Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse à L’Hôtel De Paris, Monaco, 10/21/17

hotel
hotel

Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse in à L’Hôtel De Paris is a 3 star Michelin restaurant.  While the hotel is undergoing renovation the restaurant is in a temporary location, but if you didn’t know that you’d never guess, as the room is decorated in an elegant modern decor.  This spot will eventually become a breakfast and lunch restaurant which seems perfect as the doors from it lead onto the lovely terrace and ocean view.  One interesting feature, besides the well spaced tables and comfortable leather seating, was the large oval shaped linen napkin. Service is attentive without being intrusive and as chatty as you desire, with most speaking perfect English.  At lunch there is an a la carte menu, and of course the ladies menu’s don’t have prices, and a 4 course lunch special with an option of 2 glasses of wine for 30 euros. As there were 2 choices for 3 of the courses we were able to try a number of their dishes at a reasonable price point.  As expected with this caliber restaurant your dining experience will also include lots of off-the-menu items.  

entrance
entrance
hotel lobby
hotel lobby
hotel lobby
hotel lobby
hotel lobby
hotel lobby
Julien and Frankie
Julien and Frankie at restaurant entrance
wine room
wine room
one dining room
one dining room
one dining room leading to terrace
one dining room leading to terrace
view from the terrace
view from the terrace

 

As we studied our choices they brought out some vegetable and olive crisp breads that were both nice but I particularly liked the vegetable one as the colorful vegetables added an interesting taste to the crisp.

vegetable crackers
vegetable crackers
olive crackers
olive crackers
menu
menu
menu cover
menu cover
lunch menu
lunch menu
Frankie liked the color of the wine
Frankie and a Kir

 

Next were rolled up vegetable snacks with a black olive dipping sauce. All tasted nicely fresh but had mild flavors.

vegetable snacks
vegetable snacks
closer
closer

 

 

A selection of raw fish under a glass dome was brought out on stones.  At the table they added broth to the hot stones below and replaced the cover to gently steam the fish.  The selection included skipjack tuna with olive, mackerel with lemon, cuttlefish with tomato, mullet with basil, and local fish which was like a sea bream.  All were cooked perfectly and it was a good selection of tastes and textures.

Frankie inspected the tiny fork
Frankie inspected the tiny fork
presentation
presentation of raw fish
pouring broth
pouring broth
let it steam
let it steam
it's ready
it’s ready
seafood
seafood bites
from the top
from the top

 

A country bread with light gluten was served with shaved Brittany butter and olive oil.  The wonderful crisp crust surrounded a nice doughy interior which a grand receptacle for the tasty butter.

bread
bread
olive oil
olive oil
salt and butter
salt and butter
pepper
fresh ground pepper
Frankie checked out the condiments
Frankie checked out the condiments
formed butter
formed butter
loaf of the bread
loaf of the bread

 

A basket of additional breads is assembled from a cart nearby and offered at the table.  I chose bacon bread which was soft and smokey with a lovely ham essence.  Nice!

bread basket
bread basket
bread choice
bread choice
scooping butter for the table
scooping butter for the table
wine
wine
Frankie checked out the bathroom
Frankie checked out the bathroom

 

Casareccia pasta, red squash from Piedmont, bitter salad and lemon was cooked like risotto.  Included were radicchio and basil for a sweet and tart perfect pasta that was excellent.  The round balls of squash absolutely melted in your mouth.

IMG_8086
presentation
adding sauce
adding sauce
Casareccia pasta, red squash from Piedmond, bitter salad and lemon
Casareccia pasta, red squash from Piedmond, bitter salad and lemon
closer
closer

The Cookpot of millet, wood mushrooms and cabbage was very tasty.  It had an avocado sauce and went down very easy.  It was a nice combination of flavors and textures.

presentation
presentation
adding sauce
adding sauce
Cookpot of millet, wood mushrooms and cabbage
Cookpot of millet, wood mushrooms and cabbage
Frankie liked the buttery leather
Frankie liked the buttery leather

 

A baguette was served now with a great crispy crust and chewy interior.  It was nicely fat, as opposed to being thin, which gave it a better amount of texture.

