewhere in the meal: seaweed flavored Breton butter, chilled sheep's milk yogurt brightened with olive oil.

Service was prompt, personal and genuinely warm -- a Four Seasons signature perfected here by the George V staff.

Briffard (pictured right) premieres his first full menu this fall, providing an exciting opportunity to witness his vision for a renewed Le Cinq. If waiting for Michelin's 2009 ratings has you drumming the table in anticipation, book a meal on your next Paris trip and judge for yourself whether Le Cinq's star is once again on the rise.

Le Cinq
Four Seasons Hotel George V
31 Avenue George V
75008 Paris, France
+33 (0) 1 49 52 70 00
 

PERMALINK

PRINT

E-MAIL

SHARE

del.icio.us digg Reddit

Scent and memory merge at the Paris home of Serge Lutens Parfums, the enchanting fragrance collection with cult followings in France and abroad. Here, at Les Salons du Palais Royal, Lutens spotlights his evocative creations in a dreamy landscape awash in indigo, violet and black (pictured below), where the scent-savvy traveler can sample perfumes sold nowhere else in the world.

Tucked beneath the arcades of the picturesque Palais Royal Garden, Les Salons provides a perfect distraction for visiting fragrance fanatics. Though only steps away from the Louvre, it nonetheless remains well off the tourist track.

As Serge devotees know, Lutens releases three scents each year -- two "Export" scents available at select retailers globally, and one "Exclusive" scent that can't be purchased in person outside of Paris. Look for the latter's signature 75 ml bell-shaped flacons (105 euros), shapely sisters to the lanky bottles sold in the U.S., when you visit Les Salons.

El Attarine, the latest of the Paris-only scents, is a golden, spiced-honey fragrance. Just released on August 1, it's consistent with the olfactory auteur's fixation on the Orient. The sensual aromas of Marrakech, Lutens' adopted home, haunt much of his collection. If the thrill of acquiring this Paris-only fragrance isn't enough, Les Salons also offers thirty limited-edition El Attarine flacons, intertwined with black arabesques and stamped with Serge Lutens's initials (850 euros; pictured after the jump).  

Either way, the memories of your Paris trip are sure to smell sweet.

Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido
142 galerie de Valois
75001 Paris, France
+33 (0)1 49 27 09 09

Our other favorite scent shops in Paris, after the jump...

PERMALINK

PRINT

E-MAIL

SHARE

del.icio.us digg Reddit

In the Fall 2008 Issue of Town & Country TRAVEL (on newsstands Aug. 5), the delightful Clotilde Dusoulier, creator of the beloved food blog Chocolate & Zucchini and author of two books, Chocolate & Zucchini and Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris (pictured, right), chronicled a recent meal at Le Jules Verne, the landmark restaurant in the Eiffel Tower.
 
A native Parisienne, Clotilde recalled her childhood fantasies of what it would be like to eat in this most famous of places. She discovers that, since the kitchen was taken over by Alain Ducasse, its acclaim is much deserved. As interested as we were by Clotilde's insights into Le Jules Verne, we were equally as eager to discover what foodie spots she would single out as her own personal "landmarks."
 
Her answers are perhaps a small taste of what one can expect from her new book, which she describes as "a window onto my Paris, this delicious stomping ground for the food enthusiast."
 
"It is the companion I wish I had for every city I visit, pointing me to the edible highlights and giving me the lowdown on the dining scene, the best food-shopping haunts, and the locals favorites," Dusoulier says.
 
Her top picks in Paris, as told to T&C, after the jump:

PERMALINK

PRINT

E-MAIL

SHARE

del.icio.us digg Reddit