Le Cinq #Paris

Just to be welcomed at Four Seasons Hôtel George V, 31 Avenue George V is an experience that is over the top. Everything is so beautiful, stylish and the interior very exclusive – you can see how the light falls over the lobby, how big and open aired it feels like but at the same time very cosy and warm. And the staff! Everyone greets us very kindly and with a smile. We all feel like kings and queens entering the hotel, almost like we were made of silk. We are being shown through the hotel bar and the sommelier and the general manager meets us by the entrance to the dining room. All the staff looks up at us, says hello and welcome with a polite wave while we are being seated. With a start like that, I know that this is going to be something to remember for a long time.

Settings & environment 98/100

(The restaurants geographical area, surrounding and interior)

Wherever you are in Paris, you are in the “centre” of the town. All the hundreds of gastronomic landmarks that Paris can be so proud of, most of them are in the centre, and then you gladly travel another minute or two to get to food and wine heaven. We can talk forever about the interior and decoration in the dining room. And just like the rest of the hotel, it’s a must to enter the dining room only to see the lighting of it. The dining room is very big but still intimate. Even though the ceiling is 10 meters up and the room fits about 60 seatings, everything is just perfect, the pace, decoration and the colours. Flowers to die for because I can remember that we sat for a long time and just enjoyed this beautiful flower arrangement that was truly amazing.

 Gastronomic idea 94/100

(What is the idea of the restaurant and how unique is it?)

Le Cinq changed their head chef a while ago and it was a big lift for the restaurant.

You can now see playful, harmonious and very fun servings. Each and every one of the dishes has their own personality and there is a thought behind every detail. What might get you to start questioning things are all the spheres that are served. It’s fun in one or two servings but there's always a small risk that it might just be too much – and then we almost get the feeling of being at El Bulli back in 2007. But that’s the last thing that we should think about since the joy and the empathy in every presentation of all the dishes is exceptional and very captivating. We are excited like kids on a Christmas day morning for being in Paris and at a restaurant on this level. It’s hard to not say that this is one of the most exciting and tastiest visits we've ever done during so many years. That says a lot about how well taken care of we were by the Restaurant Manager Charles and his staff.

Service and treatment 98/100

(Service from the very first moment and through the whole dinner)

“We must all help out and keep together so that is why we want to do this for you…”

Then the Restaurant Manager Charles holds his hands in front of him and throws an eye at the sommelier. All of a sudden, the sommelier pours something very special into our glasses. This is what happens when we tell them about our work with the Swedish sommelier.

What if we had the same genuine service here in Sweden as they have in Paris? Everything is coming from their heart and you are being seen all the time. You are so taken care of every second but without it being too much. It feels like we belong to the family and that we are the most precious guests they have and that is something that I miss here in Sweden. If you walk into the best Hôtel in Stockholm and someone in the staff says hi to us as guests, it feels like they only do it because someone told them to and they get paid for it. We can’t think of a better welcoming and service than at Le Cinq because they do it just the way you should.

We managed to break a glass in the middle of our seating and it didn’t even take a minute before everything was cleaned up and just as new without anyone taking notice. That was very professional of them.

Food, season and preparation 95/100

(How good is the food? The preparation of the food? Did they miss something? Are they working after season, which we prefer)

Everything tastes very good. Some flavours are more gentle and some are in the menu just to lift up other flavours. There is not many chefs that are working like that, adding something just to lift up another flavour. Too heavy, fatty classic dishes served by the former chef before Christian took over. The lunches used to be very heavy and a kick ass food coma was included in the serving, but this time we are happy and perfectly satisfied when we are leaving the restaurant. Not least our senses that were more than satisfied. Most part of the menu is after season and that is appreciated, we get one serving with mushrooms that you can pick only during two weeks of the year and of course they show us the jar where they keep the mushrooms so we can smell and look at this beautiful thing. All dishes also keep perfect temperatures and textures.

“I distracted the head chef when he was grated your meat with truffle so you would get as much truffle as possible” 
The amazing Charles Divay presenting one of the extra dishes for Miss E.

Drink menu and its knowledge 92/100

(How is the beverage menu? Big, small and the pricing. How big is the beverage knowledge among the staff and the sommelier?)

It’s easier to ask what you can’t find in the wine list, the wine list makes an old fashioned phone book look like a thin paper. A solid list with so many references and a wide range that we rarely see. Of course it’s expensive to order the big wines, but just as the staff says, the more expensive wines are priced in one way and the less expensive in a different way. What we really love is that the wines that the restaurant don’t see as mature gets to wait in the cellar until the time is right for it to be on the wine list. This is a very nice way to let the wine come to its right instead of opening it too soon. The entire work of the sommeliers is so professional, solid and everything is done so elegantly and playful but still with a huge respect for all the wines.

Excellence & Overall Experience 97/100

(A final judgement)

We still have the taste of the barbequed asparagus, the perfect cod and of course the strawberries. We will neither manage for a long time without the gratinated onions in different textures, nor the mousse of coffee.

The professional playfulness with amazing elegance we can't talk enough about, and that is what we love this place for and what makes it so beautiful. And to finally find a wine list that contains wines outside France makes us smile a bit extra. We will soon be back to enjoy Christians amazing gastronomy and their belonging wines.

Thank you!

Menu

Our mises en bouche

Grilled white aparagus, thyme and lemon broth

Grantinated onions contemporary ”parisian style” spring version

Grilled filled of cod fish, spinach, raisins with olive oil

Beef ”Black Market” from Australia” Covered with tryffled and mozzarella

A Selection of our regional cheeses

Strawberries, Chantilly cream, white chocolate, liquorice sparkling granita

Crunchy coffe mousse, blackberries cooked in juice, whiskey infused caramel

Final grade of stars: 4,7/5