Le Jardin Les Crayères sur Reims

Came to Reims for the cathedral. Stayed an extra night for this place. Brasserie Le Jardin is the Bib Gourmand sibling of two-Michelin-starred Le Parc, both inside the seven-hectare park of Domaine Les Crayères. Christophe Moret runs both kitchens. He cooks like a man who has read books. The amuse-bouche is a thin fennel-seed cracker with black olive tapenade. The tapenade tastes the way a potato chip wishes it tasted. The asparagus from Piolenc arrives under a Maltaise sabayon (hollandaise with blood orange juice folded in) and the bitterness in the citrus is doing real work. The seared foie gras lies on a celeriac mousseline that has finally given up pretending to be a potato. The duck is the moment. A peppered magret, sliced and pink, with a dark crust on the fat side that looks exactly like sliced Texas brisket. Same color, same matte texture, same crackled topography. A French chef has produced the chemistry of American barbecue bark on a 12-minute timeline. The beetroot sauce is sour and dark and correct. Cheese trolley: pick five. The regulars go for Bleu d’Auvergne, Morbier, and Comté. Take their advice. The rum baba arrives drenched in Santiago de Cuba Añejo with Madagascar vanilla cream. A Polish dessert invented for a toothless exiled king (allegedly), served in a Champagne brasserie, with Aretha Franklin on the speakers. The bill is the only thing on the table actually from Reims, and it is reasonable. Service warm. Room elegant without being stiff. Worth a detour from the cathedral. ✍️Substack “Pretty Girls Eat Guts” for the full story! Title: “Smuggler’s Menu in the City of Kings”

A wonderful lunch and a very pleasant atmosphere. Everything was truly delicious, but I especially want to mention the meat – it was simply superbly prepared. Excellent cuisine, a beautiful setting, and excellent service. An ideal option for a relaxing lunch in Reims.

I had made a reservation at this Bib Gourmand restaurant in Reims, but I had mistakenly booked for the following day. Unfortunately, I realized my mistake in front of the restaurant and explained to the staff that I had made a reservation and wanted to come if there was a table available. They kindly showed me to a table, even if only for a short time. The food was delicious, and everyone was very kind; I had a wonderful time. It's a restaurant I would definitely like to visit again when I return to Reims.

A wonderful experience at this upscale brasserie. The setting is lush and very pleasant. It's a shame the weather wasn't on our side to fully enjoy the gardens and the lovely terrace. We were able to dine in one of the private rooms, which was much quieter than the main dining room overlooking the kitchens. The decor is refined and understated, making it a truly pleasant place. The food was excellent, and the sauces accompanying the meat and fish dishes enhanced the flavors. The desserts were light and not too sweet, perfect for the end of the meal. As for the service, it was impeccable, and the staff were very friendly. A great place to eat...

We received a gift voucher for a tasting menu for Christmas and it was a wonderful discovery! The staff were very attentive. We ate very well.

Just great menu: such as the 3 or 4 courses, or the garden menu. Selection of champagnes and wine excellent to food selection (credit to sommelier). So all in all really good value for money. But. Competence and interest of service personell was at times lackluster. Asked for ingredients in superb sauce, but lack of competence and no interest in finding out. This happened twice. Ambience ok, nothing more. Improvement needed!

We opted for the four-course tasting menu, and everything was delicious. Only the cod dish was a bit of a letdown, as it felt more like an appetizer than a proper main course. The portion was tiny, barely larger than the three asparagus spears served as a starter, and frankly, not enough. Fortunately, the ossobuco made up for it later. One thing we noticed: those ordering à la carte received much more generous portions, with sides, whereas the set menu dishes were more "gastronomic" and quite light. The service was very good. However, they are really stingy with the wine by the glass. We ordered a glass (12cl) for €17, and the waiter barely filled it to just below the line, resulting in a very small amount. Perhaps it would be better to order a bottle. This was my third visit, and I will definitely be back.

EXCELLENT restaurant! The ambiance, the service (wow!) with Mathis, and the recommendations from the excellent sommelier! Everything was perfect! We LOVED it! 🤩😋

The garden is always a good idea. What a wonderful place, and the menu is reasonably priced. What a delight! I was a little disappointed not to be seated in the large room with the glass roof; I didn't know you could be seated elsewhere… I hope to return to enjoy the view of the garden!

The staff were very pleasant and welcoming. We had a great time with my son. Thank you for this lovely time.