L'Alambic sur Reims

02/08/2026: We visited Racine in 2019 when it had one Michelin star, and the memories are wonderful. A promising chef whom we vowed to return to, especially after seeing him earn his second star. We wanted to try the Japanese counter. The service was absolutely delightful! The ladies explaining the dishes knew their ingredients inside and out, and the head waiter was very cultured and welcoming. Special mention goes to the sommelier who took us on a journey with a 100% Champagne pairing, a wine from our region (kudos for the small "to-scale" map drawn on the wall 😉). The pairings were precise and flawless. The pairing of the sparkling rhubarb wine with the Carabinero is surely the best I've tasted in any restaurant in Reims. However, I do have a few minor criticisms of Chef Kazu... Firstly, we didn't see him walking between the tables, even though we spotted him in his kitchen through the window. Secondly, the dishes were delicious, of course, but the pace of service was very erratic. The three amuse-bouches arrived quickly (in fact, we were standing in front of the young man who plated them, but not directly in front of us, which was a shame), and then everything happened in the kitchen, with the courses being brought out abruptly and at longer intervals. An average of about 20 minutes seemed endless. Well... it's a minor point, but after 3 hours and 40 minutes of dining at the counter, which is admittedly charming and where the friendly service helps pass the time, we left feeling tired from having waited so long for dishes that were certainly extremely refined and unique, but for which we would have appreciated more personalized attention from the chef and his team. We will return, but with this frustration that we would like to see addressed.

24/07/2026: Excellent cuisine, pleasant and friendly service, interesting advice and information from the sommelier… This meal offers a true escape from the everyday.