Le Dalì at Le Meurice hotel is one of my newest foodie discoveries in the heart of Paris.
The grandiose Le Meurice hotel is a legend from the 19th century. It belongs to the Dorchester Collection, a prestigious chain of luxury hotels and restaurants in Paris.
It is in the first arrondissement of Paris, very nicely situated across the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries and a 10-minute walk from the world-renowned Louvre museum.
Le Meurice was once home to painter extraordinaire Salvador Dalì, hence one of the hotel’s establishments being named in his honour.
What brought me here, you ask?
Well, upon seeing the “Emily in Paris” season 3 episode where Sylvie and an old friend Louis meet for lunch at Alain Ducasse’s restaurant in Le Meurice, the “Emily” in me just knew that I had to try a meal at the iconic hotel.
Le Dalì restaurant serves elegant and traditional French dishes in a refined, ornate atmosphere, designed by no less than Philippe Starck. Plush seats, live piano music, large glass doors, the beautiful gold-painted ceiling (designed by Philippe Starck’s daughter, Ava Starck), diners’ soft-spoken conversations and the elegant chiming of wine glasses and cutlery all contribute to the restaurant’s upscale yet soft and relaxed ambiance.
I was flabbergasted seeing the magnificent interior of Le Dalì. The French truly do elegance right!
Le Dalì welcomes guests for breakfast from Monday to Sunday (7am to 11am), brunch on Sunday (12pm to 2:30pm), lunch from Monday to Saturday (12pm to 2:30pm), tea time from Monday to Saturday (3:30pm to 5:30pm) as well as Sunday (4:30pm to 5:30pm), and dinner from Monday to Sunday (7:30PM to 10PM). A friend and I reserved a table for Saturday dinner.
The menu is robust and sizeable, offering several choices of French starters, platters for sharing, main courses, cheeses, desserts, and wine. Main courses go for €36 to €120, averaging between €48 and €60. Not the typical local brasserie ranges, but the ambience, food quality and overall experience break the old week-end pattern.
Wine is pricey, with a half-bottle of Bordeaux white wine costing €40. I recommend splitting a half-bottle or full bottle with a companion, instead of getting individual glasses.
The servers are elegant and courteous, and our dedicated wine and food servers were very helpful and quick to answer our questions regarding the menu.
We delighted in petite complimentary starters that resembled tuna tataki bites topped with herbs and crunchy fried onion (which I forgot to snap a photo of!). The tasty bites, served in miniature saucers, were fresh and savory. They went quite well with our Bordeaux wine. Complimentary bread and butter was also a great add-on to our main course.
My main course, the risotto aux champignons de saison (seasonal mushroom risotto) was saucy, just the way I like. The seasoning was just right. The rice itself was cooked to perfection: soft with a creamy consistency. The portion was copious without being overwhelming, and the dish itself was served very warm, which of course lent to the feeling of satisfaction in every bite.
My friend ordered the suprême de volaille ‘culoiselle’ au vin jaune et pressé de topinambours (‘Culoiselle’ chicken breast in yellow wine with Jerusalem artichoke layers). The dish was tastefully presented, with accompanying warm gravy served on the side and poured onto the chicken breast on the spot by our gracious server.
Left photo: seasonal mushroom risotto. Right photo: chicken breast in yellow wine with Jerusalem artichoke.
All in all, the generous food portions, excellent wine, gracious service, live music and cozy feel of the place made for an unforgettable dining experience. Le Dalì could be a fitting cap to a nice afternoon stroll at the Jardin des Tuileries or an early evening theatre performance.
I was home! And also Emily in Paris.
What do you think? I’d love to know if I inspired you to visit Le Dalì or Le Meurice hotel. I’d be thrilled to hear about your gastronomic experience!
Signed with love,
Belleamour
Le Meurice
228 rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris
Belleamour 