abovskyg's Profile
Great wine and food experience in Burgundy
See review of Le Charlemagne here http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/586677
Restaurants in Beaune
See review of Le Charlemagne here (http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/586677)
Le Charlemagne - near Beaune, Burgundy
My fiance and I went to Le Charlemagne in late December. It is a 1 Michelin star restaurant near Beaune (around 7 miles from Beaune in the village of Pernand-Vergelesses). The restaurant is in a beautiful location, overlooking the vineyards of Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton and Beaune. There are a number of different menus to choose from, and while a la carte ordering is available, the prices seem to discourage it -- a la carte appetizers are 20-30 euros, and mains are 40-60 euros, while multi-course tasting menus range in price from 45 euros to 70 euros. There is a terrific wine list, with every region of Burgundy well-represented (there are also some wine selections from the rest of the world thrown in for good measure, but at obnoxious prices). The list tends to be on the expensive side, with most bottles in the 80 euros and up range...
We ended up choosing the fall tasting menu, which was around 70 euros per person. That menu consisted of jellied beef dish; country pate; seared foie gras with seared tuna; egg with escargot; partridge; and epoisses for dessert.
Our overall impression was that everything was interestingly and originally presented, but nothing actually stood out as particularly tasty. The jellied beef and the country pate were both bland and boring. The seared foie gras sandwiched between seared tuna was very original and tasty, but it was hurt by the fact that the tuna was overcooked. The presentation of the egg / escargot dish was truly amazing, but the "poached" egg yolk was overcooked, and was almost hard rather than runny... The dish was also under-seasoned. The presentation of the partridge was interesting, but pointless - it came wrapped in cellophane for some bizarre reason - and overcooked, once again! The dessert (epoisses with pistachios and honey) was pretty awful, and that's from someone who loves epoisses!
So, all in all, I would say that this restaurant does not deserve its one Michelin star, and should probably be avoided, except for the view.
Which arrondissement has best markets?
Raspail market (6th) on Sundays (organic) is great; there is also a market there on Tuesdays and Fridays. I would also recommend the Saxe-Breteuil market (7th) (thursday & saturday). We just spent three weeks in Paris, and went to a number of markets, but I think those two were the best. The Saxe-Breteuil market has the added advantage of having an amazing view of the Eiffel tower behind it. If you are the Raspail market not on a Sunday, make sure to visit Poilane Bread at 8, Rue de Cherche Midi and Fromagerie Barthélemy at 51, rue de Grenelle.
