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| For reservation, menu, directions, see website: https://www.peninsula.com/en/paris/hotel-fine-dining/french-rooftop-loiseau-blanc |
Rating Standards: 5-Stars = Extraordinary; 4-Stars = Excellent; 3-Stars = Average; 2-Stars = Fair; 1-Star = Poor € = Inexpensive: 30€ and under; €€ = Moderate: 31€-49€; €€€ = Expensive: €50 -75; €€€€ = Very Expensive: more than €76 (prices based on minimum 2-courses)
1-Bell = Pleasantly quiet (less than 65 decibels); 2-Bells = Can talk easily (65-70); 3-Bells = Talking normally gets difficult (70-80); 4-Bells = Can talk only in raised voices (75-90); BOMB = Too noisy for normal conversation (90+)
4.75 - stars ...................€€€€................................ 1--🔔
I don’t usually go to hotels for a meal unless there’s something truly exceptional about them. L’Oiseau Blanc — “The White Bird” — sits atop The Peninsula Paris beneath a spectacular glass dome with nearly 360-degree views over Paris, centered perfectly on the Eiffel Tower. The restaurant seats only about 40 guests, yet remarkably there isn’t a bad seat in the house — every table has a view.
We had previously attended a private party at LiLi, the Peninsula’s elegant Cantonese restaurant known for its refined Chinese cuisine and dramatic opera-inspired interiors, and it was excellent. But what L’Oiseau Blanc has over LiLi is undeniably the view.
By the way, the restaurant holds two Michelin stars, and the chef, David Bizet, has quite an impressive background. Before coming to L’Oiseau Blanc, he spent 18 years at the legendary Four Seasons Hotel George V, rising through the ranks before leading both Le V and later L’Orangerie, where he earned his first Michelin star in 2017. He then moved to the iconic Le Taillevent, where he was awarded a second Michelin star in 2020. You can really sense that pedigree in the cooking — refined and creative, but never trying too hard.
We opted for the prix-fixe lunch menu at €125 each.
We started off with aperitifs, I had a kir royale an JJ had a pastis.
The amuse-bouche were fantastic. They started us off with a lovely little levain boule served with a special butter so colorful and rich that I had to ask about it. The waiter explained that the vibrant color came from carotene — the natural pigment found in vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and kale. It was as beautiful as it was delicious.
Next came something called a baba, which I usually associate with dessert, but this version was savory — a soft dough soaked in a bouillabaisse-style sauce. Absolutely excellent.
The third course was a tiered selection of different amuse-bouche. The only one I distinctly remember was the artichoke, though honestly all three were outstanding.
Such a wonderful start to the meal.
They also served a bread with the first course that I’d be remiss not to mention. It was a savory brioche, layered almost like a delicate puff pastry — rich, buttery, and incredibly light.
Our waiter jokingly said, “It’s made with lots of butter — that’s why it tastes so good.” I mentioned how much I loved it, and without us even asking, he immediately brought over another order. Such a thoughtful touch.
This white asparagus was as thick as my arm and perfectly grilled. I usually don’t care for white asparagus — I’ve always found it a bit bland and much prefer green — but this completely changed my mind. I honestly didn’t pick up much licorice, flavors but the greens added a nice freshness, while the bottarga brought a subtle salty depth.
It was served with a small dollop of berry sherbet, which sounded odd at first, but it actually worked beautifully. Since the entrée was served at room temperature, the tartness acted almost like a little palate cleanser before the next course.
Overall, it was a very clever, thoughtfully composed dish. Simple in presentation, but you could tell a lot of care went into developing it.
The rabbit was incredibly tender and succulent, and all of the accompanying elements worked beautifully together. Even the horseradish was mild and balanced.
Although the main dish looked small, it was packed with so much flavor that it ended up being incredibly satisfying.
They also served a small bowl of sea lettuce with shredded rabbit, but I found it far too salty to keep eating. Honestly, that was the only part of the meal I didn’t enjoy.
That said, like all the previous courses, the dish was meticulously composed — beautiful, artistic, and overall absolutely delicious.
I’m trying to get back into the habit of cutting down on sugar, so instead of dessert I ordered a plate of assorted cheeses. The selection was excellent and nicely varied — each one unique and very tasty. Honestly, you can never go wrong with good cheese.
I had mentioned when making the reservation that it was JJ’s birthday, though I didn’t bring it up again at lunch and honestly almost forgot about it myself. So it was a lovely surprise when they brought out a chocolate statue perched atop a rich, nutty chocolate confection to celebrate the occasion. As beautiful as the statue was, the base was the real star — absolutely delicious.
As a parting gift, we were served a mignardise — a beautiful assortment of tiny bite-sized sweets. By that point I was absolutely full, but I decided to indulge anyway and sample them all. Sometimes it’s impossible to resist one last moment of decadence.
Guiberteau 2022 Saumur, red wine
Domaine Guiberteau is one of the Loire Valley’s most respected producers, run by Romain Guiberteau, who took over the family estate in the mid-1990s after training alongside the legendary Clos Rougeard team. The domaine has roots going back to the early 1900s and is known for meticulous organic farming and incredibly precise expressions of Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc grown on the limestone soils of Saumur and Brézé.
The 2022 Saumur Rouge is made from 100% Cabernet Franc and really captures the elegance the Loire so well. In the glass, it’s bright and expressive with notes of red cherry, raspberry, plum, crushed herbs, graphite, peppercorn, and a little earthy smokiness. There’s also that classic Loire Cabernet Franc freshness — vibrant acidity with silky tannins rather than anything heavy or overly oaked.
What makes the 2022 vintage especially interesting is that Guiberteau intentionally used a gentler extraction to keep the wine fresh and balanced despite the warmer vintage. The result is a wine that feels juicy, layered, and incredibly drinkable now, while still having enough structure to age beautifully for several years.
It’s the kind of red that feels refined without being pretentious — elegant, mineral-driven, and extremely food friendly. Perfect with rabbit, duck, charcuterie, mushrooms, or anything earthy and savory. (from wine source)
SUMMARY
This isn’t the kind of restaurant you visit regularly — it’s a place for special occasions, and the prices reflect that. We chose the Seasonal Flight lunch prix-fixe, available only at lunch (except holidays), which starts at €125 per person for four courses, not including the amuse-bouche and mignardises. The full Seasonal Flight tasting menu is €425 per person for eight courses. I saw a few tables order it, and honestly, it looked like an incredible amount of food — far more than I could ever finish.
Part of the experience is also the setting. Beneath its glass dome, the restaurant offers nearly 360-degree views of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower stealing the show. The service is polished and attentive without ever feeling stiff, and the smaller dining room gives it a more intimate atmosphere.
As for the food, each dish felt like a work of art — beautifully composed and layered with flavor. The only dish I didn’t particularly enjoy was the sea lettuce with rabbit served alongside the main course, mainly because I found it a bit too salty. I was leaning toward giving the experience a 4.5 overall because of that one misstep, but the thoughtful birthday surprise they brought out for JJ — completely unprompted — easily won me back over. Did I mention the service is really excellent,
The restaurant holds two Michelin stars, and after dining there, it’s easy to understand why. They’re absolutely deserved. Would we go back? Without hesitation — once I’ve recovered financially.
Costs
For 2 prix-fixe = €250, kir royale = €36, Pastis = €25, Sparkling water = €18, Evian = €16, Saumur wine = €95, tea = €18. Total costs was €458.
If you go for dinner, expect to pay well over €1,000
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