French Michelin star place in Alsace France

We are staying in Baden Baden Germany for a couple days in March. I have a desire to drive into nearby France for a dining experience at a French restaurant, Michelin star type (although not excluding others that may have yet to receive this rating). I don't want to drive more than an hour and a half. I see a couple on the net, one in Lembach and one north of Colmar but I would like some personal experience.

Anyone have any personal experiences with a place in France in this vicinity?

Up to the age of 47, my all-time favorite restaurant anywhere would have unquestionably been the 3-star Michelin culinary monument, The Auberge de l'Ill in Illhaeusern (Alsace).

The Haeberlin brothers , Paul (died in 2008) & Jean-Pierre, have a long and storied history in Alsace. During World War II, Paul was chef de cuisine for a General and his staff of the First French Army while his younger brother, Jean-Pierre, was conscripted into the German army. The original family restaurant (established by their grandparents called zum Grunem Baum and then later became L'Arbre Vert) was destroyed during the war. After the war, the family rebuilt it. Today, Paul’s son, Marc, has taken over the kitchen, while his uncle (Jean-Pierre) beautifully watercolors the cover of each menu with local scenery.



It's been a number of years since I've been there. However, one recollection of that marvelous night always seemed to come back to me every time I think about it.
Being a wine nut at the time (as was my dinner companion and best friend), we excitedly perused their highly credible and voluminous wine list, trying to select what we deemed would be the perfect wine for the situation at hand. After over an hour of back and forth banter, we decided on a bottle of Chateau Ygrec or also known as just “Y” (a dry white wine produced at Chateau d' Yquem. It has all the traditional characteristics of a Sauternes but without the sweetness) and a bottle of Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis (Burgundy. A lifelong favorite). Immediately after shutting the wine menu, Sommelier extraordinaire, Serge Dubs (known as one of the finest in the world) appeared. What was truly amazing to us was the fact that not once during the hour or so that we were enjoying ourselves while making the wine selections did he or anybody else interrupt us, knowing to keep his distance until a more appropriate time. He unquestionably knew the situation and how valuable that part of the meal could be for anybody who takes wine seriously, especially at a place like this where the food/wine pairings could easily make or hamper the whole experience. It was easy to see that, from their perspective, they strongly understood that the customer makes the call when establishing their own dining pace, not the server or the establishment as to when it might happen to work best for them.

I share this story because it was indicative of every component of this restaurant: amazing thoughtfulness at every level, regardless of whether you're talking about service, cuisine, or ambiance. Nothing was done without serious consideration.
Later that night (3am), I remember lying in bed thinking about the incredible wild duck entrée I had and their godly preparation of it.

Until I hit Urasawa in Los Angeles a few years back, this place had absolutely no rival anywhere when it came to delivering a life-changing dining experience.
The Auberge de l'Ill is a culinary temple: one that shouldn't be missed if you're within a thousand miles of it…maybe more.

L’ Auberge de l’Ill
2, Rue de Collonges au Mont d’Or
Illhaeusern (Alsace)
Tel +33 (0)3 89 71 89 00

I see it is about one hour and a half away. My non-foodie bf won't be happy at the distance, but maybe I won't tell him the distance and just feign confusion as a result of the kilometers/miles conversion ))) Or maybe I can find a diversion on the way to stop at before the dinner.

I have looked into this place and it looks like exactly the type of experience I want. I will have to try to make reservations before our trip because it will be on a Saturday night, March 13th, the day after we arrive.

Anyone speak French that can help me make an online reservation???

Jill

funholidaygirl wrote:Anyone speak French that can help me make an online reservation???

Jill

I was going to volunteer my translation services, but you're in luck: the website (including the reservation page) is (mostly) in English.

My experience at high-end restaurants in France is that you shouldn't have any problem making a reservation in English.

And yes, you are correct about the English reservation system. I have my reservation. And I have planned a visit to the Ribeauville and the castles prior to make the trip into sightseeing venture as well! I will pretty much eat anything and I am not worried about ordering. However, I want to be able to assure my vegetable-hating (except for tomatoes corn and cucumbers), shellfish-hating, mushroom-hating boyfriend that there will be options for him. The problem is that I can't interpret the menu. Anyone see some viable options there? The thing is even though he hates vegetables and shellfish, he will eat some weird stuff like head cheese. I know the menu may change by the time I get there in March but I just want some ideas.

Bottom line is, he will make do. But just interested in what is on the menu.

By the way I tried to cut and paste to attempt to translate it and it didn't work

[url][/url]http://www.auberge-de-l-ill.com/V2/index.html[url][/url]

What do you think?

