Serendipitous

The experience of dining out requires some effort on the part of the diner. Searching for an ideal restaurant can be daunting at times. Especially when you are traveling, away from home and perhaps in a foreign place where you may not speak the local language.

What I mean by ‘ideal’ is: appeal and convenience. Is there parking available, if so, is there valet service should the weather turn? Cuisine, do they offer vegan or vegetarian options on the menu, is it sustainable? Wine list, are there enough choices? And will there be a sommelier to help us make good choice?

Are the prices favorable? Ambience, is the room comfortable, will here be a cloak room for our coats? Service, does the staff speak English? And most importantly for me is, can I make a reservation over the phone in order to learn a little bit about the establishment? (More on that later.)

Le Plëss at Le Place D’Armes, Luxembourg.

In the historic heart of Luxembourg nests a boutique hotel, Le Place D’ Armes, a member of the Relais & Chateaux hospitality association. Exquisitely poised in the 18^th century building, which ingeniously blends art nouveau, a revisited baroque and contemporary styles.

The hotel hosts their Michelin-starred La Cristallerie, the renowned Café de Paris marked as a Bistro, and Le Plëss, which means ‘square’, a chic Brasserie with a charming atmosphere.

I could hardly contain my excitement as we walked across the vintage cobble stone streets, right in the heart of town, that lead to an open courtyard, a square, in Place d’ Armes.

I got reservations at Le Plëss, primarily to experience their featured plancha-style (combining high-temperature searing with a small amount of smoking) cooking with a focus on exceptional produce.

Upon arrival, the charming frontal patio caught my attention. The chic patio induced warmth, the seating area slung with blankets and the heaters close by beckoned one to enjoy an after-dinner coffee and soak in the sights of passersby in the brightly lit square.

Getting acquainted with the charming team, Louise and Sebastian.

We were greeted enthusiastically by Sebastian Carlier, Maître d’ hôtel and his assistant maître d’ hôtel, Louise, with contagious smiles and an attitude of generosity, that says “you are welcome to our home!” I tucked away this memory and knew instinctively that we were going to treasure the overall experience.

Hospitality requires enthusiasm and creativity, delivered with intent, this can be received with great joy and appreciation.

L'hospitalité nécessite de l'enthousiasme et de la créativité, livrée avec intention, cela peut être reçu avec beaucoup de joie et d'appréciation.

We were shown to our table by the window overlooking the beautiful square. The space inside was defined by a sense of subtlety and quality materials bathed in muted neutrals and elegant lines.

A restaurant is all about its ethos, provoking thought, and placing their vision on a plate for the diners. Le Plëss is just that.

Menu tasting can be quite personal, one may run the risk of influenced opinions when sharing a tasting episode. However, our food banter was focused, deconstructed without shame, and discussed out aloud, together with Sebastian and Louise. We found ourselves delighting in the different flavors, textures even nostalgic encounters.

Sebastian recommended some of the wines and his proficiency was appreciated. His offer to taste before choosing was yet another example of hospitality.

Donovan refilled our bread baskets with delicious bread and a contagious smile.

Amuse bouche unveiled!

The amuse bouche is unveiled and reveals a balancing act of the lightness of leeks (a vegetable of the allium family, particularly tasty when braised), touch of refined mild vinaigrette, garnish of toasted shaved almonds for the crunch. Innovative, yet simple, made me want more of this delectable starter and expectant of new things to come next.

The Risotto with Morels steals the heart. Unique was the absence of butter and cream, yet the risotto was creamy in itself, the texture of the morels in contrast were a perfect marriage. An aesthetic garnish of thinly sliced portobellos framed the plate.

The tomato sauce that accompanied the rosy Iberico Roselita (one of the Spanish culinary treasures), fascinated me. It was a skillful preparation of tomato concassé using the sweetest tomatoes meant enjoying the fruit of late summer during the height of winter. A touch of garlic and their fine olive oil enabled a luscious dance on the palate.

Risotto with Morels. Tomato Sauce.

The duck piques interest with its inclusion of mushrooms, which can be a clever departure from the usual pairing of caramelized seasonal plums or figs.

But it was the accompanying root vegetables that made one skip a beat. Seasonal quality produce cooked till tender and pleasing.

Le tart citron, the pastry chef’s creative take here on the rich cookie crust was phenomenal. The artistry of encasing the entire dessert with a feathery meringue, keenly torched was comely. Fruit plays a stirring symphony of sweet and savory. Even the lemon filling was airy. Crowned with pale Almafi lemons left a gratifying, lingering, zesty and aromatic taste. A sensational finish to the meal. Definitely a reflection on Chef’s belief that the diners have evolved and are open to exploring the unfamiliar.

Le Tart Citron.

We were invited to take a peek at the open kitchen and met Chef Nicolas Navarro, who had just arrived from Cannes a few weeks earlier and spearheaded into the task of managing all three restaurants, Le Plëss, La Cristallerie and Café de Paris.

This creative force has an incredible conceptual design of the new menus he wants to portray. I was pleasantly surprised at his consideration to implement more vegetarian and vegan dishes. The new menus will be in place in a few weeks, and we look forward to dining at La Cristallerie.

Chef Nicolas shares his vision.

The 3 C’s in hospitality are: Communication, Convenience, and Choice. The basic needs of a customer are information, options, and alternatives.

Les 3 C en matière d'hospitalité sont : la communication, la commodité et le choix. Les besoins de base d'un client sont les informations, les options et les alternatives.

It all started with Sebastian (from the morning shift), who possess great people skills. He answered my call, heard me, and communicated with Sebastian and Louise as promised. I knew from the moment we were led to our distinctive window table that special attention and care had been placed here simply via communication. This was another show of how hospitality goes beyond the client’s expectations. Our entire experience may not have been as exhilarating without that first communication.

Exceptional attention to detail from the entire team both front of house and back of house was a demonstration of embracing hospitality like no one else. Original yet cultivated cuisine with a hint of nostalgia where you sense the standard flavors or are reminded of something familiar to you, yet it has taken a form which is new and not- so-conventional.

It can be a serendipitous experience when the Art of Hospitality is plated in its true form!