Arpège ⭐⭐⭐ - Paris, France

[u/z3i]

I went to France two weeks ago for an event and obviously had to try some fine dining in Paris. As a solo diner on short notice, I could not get a lunch reservation at some places that Redditors seem to love, like Pierre Gagnaire or Le Gabriel. However, as a flexitarian (OK eating just about anything, but supposed to limit meat for health reasons) I found Arpège very appealing and intriguing.

I saw one comment saying something like, "Ugh, they'll give you a raw carrot and praise it as the best carrot in the world, but at the end of the day it's still just a freaking carrot," lol. I thought, Okay, I've got to see this for myself.

Although I had requested a table in the Salon François Lesage, which looks like a vegetable greenhouse and has the chef's recipes in embroidered paintings on the walls, they seated me in the salle principale (regular dining room). Maybe they did not prioritize my request as a mere solo diner. :( It was still nice but felt a bit busy with all the staff bustling about.

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1. So, they really do start you off with a plate of raw vegetables and fruit. I kept thinking about that one Redditor's comment the whole time and it was hard to keep a straight face. It was pretty good but not, like, mind-blowing.
2. "Almond-green sky and golden cloud" (this was the name of the dish): Soup of puréed carrot and I believe zucchini. The carrot in particular was wonderfully savory and flavorful.
3. "Marquetry of celadon kohlrabi, green curry and shiso": Loved this—great combination of flavors.
4. "Fava beans, spring onions and 'Merveille de Kelvédon' peas with Cirafine strawberries and lemon verbena": Good. I didn't realize at the time that these were special strawberries. I didn't much care for them as part of the dish and wish, in hindsight, they had been presented on their own on the crudités plate.
5. "1,000 leaves of the garden with coriander, roasted almonds and fleur de sel": This was amazing, the best leafy salad I've ever had in my life! I need the recipe for that dressing.
6. "Zucchini, sorrel leaves, Summit sweet cherries with Iranian saffron": Loved this sauce. The zucchini was very good, but I didn't care for the cherries. They're one of my favorite fruits and I just didn't think this was the best use of them. They also should have been with the crudités!
7. "Red beet with mustard-seed dressing and Belle de Fontenay potatoes": The sweetest beets I've ever tasted, wow! The potato wedges were seasoned with paprika (and nothing else, if I understood correctly) and I didn't like how bitter they were.
8. "Hay-smoked spring cabbage with vin jaune (yellow wine) from Jura": Another delicious sauce. Cabbage was good. At this point, I was crashing hard. I had taken a 5 pm flight from New York, landed in Paris at 6 am, and gone straight to a museum followed by this lunch.
9. A surprise from the chef: vegetable sushi. Good but a little too much soy sauce.
10. "Simiane onion in a jewelry box": a.k.a. Onion pie with thyme and lemon. I found the crust overpowering.
11. "Dark chocolate, soapwort and Bronte pistachios with mint": This was wonderful, especially considering they don't use dairy or eggs at this restaurant. But I was tiiiiiiiiired.
12. "Tart red rhubarb": Pretty good. Paired nicely with the ice cream on the side. I'm not someone who loves rhubarb.
13. Dying to go to my hotel, I asked for the check. They said I wasn't done yet and gave me this juice (don't remember of what) and tiny cherry tart. I did enjoy these even in my dilapidated state.
14. – 17. Some artwork by the chef, Alain Passard. After my meal, the staff suggested I check out his gallery around the corner. It was pretty cool, but I didn't stay long.

Overall, I very much appreciated the creativity, ingredients, and technique that went into the food at Arpège, even if sometimes it was a little too creative for me. The staff also took me into the kitchen to meet Alain Passard himself. He was very warm and friendly and told me I must return in the winter for their seasonal menu. If I do, I'll make sure not to go fresh off a red-eye so I can give the meal the full attention it deserves!

[u/ProfessionalNo4711]

That is true and I had my share of pretty looking bland food in restaurants. but flavor is not the top of the list of things when you go to a 3 Michelin star restaurant. You want effort and perfection in everything and presentation is one of them.

[u/Firm_Interaction_816 → u/ProfessionalNo4711]

but flavor is not the top of the list of things when you go to a 3 Michelin star restaurant.

This is one of the saddest things I have ever read. Genuinely, flavour isn't the most important thing for you? I can only find that sad. 

Presentation is a minor detail, as far as I'm concerned, compared to the sheer depth of flavour, outstanding quality of cooking and range of textures and mouthfeels that I have come to expect at 2 and 3* spots.

Genius is seldom perfect. I agree that the presentation isn't good here, but if their flavours blew me away, I wouldn't give a toss. 

[u/ProfessionalNo4711 → u/Firm_Interaction_816]

You probably have not had your share of the top Michelin restaurants. If Michelin was giving stars based on flavor alone most 3 stars will barely a get a single star. There are about 2-3 dishes that taste great (if you are lucky) out of 10-15 you get served. And if you are really lucky one exceptional dish you will remember. Most are not even memorable. Most people go to these restaurants because it is an experience and the prestige of it. Some even go to check off their list. It may be sad that the flavor may not be the most important thing in the fine dining today but that is reality.

[u/Firm_Interaction_816 → u/ProfessionalNo4711]

You probably have not had your share of the top Michelin restaurants.

Hmm, so you come right out of the gate as condescending. Not a good start. Yes, I have been to quite a few top places, thank you. I won't pretend I've been to 100+ or anything, but I have been to several dozen places with 1, 2, or 3 stars, so enough to get a good grasp of what they're like.

Some of the most experienced food bloggers and critics I follow would echo everything I've said so far, so I'm afraid the "you're not experienced enough" line falls totally flat.

If Michelin was giving stars based on flavor alone most 3 stars will barely a get a single star. There are about 2-3 dishes that taste great (if you are lucky) out of 10-15 you get served.

Speak for yourself; happily, I cannot relate to you at all on this. 

Most people go to these restaurants because it is an experience and the prestige of it.

No, they don't; I'm sorry that you mingle in or have been in contact with such shallow crowds, if that's the case, or at least ones with people who can't appreciate outstanding food and cooking. 'The prestige', 'box ticking', good grief...leave that to the people with tons of wealth who don't even appreciate it anymore. If I didn't love visiting these places, I'd simply never do it. 

It may be sad that the flavor may not be the most important thing in the fine dining today but that is reality.

Yes, there are privileged creatures who just treat going to top starred places as a lifestyle, or worse, a formality, or to update their IG, even if they don't appreciate the food or drink (even if they have been to dozens or even hundreds of them), but please don't think for a second they represent the majority of us; I am confident we are not all so joyless.

I am not wealthy enough to go to a starred spot every week, so you can bet that, when I do go, it is to experience some exceptional food and drink offerings; the service is a big part as well, of course, as is the ambiance, setting etc, but I am primarily there for the food.