Guerlain like Bvlgari in Japan scaled up their luxury game with their penetration into the high-end gourmet sphere.
Guerlain entrance in Paris
While the Italian jewellery giant launched their own indulgent chocolates, cafés and fashionable restaurants, the French perfume and cosmetics legend approached a well-known chef Guy Martin to transform the underground space of its flagship Champs Elysées boutique into by-perfumes-inspired healthy gastronomic restaurant.
Fragrant dish at Restaurant at Guerlain store at Champs Elysées
The restaurant is not forcing itself into your face, but like a little treasure, it is hidden deep down under the lipsticks, mascaras, blushes and seductive flacons with precious perfumes at the Guerlain boutique on Champs Elysées.
Opened just last year, the restaurant cannot pride itself in a spotless service, in this respect it is more in the category of the typically laid-back Parisian cafés, but the exquisitely arranged food and by floral fragrances-inspired decoration set it apart from anything else in Paris, perhaps in the world.
White asparagus spears with combawa
The chef Guy Martin through his hard work had in the past delivered the coveted third Michelin star to one of the most established and oldest restaurants in Paris – The Grand Vefour. And his plates at the Guerlain whisper, that he is being now inspired by art and the world of perfumes.
Currently still fashionable Asian influence is also visible in his creations. Like the ultra-light Vegetable maki roll in a Vietnamese style wrapped in a thin rice paper. Flowers and vegetables with sweet dipping sauce make a perfect healthy starter. The steamed asparagus also got an exotic touch up with combawa fruit chips and creamy dressing.
The mains always include some fish and meat like duck or chicken. The Cabillaud (cod fish) dressed in “ Petite Robe Noire “, Hambourg parsley and mussels in green juice sound like a detox menu item, while the French bistro staple of a raw Beef tartare got a japanese coat of a sweet nashi pear and roasted sesame seeds served with a trio of carrots and Mediterranean orange flower water.
La Petite Robe Noire
For these wanting to indulge the restaurant also offers cakes and macaroons to enjoy. The Guerlain’s own range of aromatic tea blends, that can also be bought to take away at the compact pastry boutique in front of the restaurant, inspires you to skip the alcohol and have a healthy pot of tea with your meal instead. The tea blends were inspired by fashion and the Guerlain’s signature perfumes such as the Shalimar.
The Shalimar is a blend of green and black teas from China and Sri Lanka with vanilla, cardamon, cinnamon, levander and bergamot. An exotic slightly spicy tea, pairing ideally with a meat dish or roasted plates. A relaxing black tea blend I like to sip on after lunch is the Orchid.
Even the desserts bring fashion into your palate’s consciousness (if it has any). The Little Black Dress cake, made of a chocolate biquit, red fruits ganache, creamy nut praline and a thin chocolate top adorned with a cute sweet ribbon, recounts this iconic French staple of every elegant woman’s wardrobe.
The perfumed lunch at Guerlain seduces not only your nose but also the palate with fragrant savoury and sweet delicacies. Breakfast and brunch are also served and are ideal for friendly meet-ups.
Address: 68 Avenue Champs Elysées, Paris, France.
Contact: +33 (0)1 45 62 54 10
Opening hours: Daily for breakfast 8am-11:30am; through lunch from 12noon and dinner is served until 11pm.