Restaurant Le Parc - Reims, France

Restaurant Le Parc is an upscale French restaurant, located inside Domaine Les Crayeres in Reims, France. Le Parc is the property’s premiere dining venue, boasting 2 Michelin stars under the direction of head chef, Christophe Moret, and head sommelier, Nicolas Grelier. The property also features another restaurant, Le Jardin, which in contrast, is very approachable.

Upon arriving at Domaine Les Crayeres, the first thing you will notice is how beautiful the property is. This luxury chateau turned boutique hotel is one of the only properties of its kind in Reims. The grounds are a park-like setting with over 17 acres of carefully landscaped gardens, enclosed by a wall which runs around the perimeter, maintaining a very private setting. There is a path which loops around inside the grounds where guests are able to walk. I would highly recommend taking a stroll around the property to get a true appreciation for the place.

When making our reservations for dinner, their third-party booking system did not have any available, but I was able to make arrangements directly through the concierge. When we arrived, we were escorted into the main dining room and seated along the back, near a window overlooking the grounds. Although it was nearly dark by that point, there were still remnants of the sunset lingering between the trees and over the rooftop of Basilique Saint-Remi, which was visible in the distance.

The meal began with an assortment of different bites as an amuse bouche. There were a variety of flavors and textures among them, setting the tone for the rest of the Autumn 2024 menu.

Starting off this seasonal menu as the first course, was spider crab which was prepared in a creamy but light sauce, topped with a healthy scoop of caviar. Alongside were tiny fried rolls, stuffed with the crab meat, as well as a coral sabayon.

Following the first course, the next dish was very similar, except instead of crab, the main ingredient was sea urchin. This too, was served in a delicious foam and topped with another scoop of caviar. What stood out to me was the color of the sea urchin, which was very red. Personally, I do not think it was as good as California sea urchin, and certainly not the variety from Hokkaido; however, it was tasty and added a good salinity to the dish.

The third course was a soft boiled egg coated in toasted brioche crumbs, served over a bed of cucumber tagliatelle and cream and topped with, you guessed it, a scoop of caviar. Amazingly, what stood out about this dish were the thin ribbons of cucumber tagliatelle. The cream and egg yolk created a sauce which coated the cucumber and the caviar again lended its saltiness to the dish. These flavors contrasted well against the freshness of the cucumber to create a well balanced and enjoyable dish.

Next up was the main course, which for this season was grilled lobster. Here we had a half lobster tail, split lengthwise, accompanied by some roasted onions and potatoes, which complimented the dish. The lobster was cooked perfectly and enhanced by a flavorful lobster sauce.

Following the main course was Le Parc’s cheese trolley, which had a robust selection which included cheeses made from cow’s, sheep’s, and goat’s milks, ranging from mild to very pungent and flavorful. I stuck primarily with cow’s milk cheeses, but let the waiter select an assortment based on his suggestion. There were a few sweet options to accompany the cheeses, including honey, dried fruits, and a variety of jams. I picked an apricot jam and wild honey to go with the cheese selection, which was all very enjoyable.

Finally, the meal was wrapped up with dessert, which was sea lettuce crystalline, sorbet, and meringue, accompanied by a cottage cheese mousse with lemon and olive oil. With this also came a variety of small chocolate confections. As you may be able to tell from the pictures, the dessert was interesting and also delicious.

Although Le Parc does offer a set champagne pairing for this particular meal, we opted to look through their wine list to see what their selection was like, since we had heard good things. The waiter returned with two volumes, which looked as big as the old and new testaments, but they were actually the wine list (book), and an equally if not more impressive separate dedicated champagne list (also book). Both were extensive and offered an excellent selection of wines. Since we were in the region, we stuck to the champagne. We had heard that Le Parc had good deals on some of the champagnes that they offered. We thought this made sense, since these bottles are essentially coming right from their backyard. However, their prices were pretty standard for a restaurant of this caliber, which was unsurprising at the end of the day. Although there were more prestigious options on the list, we decided on a bottle of 2008 Dom Perignon to go with our meal. As you may know, 2008 was an exceptional year for the Champagne region. Funny enough, the first time I ever tried Dom Perignon, it was a 2008 vintage. However, this was before I knew anything about the history or the notes, and I was not able to fully appreciate what a special vintage I was trying. This time, we gave the champagne the attention it deserved and we were rewarded. Especially considering the prevalence of more rich and creamy flavors throughout the meal, the freshness of the champagne, with its present but well-balanced acidity and fruity notes added a counterpoint to the food, which elevated the entire experience. The mineral notes of the long finish eased the palate back down after each sip and enhanced the following bite of food. Amazingly, the Dom paired well with every course and carried well throughout the entire meal. Most surprisingly, it even complimented the dessert course as we finished the bottle alongside our sea lettuce sorbet and chocolate truffles. Overall, we were very pleased with our choice, which provided a very pleasant and enjoyable experience.

The service throughout the meal was OK, however, there were times where it felt like the staff was not on their game. The first instance was when we were looking through the champagne list. As I mentioned before, this was a very extensive list, however, I almost felt rushed by the waiter at this point to make my selection. Once the meal had begun and we were a couple courses in, I wanted to look at the wine list again to possibly order a glass of white Burgundy to pair with one of the dishes. The waiter brought the wine list promptly, but never seemed interested in taking my order for the additional glass, which I ended up giving up on. Also, throughout the meal, our champagne glasses sat empty several times before being replenished. I was close to refilling them from our bottle myself a couple times, but decided against it as I felt it would have been bad etiquette. This was not the standard of service that I am accustomed to at this type of restaurant, and it was mildly disappointing. The last thing which was troubling was toward the end of the meal when it came to the cheese course. The gentleman who was in charge of the cheese cart was eager to serve and helpful, but he was obviously under the weather with at least a cold. He was not coughing or sneezing all over the cheese, but he did have to turn away to cough a couple times, which was worrisome. He could also not recall what one of the cheeses was, but that itself did not dampen the experience much.

At the end of the day, the experience was nice, but I would say there are better fine dining options, even within Reims. The food itself was prepared and presented well, however, with the exception of the cucumber dish and perhaps dessert, it was somewhat predictable and unexciting. If familiarity is what you are looking for, then this may be your place, but the food itself, although delicious, was not memorable. The service, as mentioned before, could have been better, although when we were attended to, the staff was polite and prompt. The real winner of this experience was the setting itself. The grounds are beautifully preserved, and being there feels like stepping into a luxurious time warp. The dining room was adorned with traditional luxury decor, which is exactly what one would expect at this property. Overall, I would come here again, depending on the seasonal menu offering. The wine list was exceptional, and as mentioned, the food itself was great. However, from a value perspective, I may be more inclined to try the sister restaurant, Le Jardin, which is much more approachable, but still likely to serve excellently-prepared food.

(Johansen, 2019)

Reference:

Johansen, J. (2019, December 19). dom-perignon-2008-label.jpg [Photograph]. The Johan. https://johanjohansen.dk/2019/12/19/dom-perignon-2008-review/