Baguette
Baguette
wine
wine
wine
wine
amazing service
amazing service
Frankie didn't want to fall through the holes in the purse stool
Frankie didn’t want to fall through the holes in the purse stool

 

Seared scallops from Dieppe were served with watercress soup and chestnuts.  The scallops were sweet with the watercress providing a nice contrasting sauce.  Topping the scallops were crunchy tops of bread and chestnuts.  A very fun and tasty dish.

presentation
presentation
Seared scallops from Dieppe, watercress soup, chestnuts
Seared scallops from Dieppe, watercress soup, chestnuts
closer
closer

Milk-fed lamb was served alongside red leaves lettuce salad and tiny spelt.  The evenly pink lamb was delicate and tender with no dry bits.  The spelt was served at the table and was totally tasty.  The lettuce was topped with a rich lamb sauce.  This dish smoked the scallops – it was a great course and the clearly more flavor intense of the two choices.

presentation
presentation
scooping the spelt
scooping the spelt
Milk-fed lamb, red leaves lettuce salad and tiny spelt
Milk-fed lamb, red leaves lettuce salad and tiny spelt
other side
other side
Giovanni and Frankie
Giovanni and Frankie

 

A palate cleanser was a granita of  green apple and rocket leaves.  There was a bit of gel on the bottom full of apple flavor.  It was all served in a cold metal bowl that preserved the granita’s texture.

green apple and rocket leaves granita
green apple and rocket leaves granita
from the side
from the side
closer
closer
gel at bottom
gel at bottom
Frankie nosed the cold bowl
Frankie nosed the cold bowl

 

A selection of cheeses included goat cheese and textures of soft and hard cheeses.  It was accompanied by a yuzu dressing salad.  Afterwards they brought a bowl of rose petal water for the lady and lime water for the man to wash their fingertips.

cheese cart
cheese cart
Cheese selection
Cheese selection
rose water
rose water
lime water
lime water

 

For dessert we tried the figs with honey and fig ice cream on fig granita.  Bits of fig jam helped to intensify the flavor.  It was very nice.  Pear was with lemon ice cream on a lemon granita.

embroidered dessert napkins
embroidered dessert napkins
Frankie admired the dessert set up
Frankie admired the dessert set up
presentation
presentation
adding honey
adding honey
figs with honey, honey ice cream, fig granita
figs with honey, honey ice cream, fig granita
closer
closer

The pears were exceptionally sweet and the lemon granita was like an outstanding frozen lemonade.  Another good one.

pear with lemon ice cream and lemon granita
pear with lemon ice cream and lemon granita
closer
closer

 

The next treats were flavors of lemon, kumquat with ginger, sugar candy, raspberry and citrus powder pepper.  They were mostly tart.

dessert fruit flavors
dessert fruit flavors
closer
closer
Frankie wanted up there
Frankie wanted up there
fresh herb cart
fresh herb cart
She made it!
She made it!

 

A large copper bowl came straight from the kitchen with freshly candied almonds.  They were hot, crisp and delicious.  A good sweet fix.

Fresh candied almonds
Fresh candied almonds
Candied almonds
Fresh candied almonds
Frankie and our git of French food cards
Frankie and our git of French food cards

 

Our coffee choices were Blue Mountain from Jamaica and African Saltame.  Both very nice.

coffee
coffee
IMG_8341
coffee
Frankie thought the sugar scoop was a hat
Frankie thought the sugar scoop was a hat

 

We finished with an array of chocolate choices and a tour of the kitchen.  The kitchen had at least 25 people working with even more in the pastry area.  A wonderful end to a fabulous dining experience.

Chocolates
Chocolates
A selection
A selection
The pastry chef crew met Frankie
The pastry chef crew met Frankie
Chef and Frankie
Chef Dominique Lory and Frankie

 

 

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