A Tasting At Camélia - The Mandarin Oriental Paris
The Mandarin Oriental is among the world's most esteemed names in luxury travel and dining with over 41 properties spanning 27 countries. I recently visited The Mandarin Oriental Paris's restaurant Camélia for an evening tasting of their summer menu.
As one of the property's two main dining options Camélia was conceived by Michelin star-winning chef Thierry Marx. On recommendation from frequent Camélia patron and style influencer Sage Goldnik, The Daily Meal was invited to sit down for a multi-course tasting of restaurant's latest menu.
At €98 euro per head (approx. $117 usd) the summer tasting menu is offered for the entire table with outdoor seating for parties up to 8. Upon arrival I highly recommend requesting outdoor seating at La Table du Jardin. During their warmer months Camélia offers alfresco seating within an impressively lush landscaped garden atrium. Tables are elegantly canopied providing a level of privacy for each party.
Served by a warm and attentive wait staff the tasting menu consisted of 6 courses appropriately accompanied with a magnum of 2009 Roederer Rosé. Respectively, menu items were a thoughtful fusion of contemporary French gastronomy elevated by elements of Japanese cuisine. Each dish was visually stunning, and artfully plated with extreme attention to detail. This comes as no surprise considering Chef Theirry Marx background in molecular gastronomy, having trained at top restaurants such as Ledoyen, Taillevent and Robuchon.
Menu Highlights:
Le Tourteau, Enroulé de concombre, sorbet shiso et wasabi - An exceptionally bright and refreshing wasabi sorbet paired with crab, rolled with cucumber, and plated alongside a shiso puree.
Le Risoni de calamar à l'encre, tagliatelles de seiches, légumes croquants – Fresh calamari and tagliatelle style cuttlefish placed atop a bed of risoni with squid ink and crunchy vegetables. By far my favorite item, Chef Marx combines the earthy creamy qualities of the squid ink risoni beside the chewy textures of the cuttlefish with a crunch of asparagus.
Our dinner was certainly a noteworthy experience I would recommend as a delightful departure from traditional French fine dining, all within a stunningly designed venue. Camélia is open daily from 7am-11am and 12:30pm – 11pm. Additional details on reservations can be found here.
Find more of Daniel's eats on Instagram at @danielmileslh.