Le Parc Restaurant at Les Crayeres, Reims

this restaurant was highly recommended by wine enthusiasts and sommeliers
so it's a must go.....
Le Parc = The Park

but never in my mind that we will be transformed to a place
where haute cuisine meets fine champagnes
I mean Reims is a lil village/town in France
the place where all champagnes hailed from
what would u expect when u go dining there????

the restaurant is part of the offering by Les Crayeres
another beautiful chateau which is just next door of Pommery Champagne
it is about 25 minutes from the town centre

all restaurants and brasseries in France have their own branding

the dining hall.....I was like OH MY GAWD
I.M.SO.UNDER-DRESSED for this place
it was absolutely beautiful......

the chateau was built in 1904 and previously owned by the Polignac family
now it is owned by......*behold my friends*
it is now own by the Gardinier Family who also owns Chateau Phelan Segur at St Estephe

Le Parc is absolutely charming....
it overlooks a BIG HUGE garden with fountains the way Marie Antoinette liked it :))))))))
didn't manage to snap pics coz it's too dark outside.

some canapes to start the dinner
very interesting and delicately done
mixture of savoury lil bites just to tantalise your taste bud before the meal

every week Le Parc does champagne pairing with a maker

and on that particular week, it was Billecart Salmon

Porcini mushroom and chestnut cream
paired with Billecart blanc de blanc which was sharp and crisp
I was like errr....first course already blanc de blanc
set the bar so high......

shellfish and sefood with seafood jelly and cauliflower cream
was amazingly good...
those yellow orangie stuffs were FRENCH MUSSELS
small and sweet with good texture
and some smaller de-shelled shellfish over the plate

the taste was not on the shellfish....it was the jelly!!!!!
those shellfish were garnish....according to Maitre'D

Foie gras with carrot puree and orange sauce
and some gold leaves on top....
paired with an extra brut of liquid gold

shrimps in its own broth and cristalised ginger
very very very good
it has an asian kick innit....must b the ginger
they took tremendous efforts to arrange the shrimps on the plate

JS was challenging me with his snob looks
he was seeking my credentials and acknowledgement of his recommendation
"So madame are u impressed with this restaurant"
*Monkey & JS are very competitive in every aspect of life and with each other*
**dun ask me how we survive this relationship**
ok lar...give u one pointer...
this place was definitely beyond my expectations

seabass with white beans *in season then and was super delicious* with porcini mushrooms *also in season*
paired with Billecart Salmon 2000

the fish was done to perfection.....absolutely soft and melts in the mouth
sauce was seafood base and not rich at all

main course was DUCK
and pls read this carefully......JS had DUCK
so when JS have DUCK it means the DUCK is super good :P
served with roasted pumpkin and turnip
paired with Brut Rose 1998

by then our table was full with glasses of different vintage
coz we just took a tasting sip off each vintage :P
the frenchies were thinking "is there something wrong"
heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

cheese from one region which I didn't take note
it was matured for 4 years and tasted absolutely yummy
not rich, not smellie but very very "grand cru" liked
dunno how to explain
*those who came to our house and had hand-carried-fr-france-cheese, u'll understand*
and for a grand cru cheese they served it with Billecart Grand Cuvee

by then our stomachs were popping with champagnes
no more space for even one more small pop
the dessert was very very cute...
I only had one :P
and was terribly tipsy then *wei....we had like 8 glasses of champagne by then*
**that's like a bottle each already**

anyway the dessert pops and burst once it's in ur mouth
very very molecular.

petit four of tarte chocolat, macaroons and yummy jelly
macaroons in France can't be compared with the best in our region
it has this chewy bite and the fillings were amazing

must come back and will return again
in a very very very near future :))))))))))))

Le Parc at Les Crayeres
64, Bd Henry Vasnier
51100 Reims.
Tel: +33 2624 9000

www.lescrayeres.com