My Life's A Trip

L’Atelier is all about the  open kitchen and bar seating

Joël Robuchon is the most Michelin-starred chef in history. And while he’s technically retired, his L’Atelier restaurant empire is going strong. On my trip to Paris earlier this month, I checked out the L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Etoile location.

The signature glossy red and black interiors at L’Atelier are glamorous without being overly fussy

My visit to Paris overlapped with a bank holiday and many restaurants were closed. The concierge at the Saint James Paris hooked me up with reservation at the L’Atelier’s Etoile location, right on the Champs-Elysees just around the corner from the Arc de Triomphe, and open for business as usual and helmed by executive chefs David Alves and Filippos Chronopoulos.

Wine with dinner at L’Atelier

The Etoile location is located on the lower level of the hipster shopping emporium Publicis Drugstore, and features the small signature read and black color palette and open kitchen with bar seating around it. I’m a big fan of eating at the bar in general, and the friendly staff makes the fine dining experience fun and more relaxed. The layout of the Etoile location is a bit tricky– I think the L’Atelier on the Left Bank has better sight lines.

Lobster skewers to share

Left: flavorful winter vegtables Right: the Iberian ham is not to be missed

Steak au poivre is spot on

Left:Black cod with yuzu in a velvet daikon puree Right: Rich and creamy mashed potatoes

You can go for the tasting menu at L’Atelier, or make your own by combining from the selections of small plates, starts and mains. It makes for a fun and interactive dinner. Because of the bar-centric layout, I think L’Atelier is a better option for couples or single diners than large groups. There were a few larger tables for groups, but not sitting at the bar kind of misses the point.

The chocolate cage dome  is a whimsical dessert with fantastic presentation.