Inside Three-Star Le Gabriel Restaurant in Paris: A MICHELIN Inspector’s Dining Diary

"Housed within La Réserve, this Three-MICHELIN-Starred dining room felt like a sanctuary, awash in natural light from expansive windows overlooking the Champs-Élysées gardens and set with pristine white tablecloths, artisan silverware, sparkling crystal, and delicate porcelain including pieces from Bernardaud. I found Chef Jérôme Banctel’s technical precision balanced by creativity and emotion, a philosophy of refinement that strips away excess so each ingredient can shine. Two tasting menus captured his vision: Virée, a tribute to his Breton roots, and Périple, a global journey inspired by Japan and Turkey, where he encountered the transformative lime water cooking technique; during hunting season, a game-focused menu adds further depth. From the signature blue lobster cooked over binchotan charcoal to a reimagined mackerel, mastery showed in every bite. The squid tagliatelle with cuttlefish ink and caviar was transporting—the briny ink, the salty pop of caviar, and tender squid lifted by a rich duck jus reduced to the perfect consistency. The mackerel with sea urchin and bourride arrived like a performance: a thick fillet encased in cedar leaves under a glass cloche on hot pebbles, basted with white wine broth before being served with creamy sea urchin and a velvety bourride sauce infused with garlic and ginger, plus steamed potatoes crowned with bottarga and samphire that turned a humble fish luxurious. The plump chicken with lait ribot, pea tartlet, and wild garlic felt like a warm hug—marinated for hours in fermented Breton milk, poached until tender with crisped skin, paired with a tangy lait ribot emulsion and a pea tartlet bursting with French peas, onions, bacon, and wild garlic flowers, all tied together by wild garlic oil reduction. Service matched the cooking: a youthful, diverse team that explained each dish in detail, polished but never intrusive, perfectly paced, and warmly professional. Whether you come for the seasonal hunting menu (a must for game lovers) or opt for the more wallet-friendly four-course lunch at €98—an ideal way to experience the chef’s talent, including his plant-based creations—lunch here, bathed in midday light, is a rare Parisian treat that lingers long after the meal." - Le Guide MICHELIN