Parisian Hotel Dining Decadence
Located in the most glamorous cities and some of the most exotic locations in the world, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts are not only known for their luxurious accommodations but also their fine dining. Eight Four Seasons' restaurants have been awarded at least one Michelin star, including their restaurant in Paris, Le Cinq. Le Cinq is the two-Michelin-starred restaurant located in Paris' Four Seasons George V. This classically French restaurant led by executive chef Eric Briffard is the epitome of luxury dining in a city filled with discerning tastes.
Click Here for the Parisian Hotel Dining Decadence Slide Show
With its extremely attentive service, Le Cinq is a place to linger over three-hour lunches and where Louis Vuitton handbags are given their own little stool to sit on. In the dining room, crystal chandeliers illuminate flawless floral arrangements created by artistic director and designer to the stars Jeff Leatham, pristine white tablecloths don't have so much as a crumb, much less a wrinkle, and floor-to-ceiling windows with heavy drapes frame the view into the famous George V courtyard.
The attention paid to the atmosphere is exceeded only by Le Cinq's menu. Two rounds of amuse bouche and wine parings are just the beginning. Entrées like the milk-fed lamb shoulder from the Aveyron region in France is cooked for 17 hours and serves two extremely hungry people. Not simply delivered from the kitchen to diners on plates, the succulent lamb is carved at the table and spooned with au jus. The entire process is akin to watching live theater.
Additional enticement comes in the form of three carts located in the Le Cinq dining room, for champagne, candy, and cheese. The term "cart" probably doesn't do them justice, though; it would be like calling a Rolls Royce a "car." Nonetheless, the champagne cart contains at least five varieties of the famous French bubbly and is presented as patrons are seated.
What Notre Dame is to Catholics, Le Cinq is to turophiles — there's no place more holy for those that kneel at the altar of cheese. With its seasonal selections, the cheese cart is paraded around the dining room tempting patrons with its multiple varieties from the cheese experts.
The dessert cart is filled with candied fruit dipped in chocolate, fudge filled with fruits and nuts, homemade marshmallow rope cut at the table, real pineapple lollipops surrounded in marshmallow, and countless other divine choices. This diabetic coma on wheels will prompt the question, "Who the heck is Willy Wonka?"
Dining at Le Cinq is exactly what one would expect in arguably the finest hotel in the most glamorous city in the world. Le Cinq is nirvana for those looking to indulge in a decedent meal in the City of Light.