Le Camelia by Thierry Marx @ MO paris

Mandarin Oriental is the last born palace in Paris, they have hire Thierry Marx as executive chef, there is 2 restaurants, Le camelia a kind of luxury coffee shop with a strategy 45 euros 45 minutes.... and a fine dining restaurant.

I went to try at lunch le Camelia even if most of my friends said it was not good.... I did not find it bad.... but I have to say that I ate à la carte, just reading the 45/45 menu I was depressed....

I was there with my Friend Jenny, we like to try new restaurant together....to finish the experience saying.... sunday we go to L'Atelier!!!!!! best restaurant ever.... ;-)

by the way we started with the tomatoe (very long and romantic sentence on the menu) actually it's a tomatoe mozza, that I have to say was good.

we also shared as starter the vegetable pie.... look very nice, taste good but nothing new, already seen at la table de Joel Robuchon years ago.......

Jenny asked for the "tigre qui rit" at costes next door the name of the dish made by Thiou for costes is "the tigre qui pleure" Marx have played with words, change a bit the recipe make it more indian than thai.... it's pieces of beef just cooked and normally it comes with acurry sauce on top of it but Jen asked for the sauce on side... it was average....I still prefer the original recipe thai at Costes.

I took the lamb shoulder.... and I have to say that this was really excellent....my moroccan background can't say the opposite....it's a spicy dish with some cumin, Ras el hanout, eggplants, and an indian touch, a raita sauce... lamb was super tender and all really tasty, I loved it......

service is not super, a bit long, forget about the 45 minutes... so we had no time for desert we took them away. 2 saint honoré revisited..... simply delicious... very light, balanced....pate à choux et pate feuilletée super....

we paid 145 euros with a bottle of water and a diet coke.

for the place it is and comparing to costes.....it's a good price.

I personnally recommand those dishes I liked , I will go back for sur... to eat or for a tea time, the design is MO style very modern, minimalist....too minimalist but I'm ok with....