Le Cinq - Paris, France

Le Cinq is a fine dining restaurant located in the Four Seasons George V in Paris’ 8th arrondissement. At the helm is chef Christian Le Squer, who has led the kitchen since 2014, and helped the restaurant regain its previously lost 3rd Michelin star in 2016, which has been maintained ever since. Le Cinq is one of the most prestigious restaurants in France, and is a striking example of traditional Parisian opulence, luxury, and finesse, not to mention exceptional cuisine.

We made our reservation about 2 months before our visit, and noticed that it was already booking up quickly. However, it was not impossible to book like some top restaurants tend to be.

Upon arrival, we were guided back to the restaurant through the foyer of the hotel. The dining room was grand, elegant, and neatly arranged. Exactly the place you would imagine when thinking of traditional French fine dining. Once seated, we were seated and given the menus to look at. The food menu featured a variety of dishes a la carte, but we opted to try the “Epicurean Escape of Christian Le Squer,” which was the pre-fixe option. The wine menu was substantial, and featured many prestigious wines. So far, Le Cinq was living up to our expectations.

Following these small bites, we were offered bread. In most of the coursed meals that I have had, the bread usually comes later in the meal. However, it was nice to have something to nibble on throughout the meal, so I appreciated this. There were a variety of breads available, but I opted for a mini baguette and a slice of a multigrain loaf which was not only full of toasted seeds, but delicious flavors as well.

Beginning the entree portion of the meal was a cooked oyster which was finished with a buttery foam on top. Next was a fish course dressed with a vibrant sauce and topped with dots of creme. Also among these smaller dishes were grilled porcini mushrooms, a delicious smoked salmon topped with Ossetra caviar, and a bit of pistachio sorbet, served in a small cup of lobster bisque.

Many of these flavors and ingredients were familiar, however needless to say, the combinations and preparations in most of these dishes were unconventional and surprising. Who would have thought to put pistachio sorbet in lobster bisque? The craziest thing is though, it completely worked. As a matter of fact, that dish may have been my favorite of the night. It was definitely a standout in creativity, but the flavors were delicious and worked together to create a balanced dish. The mild sweetness from the sorbet counteracted the salty savoriness from the bisque. Hints of citrus added an acidic note to cut through all of the richness, which completed this fantastic combination.

Next, it was time for the main courses. Wanting to sample as much variety as we could while we were here, we went with one standard option and one upgraded option. For the standard option, it was a roasted wild duck, dressed in a blackberry sauce and other accoutrements. The upgraded option was Japanese wagyu, with an onion tart served alongside.

Both of these courses were cooked perfectly, and the ingredients they were paired with mostly supported the flavors of each protein. The blackberry sauce was strong though, and in my opinion, was overabundant, and overpowering to the flavor of the duck. One other thing that I personally did not enjoy about either of these dishes was the copious use of edible flowers atop each meat. I am not sure if this was an attempt to liven up the colors on the plate, or if they were meant to add a texture or slight flavor element, but I think these dishes would have been better without. To me, it almost seemed like these extra embellishments were attempting to hide something subpar about the main ingredients. As I mentioned though, both the duck and the steak were cooked perfectly, so it would have been nice to let these simple, delicious ingredients succeed on their own merit, supported thoughtfully by an accompanying preparation, like the onion tart was to the wagyu.

Our waiter let us know that dessert would be next, however, there was one staple menu item that we were hoping to see on the pre-fixe menu, but had not. This dish was spaghetti gratin, which we requested to add a la carte. Now if you are thinking of baked mac and cheese, but substitute macaroni with spaghetti, you are on the right track. However, this unique dish is crafted essentially as a loaf with a shell made of the spaghetti noodles, filled with a cheesy combination of ham, mushrooms, and truffles. Unfortunately, we visited a little early for white truffles, but they are featured for this dish when in season. As you might imagine, the flavors of this dish were rich and decadent, exactly what we had hoped for.

Finally, the desserts were served. Plated separately, they all arrived at once, so there was certainly a variety to pick from. First was a small selection of three mignardises (basically French for “cute” treats), each meticulously crafted with different ingredients, flavors, and preparations. Another of the dessert dishes was a combination of very mildly sweet yogurt, prepared in a couple of ways which gave some variety to the texture. Also among the desserts was a chocolate and hazelnut crisp, topped with cream and a delicate rose-shaped scoop of whisky ice cream. The chocolate crisps had a very interesting shape, which reminded me almost of long eyelashes. These surrounded a hazelnut ganache, which was topped by the ice cream. I really enjoyed this dish. Most memorable though, was another dessert, which was called crunchy grapefruit. Thankfully, we had eaten the tangy grapefruit dessert before the sweet chocolate, but I wanted to build up to the grapefruit. This dish, made essentially with one ingredient prepared in several ways, was very surprising and tasty. There were basically two layers of grapefruit; raw slices on the bottom, and larger, preserved sections for the top. Between these layers, as well as on the very top and bottom, were sheets made from grapefruit juice as well. They were thin and crispy, and gave the dish a pleasant crunch to contrast with the soft, juicy sections of grapefruit within. This was certainly a simple, yet memorable dessert, and one that I would love to try again if I have the chance.

To cap off dessert and close out the meal, the chocolate cart was wheeled out. We were offered a sampling of a variety of chocolates which had been prepared for the night. From a nut-filled chocolate toffee, to chocolate covered wafer crackers, each was delicious and provided a familiar flavor to bring us back home.

Overall, this was quite an experience, and mostly what I had hoped for. The ambience and service were excellent, and the meal, for the most part, was creative, appropriately-portioned, and delicious. There were a couple things that I personally found odd, like the flowers on the main courses, but generally speaking, this was an enjoyable meal. The ingredients were fresh, well prepared, and there was a wide variety to enjoy. I think the menu overall offers some substantial options, definitely with some standout dishes which were memorable. If I were to come back though, I would opt for the a la carte menu, since I know what I like and what I did not enjoy as much. However, I am glad that I had the opportunity to experience chef Le Squer’s Epicurean Escape menu, and I would recommend it to those who may be here for their first (or only) visit, as it does provide a generous cross section of the restaurant’s offerings.

Starting off the meal were an assortment of appetizer bites. Among these four unique bites were a wide variety of textures and flavors. Caviar and salmon roe appeared in a couple of the bites, along with other tasty but mostly savory ingredients. Each item was carefully prepared in a pleasing arrangement, and was a nice opening to the meal.