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Assessment: Julien Binz Restaurant, Alsace (One Michelin Star)
That is solely the third restaurant evaluation on my weblog — the primary being Central in Peru and the second Paz within the Faroe Islands — and I’m excited to share my expertise at Restaurant Julien Binz, probably the most celebrated Michelin-starred eating places in France.
Eating places have by no means actually been the first focus of my weblog. I normally write about premium airways, luxurious cruises, and high-end lodges. However effective eating has all the time been one thing I’ve wished to cowl extra severely, particularly when a restaurant presents an expertise that goes far past meals. After evenings like this one, I’m starting to wonder if I ought to finally begin a devoted meals weblog (and YouTube channel) as effectively. And actually, Julien Binz Restaurant could be a fairly convincing motive to take action.
Situated within the charming Alsatian wine village of Ammerschwihr, simply exterior Colmar, Julien Binz Restaurant combines Michelin-level gastronomy with a deeply private sense of hospitality and design. This isn’t a type of ultra-minimalist effective eating temples the place all the things feels scientific and rehearsed. Julien Binz Restaurant manages to really feel refined and polished whereas nonetheless sustaining a heat and welcoming environment.
On this evaluation:
The Chef’s story
A part of what makes the expertise at Julien Binz Restaurant so compelling is the story behind the chef himself. Julien Binz was born and raised in Alsace and grew up surrounded by artisanal meals tradition. His grandfather labored as a baker and pastry chef, and Binz usually speaks about childhood recollections full of the scent of recent brioche and heat pastries — recollections that clearly formed his understanding of workmanship and hospitality from an early age.
His culinary résumé reads like a tour via Alsace’s biggest kitchens. After attending lodge college in Illkirch, he skilled below Philippe Gaertner at Aux Armes de France earlier than becoming a member of the legendary Le Buerehiesel throughout its three-Michelin-star period below Antoine Westermann. He later spent a number of years on the iconic L’Auberge de l’Sick alongside Marc Haeberlin, finally turning into second chef in probably the most revered kitchens in France.
That classical French coaching defines his delicacies at the moment. Binz belongs to the college of cooks who imagine taste should stay readable and exact. His philosophy is easy: diners ought to instantly acknowledge and perceive the elements introduced on the menu. His delicacies due to this fact avoids pointless abstraction. As a substitute, classical French strategies — reductions, jus, layered sauces, cautious cooking temperatures — are used to raise native Alsatian elements.
Earlier than opening his personal restaurant, Binz had already earned a Michelin star on the Rendez-Vous de Chasse inside Hôtel Bristol in Colmar. However in 2015, he and his spouse Sandrine Kauffer-Binz determined to create one thing fully private in Ammerschwihr. Inside little greater than a yr, the brand new restaurant regained its Michelin star — a outstanding achievement that confirmed Julien Binz as one of many main cooks in France.
Location
Simply exterior Colmar, within the postcard-perfect wine village of Ammerschwihr, Restaurant Julien Binz enjoys a setting that already feels quintessentially Alsatian earlier than you even stroll via the door. Colmar itself is commonly thought of probably the most lovely cities in France, identified for its half-timbered homes, flower-lined canals, colourful facades, and powerful wine tradition. Ammerschwihr, situated alongside the well-known Alsace Wine Route, presents a quieter and extra genuine environment, surrounded by vineyards and conventional village structure. The restaurant is situated in a wonderful nook home proper within the heart of the village, occupying a historic constructing that blends naturally into its environment whereas hinting on the refined expertise inside. Particularly within the night, with the nice and cozy lighting reflecting off the façade and the calm environment of the village streets, the romantic setting provides significantly to the general eating expertise.
Inside & ambiance
The inside design might be one of many restaurant’s most distinctive options. In contrast to many modern Michelin-starred eating places that favor minimalist or Scandinavian-inspired aesthetics, Julien Binz Restaurant embraces a way more ornamental strategy constructed round black lacquer, brass, velvet, mirrors, and quite a few gold accents.
The second you enter the restaurant, one factor instantly stands out: gold. Plenty of gold. However in some way, it really works fantastically. Gold is current all through the eating room, although usually utilized in a managed and cohesive approach reasonably than showing overly extravagant. Ornamental mirrors, brass detailing, heat lighting, velvet seating, and reflective surfaces give the restaurant a barely theatrical environment whereas nonetheless remaining comfy and intimate.
One of many central visible components is a big Fragonard-inspired paintings, which contributes to the room’s romantic and creative environment. There may be additionally a symbolic “tree of life” set up referencing the constructing’s former id because the historic restaurant L’Arbre Vert. The whole restaurant feels extremely cohesive as a result of a lot of it was personally designed by Sandrine Kauffer-Binz herself. Furnishings, ornamental components, service consoles, and even employees uniforms had been created particularly for the restaurant in collaboration with native Alsatian artisans.
Julien Binz Restaurant presents a number of other ways to expertise the delicacies. Visitors can select à la carte, go for the extra elaborate “Menu Fragonard” tasting menu, or go for the excellent-value “Menu Binz’tronome,” which could be among the best worth Michelin-starred menus in France.
At simply €115, the Binz’tronome menu feels very fairly priced contemplating the general high quality and variety of programs. In lots of different Michelin-starred eating places at the moment, an analogous expertise would usually value considerably extra. One other facet that provides worth to the expertise is that chosen glasses of wine are included with the menu. This works significantly effectively given the restaurant’s robust connection to Alsatian wines and permits friends to take pleasure in a number of pairings through the meal without having to order a separate wine pairing package deal.
The Binz’tronome menu is the menu that I in the end selected, and it learn as follows:
Amuse-bouche
Caviar tasting
Sea bream carpaccio with lime, evenly smoked (“minute-smoked”), iodized cream, and Maison Kaviari Osciètre caviar
(Non-obligatory complement: €45)
White asparagus variation
Actual and fake white asparagus, skinny slice of evenly smoked beef fillet, anchovy–mustard condiment, recent chive cheese
Onion–espresso cappuccino
Served as a cream, compote, and pickles
Charolais beef fillet
Barbecued beef fillet, potato spirals, fried polenta, inexperienced asparagus, smoked sabayon
Tortellini with Alsatian Munster cheese
Butter broth with Tartuffon cream
(Non-obligatory complement: €30)
Dessert
Tanariva chocolate crisp, unique fruit cream, lychee sorbet
Mignardises
Small assorted sweets served on the finish
I believed the Binz’tronome menu provided an excellent stability between regional influences, classical French approach, and extra modern presentation. The sequence of dishes felt effectively structured, progressing naturally from lighter flavors towards richer programs. The menu additionally provided sufficient selection in elements and textures with out turning into overly complicated.
Ultimate ideas
Restaurant Julien Binz presents a effective eating expertise that feels very rooted in Alsace — each by way of delicacies and environment. The restaurant combines classical French approach with regional influences, whereas the inside design offers the house a particular persona that differs from many extra minimalist Michelin-starred eating places.
I’d extremely advocate together with it as a part of a visit via Alsace, which stays probably the most lovely and distinctive areas in France. Between the vineyards, historic villages, wine tradition, and picturesque cities comparable to Colmar, the restaurant suits naturally into the broader expertise of exploring the area.
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