I think there are large sections on the website with titles like "Poultry and Meat."

I also think Alsace is not exactly on the ocean or the sea, so it's unlikely that you will find yourself in a shellfish-only place unless you deliberately seek one out.

Do you have enough restaurant French to tell veau from agneau? That would seem to be the most useful thing you could do right now, learn enough of the words that you can half make out what a dish is.

I would only point out that on the expensive fixed price menu, 2 of the 4 dishes are shellfish. The dishes are foie gras, scallops, lobster and venison. I am sure though that a restaurant of this caliber would do substitutions. The cheaper prix fixe seems to be only for Christmas.

I gotta say, it was nice to dust off my French and put it to use after over a decade of dormancy (still had to use Babelfish & Google a bit though). Anyway, here are my translations of the menus (there may well be some errors, so caveat emptor ):

"Christmas" Menu - 130 euros, 14.4% gratuity included
Served only at lunch

Goose foie gras terrine
or
Salad of lobster, sautéed calamari, winter chanterelles and artichokes, shellfish vinaigrette

"Auberge d l'Ill" salmon souffle
or
Coquilles Saint Jacques (scallops) on a parsnip mousseline with fresh truffles
or
Braised fillet of seabass, leek fondue and little rolls of Jabugo ham

Miéral poultry stuffed with lamb & truffle rice, fresh truffle risotto
or
Big plate of Miéral Christmas goose and its liver in different preparations
or
Venison loin, mango compote with Kombawa(don't know what this is, best I could find is that it's some sort of "exotic" fruit) leaves and Alsatian bubbespitzle(?)

Cheeses

Assortment of fruit sorbets in a Christmas sled
or
Chocolate mousse brownie, cotton candy and mangoes
or
Charlotte (icebox cake) of spiced bread, orange sabayon, Mandarin orange suprèmes, and Mandarine orange sorbet

Petits fours and chocolate

--------------

Haeberlin Menu - 150 euros, 14.4% gratuity included

Marble of goose liver with figes and with caramelized chestnuts

Braised Coquilles Saint Jaques (scallops) on a parsnip mousseline with black truffle cream

Lobster ragout in garbure with "Grandmother's" pâte

Venison loin, Alsatian bubbespitzle(?) and mango compote with Kombawa(?) leaves

Cheeses

Pâtissier's sorbet

Autumn and winter gourmandise (don't know if that specifically means "gourmandise cheese", or just "gourmet items")

--------------

Starters

Poached eggs in red wine sauce (sauce meurette) - 2009 version - 38 euros

Tripe salad with fava beans and goose liver - 32 euros

Lobster salad with marinated artichokes, royale(?) of sweet corn, jamon Iberico and passionfruit (I believe) vinaigrette - 68 euros

Pigeon consommé, served dim-sum style with pigeon-stuffed cabbage (I believe) - 43 euros

Carpaccio of "Mimosa" wild seabass, Petrossian caviar, red beets and vodka cream - 78 euros

Roasted langoustines with Maggia valley pepper, cranberry/Borlotti bean cream, winter chanterelles and sautéed pistachios(?) - 65 euros

--------------

Seafood and Fish

Groundnut- and citrus-crusted nougat(?) of turbot, wok-cooked bok choy - 55 euros

Lobster ragout with pâtes and Piedmont white truffles (per availability) - 130 euros

Smoked seabass fillet on risotte with squids, with wasabi tobiko - 50 euros

Roasted on edge(?) wild sole, algae- and uni-basmati-encrusted 'bio' (organic?) shrimp (for two to share) - 110 euros

--------------

Poultry, Meat and Vegetables

Fire-roasted Miéral Bresse poultry, accompanies by a small Baeckaoffa with truffles. Thighs (from the Bresse poultry, presumably) on salad in the second service (no idea what that last sentence means) (for two to share) - 150 euros

Roasted veal kidney, in potato mille feuille, moutarde a l'ancienne sauce - 49 euros

Loin of Allaiton d'Aveyron lamb, accompanies by confit tomatoes and Munster valley-style roasted potatoes scented with black olives and thyme - 56 euros

American Black Angus double ribeye with two sauces, pommes soufflées (steak fries) (for two to share) - 122 euros

Roasted veal rice, disc(?) of macaroni in Viennoise sauce (a rich white sauce flavoured with parsley and capers), artichoke and mushrooms "of the moment" - 55 euroes

Venison, bubbespitzle(?), wild mushrooms and mango compote with Kombawa(?) leaves - 59 euros

