Plénitude - a unique artisan restaurant

If the soul of Chinese food is “the fire", the essence of Japanese food is "umami" (fresh and natural sweet), the highlight of Italian food is "al dente" (right cooking time)... then the most important element of French cuisine must be “the sauce”. Classic traditional French cuisine has always been considered full of flavor and ultra rich, it can be considered too heavy for modern time tastes. After all, we live in an era of extreme abundance of different ingredients... and the “lighter" version of French cuisine seems very necessary.

Many years ago, for my honeymoon, I stayed at Hotel Cheval Blanc in the Maldives, and fell in love with this hotel because it brought me surprises in all the senses. This year, 2023, was my first birthday after moving to Paris, so I decide to choose the one restaurant I am most looking forward to in Paris, Plénitude in Hotel Cheval Blanc, which has received three Michelin stars just in one year after opening. Especially after having tried the other two restaurants in the same hotel, which have given me enough confidence.

-Visual -

👁️ The restaurant adheres to the hotel's consistent simple and elegant way with design: Amalfi lemon yellow, apricot and pebble gray are visually impactful and quite harmonious; the same color toned lemon carnations and white baby's breath are placed on the table; The tableware is also full of design. As a senior "plate lover", I even couldn't recognize it at first glance. After asking the restaurant manager, I realized that it was Sylvie Coquet who specially designed for this restaurant and definitely a non-commercial brand... Everything is so unique and full of craftsmanship. The curved hall only accommodates ten tables of guests, in order to allow each guest to have a full visual experience: for the first time, I feel how beautiful the “Pont Neuf” is when the night is hazy.

- Taste -

👄 Chef Arnaud’s cooking philosophy is to follow the changing seasons, using different essences, vinegars, creams, fresh fruit and vegetable juices... to create balanced and creative sauces; and using different cooking techniques: fermentation, maturation, smoke, low-temperature sous vide and slow-cooked... strive to perfectly reflect the texture and the charm of each ingredient.

From six appetizers to three main courses that night, (because I personally like seafood, I chose different seafoods as main ingredients that night) all the dishes accurately reflected the chef’s solid cooking skills: the fresh iodine flavor from the oysters, the natural sweetness of the octopus, the warm glutinousness of the crayfish, the juicy texture of the sardines, and the perfect texture come from one of my favorite ingredients: semi-fat red mullet, combined with the mousse-like “Sabayon” version of “bouillabaisse”… all the sauce really highlight the main ingredients.

- Smell -

👃🏻I love wine, so far the best olfactory experience in my life always comes from a wine bottle... When I realized that the restaurant’s Head Sommelier was actually an old friend who worked in London, whom I hadn’t seen for many years, I was immediately excited, because Emmanuel’s knowledge is profound and he is always learning and very open-minded. When I visited the wine cellar, I was really surprised by the Italian wine collection in a three Michelin star French restaurant. I think the sommelier team probably also agrees: a good bottle of wine is more like an old friend, he or she can come from anywhere in the world, but when you “talk” to them, you can feel their kindness which make you feel surprisingly comfortable. From a welcome champagne glass to Burgundy that night, Fontaine Gagnard's 2017 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru perfectly accompanied my seafood dishes; and my husband’s lamb dish also got an extra level of surprise thanks to the 2018 Gevrey Chambertin from Duroché recommended by Emmanuel.

- Hearing -

👂 The “sound" or the “vibe” of a good restaurant definitely comes from the kitchen: the “music” from the running water, the squeaking grilling while simultaneously accompanied with "knife skills”… of course there will be lots of “yes Chef”… Here, in Arnaud’s kitchen, every corner is revealed as s sense of order. When the restaurant manager realized that we had a three-year-old child dining with us, himself and the Chef performed a "kitchen game”: they invited my daughter to the kitchen to choose her favorite ingredients and tell the chef her favorite dessert elements. They were really attentive... Even a young little child kept emphasizing that all dishes are delicious, beautiful and fun!

- Touch -

💌 The "feeling". I am really touched by the various preparations of the entire restaurant. The sincere smile of every service staff, and the restaurant manager who is very professional and hospitable in everything, from the greeting when guests are seated to the thoughtful checking between dishes, from the various small surprises prepared for the children to prevent them from being bored during a long meal time, to the birthday surprises… even when they explained the cheese from various region, the professionalism was amazing! Nobody can escape from the pastry chef Maxime's master piece, It is perfect to finish the entire sensory feast: the chocolate had balanced acidity, the sorbet had a velvety texture, even the petit four is very thought-provoking and "touched" your heart.

A wonderful dining experience perfectly performed by every member of the team, see you soon @Plénitude!

Puffy's Atelier