THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Le Carmontelle

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Le Carmontelle Restaurant Review:

In the heart of the forest of Chantilly and very near Senlis, a former royal residence under King Henri IV, is nested one of the best tables in the region. Alain Montigny has trained at the Hôtel de Crillon under the helm of Christian Constant with Jean-François Piège, Eric Fréchon and Yves Camdeborde. In 2001 he started working with Dolce Group, and in 2004 he became Meilleur Ouvrier de France and his career continued to garner praise. Three restaurants --- Le Carmontelle, L’Etoile and Swing ---- are under his supervision, as well as the hotel catering and room service. Le Carmontelle, the gastronomic gem, is enshrined in nature with a panoramic view over the canal bordered by reeds. It is very successful during the day thanks to the “business lunch,” which for a reasonable price enables the guest to be surprised by the last creations of the chef. The menu dégustation raises the flag of gourmandise very high. A crunchy pincer of Roscoff crab, its meat perfumed with Jerez and seagrass, is served with a fennel bavaroise and minty green peas, while an exceptional, fresh Brittany langoustine is flat roasted and accompanied by a croustillant of curry mayonnaise, pickled bell pepper and, amazingly enough, a superb langoustine-stuffed zucchini flower hardly baked in the oven in order to keep its beautiful texture. These dishes, and the cod with cockles and chorizo butter, dressed with a feuilleté of lamb merguez sausage, are really well done courses. Pastry chef Pascal Paulon impresses with desserts like Intensité Chocolat, a work worthy of an architect of the cocoa bean. The young and talented sommelier, François Xavier Chauvel, might suggest excellent bottles such as La Badiane 2008 “Deux Soeurs” and Domaine Vico Cuvée 2009 “1769,” an original and relevant choice, indeed.