Restaurant le 85 in Enghien-les-Bains: a gourmet getaway that revisits tradition

In the Paris region, the town of Enghien-les-Bains is best known for being home to Île-de-France's only spa, in the heart of the Grand Hôtel. This wellness destination also boasts a gourmet nugget, Restaurant 85, which unveils an elegant contemporary setting that incorporates nods to decorative styles that have distinguished themselves in French history. The bay window overlooks a verdant garden, and on fine days, you can enjoy your meal on the terrace overlooking this natural setting. The friendly, dynamic and helpful staff contribute to the relaxing atmosphere of this destination.

It's here that we discover the cooking of chef Priscilla Lacour, whose signature style is to offer gourmet cuisine that honors good produce, while modernizing the traditional through creative plates with refined dressings and occasional nods to our terroir. Both lunch and dinner are available at the same price: €35 for a starter/main course or main course/dessert, €45 for a starter/main course/dessert menu.

As an introduction to this gourmet break, we fall for a cold pea velouté with verbena, which covers an elegant herbal cream in a flaky twist. In a nod to the place, we can't resist the Ciel Bleu d'Enghien cocktail, created by the restaurant's director and featuring gin, curacao, lime and citrus schweppes: the combination is refreshing, with tangy, herbaceous notes that echo the verdant setting our table overlooks, while the cocktail's blue hue nods to the town's reputation.

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The main course features almond-crusted pollack, a generous, gourmet sin which here is accompanied by braised fennel, also worked into a light, creamy mousseline that shatters any prejudices some may have about this product. Surprisingly, there's also a nod to bouillabaisse, with which the white-fleshed fish is basted and cooked to perfection.

Finally, for dessert, the vanilla fromage blanc bavarois provided the sweetness we were craving to round off the meal, while adding a touch of lightness and freshness, notably with its strawberries and hints of basil. A dessert that's not too sweet, and which also gives pride of place to naturalness. The whole meal was well-balanced, and we left with the feeling of having had our fill, while at the same time having had the pleasure of rediscovering forgotten flavors and nods to specialties that are the pride of the French terroir.