Apr 18, '14

L’Assiette Champenoise and its brand new 3 Michelin stars

Lobster with paprika sauce, potato ravioli filled with crab, herbs from the garden.
Lobster with paprika sauce, potato ravioli filled with crab, herbs from the garden.

L’Assiette Champenoise (40 Avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, 51430 Tinqueux; tel. +33 3 26 84 64 64), the latest restaurant in France to receive 3 Michelin stars, is 45 min by TGV from Paris and 5 min by taxi from the central Reims train station. It’s chef Arnaud Lallement has inherited the restaurant and the hotel from his father after working at the kitchens of such grand chefs as Roger Vergé, Michel Guérard and Alain Chapel. The hotel and the restaurant were beautifully refurbished few years ago – the dining room is adorned with a magnificent, custom made chandelier by Baccarat, Bernardaud porcelain is used for serving.

L'Assiette Champenoise
L'Assiette Champenoise

How about what is served on those plates? Everything I had was very well executed and only products of excellent quality were used. I would even say that the food was very good, if not those 3 Michelin stars. The red book states that 3 Michelin stars are “worth a special trip” and even if I would definitely come back to L’Assiette Champenoise if I were somewhere in the region, what is sent from its kitchen is something you could have at any decent one or two Michelin stars restaurant elsewhere. Somehow there is absolutely nothing wrong with L’Assiette Champenoise, something wrong, however, is with the Michelin judgements.

But… see for yourself.

Freshly baked bread
Freshly baked bread
Bordier butter
Bordier butter
L'Assiette Champenoise dining hall
L’Assiette Champenoise dining hall
Cauliflower mousse with smoked sea bass
Cauliflower mousse with smoked sea bass
Green asparagus from Vaucluse, nuts and yellow wine sauce. Simple and very good.
Green asparagus from Vaucluse, nuts and yellow wine sauce. Simple and very good.
Langoustine with it's reduced "nage" and lemon caviar
Langoustine with it’s reduced “nage” and lemon caviar
Diver caught scallops with coconut foam and celery
Diver caught scallops with coconut foam and celery
Lobster with paprika sauce, potato ravioli filled with crab, herbs from the garden. The dish was created in 1978 by Arnaud Lallement's father. My favorite dish from all what I've had.
Lobster with paprika sauce, potato ravioli filled with crab, herbs from the garden. The dish was created in 1978 by Arnaud Lallement’s father. My favorite dish from all what I’ve had.
Various sweets
Various sweets
Deep dark chocolate cake. Classic to death, but well executed.
Deep dark chocolate cake. Classic to death, but well executed.
Baccarat chandelier
Baccarat chandelier
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