Albert 1er (*)

Had the opportunity to enjoy the 9 course menu at Albert 1er Restaurant while in Chamonix. It did not disappoint one bit. First time eating at a Michelin star restaurant.

There wasn’t a wine pairing option, but we ordered few bottles, cocktails, and port wine.

Long time enjoyer of foods, but never had interest or appeal in fine dining. This may have changed my entire outlook on fine dining and fixed courses. Easily top 2 meal of my life. Everything was literally perfect thickness, creaminess, texture, crunch to what you’d hope for. They some how knew what you wanted in a bite and made it happen.

9 course menu that included several more items that weren’t listed on menu. I wasn’t able to pick up on all the items due to language barrier/not being able to speak French.

Here is what we ate. Forewarning you’re going to get bit of very casual comparisons to what some items were like. Can also look at the menu for their descriptions of items. Sorry I didn’t do a proper explanation of each dish or provide rating. If you’d like more info on specific dish, or items on the menu that I didn’t add photo feel free to ask!

1. Menu before we selected 7 course or 9 course option

2. Menu they give you at end of dinner

3. (Not listed on menu) Tart w/ buffalo cheese. Cheese was so creamy and light insight with same cheese in light crumble form on top (left), parsnip and coffee on top of almond biscuit with mushroom butter – this has the snap of similar to tempered chocolate (top), and puff pastry with candied smoke trout (bottom) – almost like a tortinos pizza roll with smoked trout inside and roe on top

4. (Not listed on menu) don’t think I wrote down what this one was. Hoping it wasn’t mixed in my notes for the first photo. It tasted similar to how it looks. Think it was finger potatoeswith crunchy bits similar to bacon bits and puff rice grains with a creamy like egg yolk emulsion. It was good, but maybe least interesting item on menu and that’s saying something

5. (Start of menu) Veal's feet leek poached trout potato emulsion.

6. Shaved slices of beet root with refined brown butter inside, crushed nuts on top, and ball of vinegar on side. This was unreal.

7. Scallop with ginger teriyaki/soy sauce poured over with small dollops of citrus mayo, side of (not too pickled) pickled artichoke. We were instructed to alternate between cold and hot items. Some folks said this was the best dish.

8. Salsify with poulette sauce

9. Salsify with Maison Aléna" black truffle. Have always been worried about eating dishes with truffle. Think it’s overrated and throws off dish. This truffle wasn’t overpowering at all. Absolutely perfect. Let the salsify and sauce shine.

10. Sous vide or poached (forgot which one) line caught seabass in a horseradish and turnip veloute with caramelized horseradish dollop and turnip. Photo doesn’t do the 2 sides/dollops of horseradish and turnip. The texture was perfect on literally everything.

11. Alsatian venison loin w/ red cabbage and spiced crumble in a venison jus (infused with carvi – wild cumin) with caraway. Slice of apple on side. Perfectly cooked.

12. Cheese tray – we let server pick and choose the 2 plates we got. Mainly got goat cheese and Brie. Was hard to get list of all cheeses we got. I will say the best cheese I’ve ever had was on the plate. It was the Brie with a truffle and mascarpone middle. Unbelievable. There was also a 20 month Buffalo aged goat cheese that was very very good.

13. Cheese

14. More cheese. This one includes mascarpone/truffle brie

15. Citrus fruits and cottage cheese from our local Chamonix mountains. Below cottage cheese was grapefruit pieces, grapefruit rind pieces, some other citrus fruits, and marigold sorbet. Never knew cottage cheese could be this light and fluffy.

16. Green Chartreuse Souffle w/ side of Grand Cru Mayan Red 70% Chocolate Sorbet (sorry didn’t include photo of chocolate sorbet)

17. Pouring chartreuse liquor into soufflé. Never had soufflé before and wow, just wow. Really loved how the chocolate wasn’t too sweet. Definitely leaned more on cocoa/unsweetened side. Let the chartreuse do the talking. We also tried the non dairy dessert and other chocolate dessert. The ND dessert equally matched, if not better, the soufflé. It was so refreshing. Kumquat was perfect

18. (Not listed on menu) Truffles: chocolate deca caramelized (top) and Black truffle with orange (bottom). Classic truffles. Not the biggest truffle person, but these beat out any truffle I’ve had. So consistent, not too overpowering.

19. (Not listed on menu) last item. Didn’t write down what each item was, sorry! Left one was non dairy, and others were dairy. Both had a meringue, or meringue like base, with ND being açaí sorbet, and crushed like Rice Krispie cereal on top. Dairy version had perfect whipped cream with hydro beads of citrus with hint of cocoa and mint. Lovely palate cleanser

20. Asked to see the kitchen, and they gladly let us. Unfortunately kitchen staff weren’t there anymore.