La Table de Joël Robuchon - Paris, France

La Table de Joël Robuchon
16 Ave Bugeaud 75116, 16th Arrondissement
Paris, France
Phone: 01 56 28 16 16
www.joel-robuchon.com

I don't think there is any better deal for lunch at a 2-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris. Joël Robuchon's seasonal cuisine is only 55 € per person, which includes an amuse bouche, your choice of a hors d'oeuvre, fish or meat, fromage, dessert, wine for 2, a bottle of Evian water, and coffee. (You can even ask for 2 types of wine)

As I walked into this fine dining restaurant, I felt an air of sophistication and snobbery. I never did feel comfortable during my time here. And the service was very slow. Nonetheless, the food was overall excellent and worthy of a visit.

(I have to first disclose that I don't remember the menu much. It was probably the many glasses of wine that clouded my memory. And on the way out, we forgot to grab a menu. But I did the best I could to reconstruct the dishes for this post. Enjoy!)

This refreshing amuse bouche was like a tomato-flavored panna cotta with cuts of fennel stalks.

For the appetizer, I had an elegant eggplant dish with asparagus, cucumbers, celery, radish, bell peppers. It was simple, not as flavorful, but fresh tasting and true to the season. The other hors d'oeuvre plate was tomatoes and bell peppers stuffed with some chorizo and meatballs, drizzled with olive oil, tomato based jus and some greens.
For our entree, we both ordered the braised lamb in a tomato broth with onions and peas. We were both a bit disappointed in this entree. There was nothing spectacular or had any 'wow' factor. We felt like it was something we could prepare at home.
Known for its pomme puree, this was the smoothest and creamiest you will have ever tasted. It's probably made of mostly butter and some potatoes, but the taste was incredible. Maybe not good for your cholesterol, but definitely great for your taste buds.
At the end of the meal, we each had a plate of Brie of Meaux, light vinaigrette salad, and slices of nut and raisin bread. Our stomachs were so full, but we still managed to enjoy some of the fromage.
Then, they served us the dessert. Here is the decadent strawberries with basil ice cream and a marshmallow stick.
We also had berry sorbet with a sponge-like cake.
As we sipped our espresso, the server brought out these delectable bonbons - dark chocolate dusted with gold and salted caramels. Knowing our stomachs can no longer hold any ounce of food, we asked the kind waitress if we can have a small box or bag. Instead she brought out 2 exquisite-looking bags with ribbons filled with extra chocolates and caramels in them already. What a nice touch!
Though the service was slow and inattentive, I enjoyed the food overall, minus the braised lamb, because for 55 €, we enjoyed the freshest and seasonal ingredients in elegantly prepared dishes that were well complemented with the wine.