Edior's note: CHef Yannick Alleno left Meurice in early 2013 and in 2015 moved to Ledoyen. In July 2013 the kitchens here were taken over by the Alain Ducasse empire, initially with Jean-Christophe Santaigne, and then from January 2015 by Jocelyn Herland. Obviously the review below needs to treated with the requisite degree of caution given these changes.
Meurice has a beautiful Belle Epoque dining room, and is truly luxurious in every way. Tables are very generously spaced and the service is impeccable. Attention to detail is a watchword: the bread comes from a small local baker and is superb: perfect brown bread with a fabulous crust, excellent chestnut and multi-grain rolls (20/20).
We opted for a tasting menu. Steamed morels were large, moist and had tremendous flavour, served with a "vin jaune" sauce and a simple but utterly fresh stuffed salad leaf (20/20). Asparagus was of fantastic quality, from Robert Blanc and served with a citrus vinaigrette. arbutus honey and vanilla mousse. While the asparagus was perfect it did not need quite so many flavours (19/20).
Sea bass was very fresh, well timed and offered with perfectly cooked Noirmoutier small potatoes and "fever" beans with early season garlic (19/20). Even better was dazzling wild salmon from l'Adour, which is only in season for a few weeks. Simply cooked with a warm vegetable salad, it is simply the best salmon I have ever eaten, the taste a million miles from the fish we have become all too used to in the UK (20/20).
Pigeon cooked in an aromatic herb jacket was remarkable, the pigeon breast without even a hint of the rubberiness that can occur in less than perfect specimens, the taste of the meat coming through beautifully, the sauce with it an intense reduction flavoured with the liver of the pigeon (20/20).
The only relative false note in the meal was a rare Banon cheese from Provence, served with a lovely green salad and focaccia but with cheese that was merely very pleasant (17/20). The main cheese selection was in fine condition, with for example excellent Camembert and Epoisses (19/20).
Souffleed "gariguette" strawberries had excellent flavour, served with a vanilla Normandy cream and a mixed fruit "caviar", where again the quality of the fruit was very high (19/20). Whipped marscapone cream with liquorice was served with a caramel husk and perfect lemon madeleines (20/20). Even the coffee was just about perfect, dark espresso with great depth of flavour. This was a meal of the highest order, with the morels, salmon and pigeon in particular as good as it is really possible to imagine them being.
Name unavailable
I wouldn't ever call a gourmet experience ''horrible'', however some true comments should be expressed in order to inform others who are interested with such a dining experience. In my opinion and despite the luxurious lobby and dining room, Le Meurice falls below the other hotels of the Dorchester Collection (Plaza Athenee, The Dorchester etc.), both architecturally and gastronomically. I visited this award winning restaurant in November 2010. Similarly with Vendome at Schloss Bensberg hotel in Germany, something was missing and i didn't enjoy the meal. In my opinion 10/10 goes to Pre Catelan which i've visited twice, its my top Paris consideration.
Connie Phillipson
We had Christmas dinner at the Meurice in 2007 which was one of the worst gourmet meals we had in Paris, or anywhere (paid more than 1,000 euros for two). The food was soggy (i.e.,polenta), the cheeses dry, and generally everything was of a very low standard. We wrote to the hotel and told them of our negative experience and they said that the chef was on leave. So, beware, if the chef is away, everything breaks down.
Mark Thompson
Prior to dining at Le Meurice on April 10, we had experienced several gastronomique restaurants in Paris. My ranking was Le Cinq, Plaza Athenee, Taillevent, Guy Savoy, L’Astrance, Le Grand Vefour, Les Elysees du Vernet, and Ledoyen. Le Meurice was fantastic, surpassing all of our other Paris experiences. I have it ranked near my favorites Philippe Rochat and Olivier Roellinger. The dining room is the closest I have seen to Louis XV … just gorgeous. Our service was very professional, attentive, and friendly. We choose the 8-course Degustation Menu, which also included two amuse bouche and one pre-dessert. Five courses were memorable: asparagus with salmon & caviar, broccoli ravoli with parmesan, sole with peas, lettuce, & bacon, beef with potatoes & onions, and Beaufort cheese on thin bread covering sliced pears. We were greeted by the chef at the beginning and the end of the meal. This is a wonderful restaurant.
Nic
Ate here with my sister on April 3rd. Of my 14 Michelin offerings over the past two years, this was the best overalll experience by far. Flawless service, complex cooking, surprisingly unpretentious staff. Fantastic.
Gerlis
I enjoyed immensely all your reviews I have had moment to read today. More tomorrow. Had a meal at Le M last month I thought it was magnificent in every way. In another well known website I was reprimanded when I suggested readers should try Le Meurice in lieu of a very well known place which othere were raving about & is & has been trading on its past fame for several yeats. Like you I pay for my meals which sharpen the pen! More to your elbow. Good luck Gerlis.