Le Charles, the training restaurant serving affordable gourmet cuisine

Nestled in the Luxury Hotels School, Le Charles is a great address for an affordable gourmet lunch in a trendy setting. In this apprentice restaurant, students take care of service under the watchful eye of customers.

Hotel school application restaurants are the perfect way to enjoy gourmet cuisine at affordable prices, while helping to train students. Today, we're sharing with you a favorite address, open only for lunch, located in Clichy-la-Garenne, near the Saint-Ouen metro station on line 14.

The first thing you notice is the large glass building of theLuxury Hotelschool. The only clue is a sign displaying the price of a starter, main course and dessert menu at €28. Inside, simply indicate that you have a reservation at the Charles. From there, you'll be redirected to the reception of this hidden restaurant. You'll be asked to remove your belongings to the checkroom before being guided to your table. And what a surprise!

You'll discover a trendy setting imagined by DUNES Architectes , who have worked on many of Paris's top venues, including the renovation of the spa at theGeorge V Hotel, the refurbishment of the Carnavalet Museum and Citizen M at Gare de Lyon. For Le Charles, DUNES recreated the atmosphere of a new-generation Parisian gourmet restaurant. Light-colored herringbone parquet, soothing duck-blue walls covered with perforated panels and gold-colored pipes reminiscent of an organ. A reminder, perhaps, that the life of a restaurant or hotel is animated by an orchestra of talents working in concert to enable guests to enjoy a good time.

Every day, a unique menu awaits you. When you make your reservation, you are invited to specify your allergens so that an alternative can be proposed. The recipes are created by a head chef and the dishes are prepared by the students themselves. When it comes to drinks, you can even sample wines at caviste prices, selected by Tieng Ma, Charles' manager. During our visit, we were able to discover a menu designed by Paul Pracisnore , with creations blending Asian and Reunionese inspirations.

In addition to a starter, main course and dessert, the menu also includes a hearty amuse-bouche. For our part, it was a soft-boiled egg restingon a golden, buttered loaf of bread, with a piece of crispy bacon on top. Then came the real starters. And we loved it all!

The scallop carpaccio, topped with avocado tartar, topped with sesame and passion fruit. There's even a hint of vanilla that enhances the whole. At the same time, we were also able to taste an ultra-melting beef tataki lacquered in a soy sauce revisited with a wasabi purée without the spiciness: a real delight.

The culinary pleasure continues on the main course, with a Rossini beef in the rules of the art, with pan-fried foie gras, served with a Bordelaise sauce on toasted sandwich bread with mini eggplants. Paul Pracisnore 's take on this emblematic dish is surprisingly lighter than usual, while remaining terribly gourmet. Cod with green curry and coconut milk sauce, also served with mini-eggplants and zucchini, is another great recipe that can be enjoyed at the Charles. A well-balanced meal for a tasty lunch break!

We definitely loved our escapade at the Charles, right down to the desserts! The latter are quite copious, and we'd say that this affordable menu was well worth it! We ended our lunch on a sweet note with a charming red fruit pavlova topped with chantilly. Another dessert is a fruit salad that's anything but ordinary, topped with a chocolate lace that's a pleasure to break, and accompanied by a kiwi sorbet for a tasty pairing.

But be warned: if Le Charles has all the makings of a gourmet hotspot, you'll need to take a sympathetic approach and be understanding in the event of clumsiness. Above all, this restaurant is designed to allow them to practice, so let's encourage them in their passion! Visit us from mid-October to mid-March to discover this hot, hidden address!

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, please drink responsibly.

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.