Épicure

Here are three unique or unconventional aspects of the Michelin-starred restaurant Épicure in Paris:

1. Bladder-Poached Bresse Farm Hen Presentation
One of Épicure’s signature dishes is the Bresse Farm hen poached in a bladder. The restaurant offers a theatrical experience where diners can watch staff cut open the bladder to reveal the chicken inside, including its distinctive golden feet. This dish is served with accompaniments like yellow wine, crayfish, giblets candies, and button mushrooms, showcasing a blend of luxury and traditional French technique.

2. Location and Ambience with Historical and Political Prestige
Épicure is located in the prestigious Le Bristol hotel in Paris, overlooking a meticulously manicured formal garden. The dining room features Louis XVI furnishings and ornate mirrors, creating an atmosphere of refined elegance. Its location near the Champs-Élysées and the Élysée Palace means it frequently hosts high-profile guests such as visiting heads of state and Oscar nominees, adding a layer of exclusivity and cultural significance to the dining experience.

3. Culinary Philosophy Combining Classic French with Modern Techniques
The restaurant’s culinary style, under chefs Eric Frechon and later Arnaud Faye, balances classic French gastronomy with contemporary ideas and techniques. Frechon, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, brought a classical foundation with modern touches, while Faye emphasizes simplicity and the essence of raw materials, maintaining French culinary tradition at the core. This blend creates a unique gastronomic journey that respects heritage while innovating.

The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin three-star restaurant Épicure in Paris include:

• Black Truffle: Used prominently in a signature dessert featuring black truffle emulsion, black truffle ice cream, and gianduja sauce. This dish showcases the truffle in an innovative, luxurious way, combining earthy flavors with roasted hazelnuts and a blown sugar sphere shaped like a truffle, highlighting the ingredient's rarity and depth.

• Bresse Farm Hen: A signature savory dish involves a Bresse hen poached in a bladder, served with yellow wine, crayfish, giblets candies, and button mushrooms. This preparation emphasizes the purity and delicacy of the hen, a prized French poultry known for its flavor and texture.

• Uni (Sea Urchin): Featured in a luxurious starter of scrambled eggs topped with a whipped cream of uni and seaweed butter, adding a rich, oceanic umami note that elevates the dish's refinement.

• Challans Duck: Roasted duck from Challans is served with a reduction of its cooking juices, orange juice, honey, and coriander, demonstrating classic French technique with a balanced, flavorful sauce and a spice mixture that enhances the duck breast without overpowering it.

• Vegetables (Vegetal Focus): Chef Arnaud Faye’s cuisine at Épicure is noted for celebrating vibrant, light dishes that elevate vegetables to extraordinary status, emphasizing purity and clarity of flavor with impeccable technique and presentation.

These ingredients reflect Épicure’s philosophy of combining artisanal mastery with exceptional produce to create dishes that are both refined and innovative.

Tasting Menus

• 6 Courses: €360
• 8 Courses: €490

Signature Dishes

• Tourteau de Bretagne: €115
• Sole du Morbihan: €120
• Agenau de Sisteron: €180