Albert 1er - Menú

"2*? Next time I return I expect this perfection of fine dining to have garnered a third star.I travel in France as a native for work and to visit all my french friends so I've been to a large amount of touted restaurants from Paris to Michel Bras in the middle of nowhere near Laguiole. I have passed a number of weeks as a native and then taking time for resting and exploring. First I will say that speaking French usually gives me an advantage when it comes to most restaurants in the way we are seated and treated. That is France. When it comes to this restaurant, everyone is treated with the upmost perfection of service and a warm feeling of sensing that you are truly 'welcome'. The staff is second to none and in fact the next morning as they arrived and i was in the lobby, they all stopped with a smile and had a little chat with me. In the restaurant , they have managed to succeed at what a number of top restaurants in France do not subscribe too. They have found the perfect balance of a staff that is as professional in French Service as it gets but....with a mixture of warmth in little ways that continue through the entire evening. Bravo to the chef who obviously passed this style of pro. service without feeling stuffy nor'en point'. We felt very comfortable with an 'equipe merveilleux'. The dining room is lovely and calm with a terrific ambiance but not overdone.. no no...it is the amazing cuisine that one comes for at this restaurant. It is also nice that in a restaurant of this level since you are staying in a resort town..that you can dress casual chic without a jacket. The amuse bouche arrives as you sit down as a lovely young lady explains in detail what has gone into the chef's little surprise that evening. Then another amuse bouche comes as the most friendly yet a serious expert of wine brings you the wine menu. To be honest, this is a very formidable wine menu with some of the best you could fine in France. You could easily order a wine that would top the price for four people having the tasting menu! I told our sommelier that we wanted to try a moderately local wine of the Savoie as we had never in all our years tried one from this region not known for wine. He recommended a delicious local bottle of white wine that we simply loved and it was truly at the moderate end of the menu. Unlike others, I love the different breads of a region and i always tell the person who brings over the bread to not be surprised at how many times I'll be asking him to refill my plate. The bread were incredibly tasty with a grainy seeded, an olive based and the classic baguette...all made that day in the kitchen. Add to that the fresh Normandie butter (unsalted as the best places serve)...and i was a very happy diner already. We chose the menu that included an appetizer, main course, little extras in between courses, the amazing cheese board and the dessert and of course coffee or tea served with more mouth watering treats. My appetizer of a vegetable terrine surrounded by yellow mushrooms (not found easily in the U.S.) in a light sauce of a melange of vegetables and herbs with a touch of cream was one of the best appetizers I've ever experienced. We were then offered a bottle of fresh alpine water collected that day. The perfect time during the meal to have a cold glass of refreshing water that seemed to be taken directly from melted snow and brought to our table. Another amuse bouche and then the main course. My partner had a dish of lake trout caught that day in seasoned to perfection that was flaky, moist and just delicious. I had the Agneau (lamb) that came with the tastiest slice of meat and a side of chopped lamb made with exotic spices and in a casing. Both meals were served with grilled potatoes and apples topped with leeks...all grown on the property. Then the cheese plate. First, the server had no problem with describing the large number of cheeses to me in French and then in English to my partner. Pas de probleme. As I got piggy as I love strong savoie cheeses..the server stopped me and asked why I was not trying the local goat cheese topped with a touch of local honey. I told him that i was not a fan of goat cheese..at all! He insisted that I try a piece of this local goat cheese and that I would become a fan of Savoyard cheese from goats. Well...he was right. the flavor was amazing without the normal taste that keeps me away from this cheese. As a matter of fact, it was one of my favorite cheese s of the evening..and there were a lot of my favorites! He did come back to see if I liked it and he had a big smile when I showed him it was all gone on my plate. Ah..the desserts. We both had nougat sorbet served over a tart a framboise and it was unreal. We decided to take tea in the sitting room near the restaurant and out came to large pots of verveine smelling wonderful and a large plate of petit-fours that equaled a second dessert. We found room to finish each delicious piece and enjoyed the infusion of verveine. The staff kept their eye on us to see if we needed anything else and after fifteen minutes...we happily returned to our room in the chalet where we sat on the balcony and just at the gorgeous scenery 9what we could see) surround us. It will be an evening we will always remember. If in Chamonix or staying at the hotel, this restaurant must be tried. It lives up to its reputation....and more! Ca m'a fait beaucoup de grand plaisir."