High technique at the service of seasonal ingredients is the hallmark of the inventive cooking of Philippe Labbé, the executive chef at L’Abeille in the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris. Signature dishes include duck foie gras coated in chocolate served two ways; crispy roasted quail; seared turbot à la plancha, and Poularde Hen au Torchon: fine Parisian dining, in other words.
The clear, concise wine list chosen to accompany Labbé’s cuisine is suitably, classically French. What separates it from other Michelin-starred lists, however, is its compression. There are stellar names and vintages here—from Coche-Dury to Chave, from Lafite to Krug. But in each case the temptation to fill the list with every vintage is rejected in favour of choosing the right one. With a small collection of New World, Italian, and German wines rounding up proceedings, L’Abeille’s list is a model of its kind.
10 Avenue d’Iéna Paris, France +33 1 53 67 19 90
www.shangri-la.com/paris/shangrila/dining/restaurants/labeille
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