Roasted loin of suckling pig in a cast-iron casserole with rutabagas and "boulettes de Bussy" (a root vegetable that resembles a turnip, and is grown in the village of Bussy Le Chateau in the Champagne region) with black caraway seeds - 44 euros

Braised goose liver, whole braised beet with spieces and vinegared roasting juices - 40 euros

"Royale" hare, "Paul Haeberlin"-style - 56 euros

Potato-crusted truffle (seems like something's missing with this one) - 130 euros

-------------

Cheeses

Cheese cart - 25 euros

-------------

Specialties

Goose fois gras terrine - 46 euros

Truffle under ash - 130 euros

"Auberge de l'Ill" salmon soufflé - 33 euros

"Paul Haeberlin"-style frog mousseline - 50 euros

"Prince Vladimir"-style lobster - 78 euros

One small correction. You have translated "Homard" as duck, when it is actually lobster. "Canard" is duck.

So all the duck dishes are really lobster (which is why they are listed in the Seafood section of the menu).

rickster wrote:One small correction. You have translated "Homard" as duck, when it is actually lobster. "Canard" is duck.

So all the duck dishes are really lobster (which is why they are listed in the Seafood section of the menu).

Ha! The same thing just occurred to me, and I ran back to my desk to fix it before anyone could notice...looks like you beat me to it

I reread the menu on their website, and sure enough, there is no duck - every instance of "duck" in my translation should've been "lobster". I updated the post with my translation accordingly.

THANKS SO MUCH

Here are the options I see for him:

Groundnut- and citrus-crusted nougat(?) of turbot, wok-cooked bok choy - 55 euros

Fire-roasted Miéral Bresse poultry, accompanies by a small Baeckaoffa with truffles. Thighs (from the Bresse poultry, presumably) on salad in the second service (no idea what that last sentence means) (for two to share) - 150 euros (for both of us?)

Loin of Allaiton d'Aveyron lamb, accompanies by confit tomatoes and Munster valley-style roasted potatoes scented with black olives and thyme - 56 euros

American Black Angus double ribeye with two sauces, pommes soufflées (steak fries) (for two to share) - 122 euros (but I don't want this so he is SOL)

Venison, bubbespitzle(?), wild mushrooms and mango compote with Kombawa(?) leaves - 59 euros (although mushrooms)

Roasted loin of suckling pig in a cast-iron casserole with rutabagas and "boulettes de Bussy" (a root vegetable that resembles a turnip, and is grown in the village of Bussy Le Chateau in the Champagne region) with black caraway seeds - 44 euros

"Royale" hare, "Paul Haeberlin"-style - 56 euros

"Auberge de l'Ill" salmon soufflé - 33 euros

"Paul Haeberlin"-style frog mousseline - 50 euros

Pretty good options anyway.

I would love to try a Baeckeoffe, has anyone ever made one? Looks like a traditional Alsatian dish.

PIGMON, that picture of the menu cover is lovely. I printed it out to paste into my journal. Thank you for posting it.

Katie wrote:PIGMON, that picture of the menu cover is lovely. I printed it out to paste into my journal. Thank you for posting it.

Your welcome, Katie.

Not sure if it's of any interest/value to anyone but this is the remainder of the menu the night we went, in the pre-Euro days:









and their prix fixe menu:

Baeckeoffe is the sort of dish that takes half a day or more to make and you need a big group of people to eat it usually. You have to marinate the meat in wine, garlic, onion, bouquet garni and pepper for 24 hours.

There are different recipes that use different meats. One example is a pound of pork shoulder, a pound of boneless lamb shoulder and a pound of beef shoulder.
Then you put it in a dutch oven with about a kilo of sliced potatoes, chopped onion, more garlic, and more dry white wine and a few other spices for a few hours or more.

It's worth it but you've got to be in the mood to cook...

I prefer to go to a restaurant and let someone else cook it for me

On another note, the Alsatian "spitzbuebe" is a traditional Christmas cookie.
It means "naughty boy" in Alsatian. It's one of my favorites!

If you want more info on the food in Alsace, you can find it at http://www.getalsaced.com/alsace-and-food.html

If I was in Baden-Baden, and wanted to have a dual pleasure of visiting a beautiful Alsatian city and trying some good Alsatian cuisine mixing harmoniously the traditional and the contemporary, I would drive to Strasbourg, which is much closer, visit the city in the afternoon and have dinner at BUEREHIESEL www.buerehiesel.com where Eric Westerman has replaced his famous father Antoine at the piano. That would be much cheaper that the L'Auberge de L'Ill.
You could also go to AU CROCODILE Emile Jung's famous and spectacular 2 stars restaurant . www.au-crocodile.com