La Lorraine has reopened its doors, freshly pimped, with a new menu imagined by the energetic chef, Louis Scholtès. A place to add to your address book.
The winds of change began to blow in June 2022 with the arrival of chef Louis Scholtès. With the latest renovation of the interior and a new menu, La Lorraine is now ready to ride a new wave. The wave of renewal.
Rediscovering the spirit of yesteryear
Since 1983, the year it opened, La Lorraine has welcomed tourists wandering around the Place d’Armes in search of a restaurant. The regulars, for their part, had somewhat deserted this place that had become a little outdated.
It was in desperate need of a facelift to restore it to its former glory and turn it back into a welcoming brasserie offering a full menu for breakfast, lunch, aperitifs and dinner.
The new decor has retained the cosy, comfortable feel that a brasserie should have, while adding a real touch of chic and modernity. Wood, marble, brass, earth-red velvet banquettes and armchairs (ultra-comfortable) and the many light fittings scattered around the walls and ceiling warm up the room. “La Lorraine has always welcomed an eclectic clientele, from tourists to regulars and families, and we wanted a casual, modern decor,” explains Chef Scholtès. To suit everyone.
As soon as you enter, the bar with its counter and high tables set along a curved wooden wall invite customers to settle down and discover the cocktails prepared by the team. “The range of cocktails will include classics, of course, but also special recipes that we plan to develop over the coming months, including, why not, seafood references!” explains Florent Pawlik, the bar manager (formerly bar supervisor at Um Plateau).
Find what you’re looking for at any time
“In terms of produce, we try to use local products as much as possible. We offer a wide variety of dishes to satisfy our customers, who we hope will come several times a week,” explains Chef Scholtès, who is assisted in the kitchen by Philippe Ismaili.
The menu gives pride of place to the seafood and fish that have made the restaurant’s reputation, always prepared with precision and expertise. The chef buys directly from producers in Brittany, Charente, and Normandy. If you’re a food lover, don’t miss out on the ‘chef’s platter’. We sampled a bonito tartare with yuzu pearls, a divine veal and oyster tartare, oysters with fish roe, served with bread and vinegar, and octopus with wakame and hazelnut oil. Pure delight.
For meat lovers, a duck breast generously served with perfectly cooked vegetables, or a braised beef cheek and the traditional poultry cordon bleu with Munster cheese will delight the taste buds.
At La Lorraine, desserts are also unmissable. We were tempted by an “île flottante”, a Parisian brasserie classic, as light in the mouth as a cloud and yet so delicious with its creamy custard. The perfect sweet touch to end the meal on a high, even if we didn’t really want it to end. “Since we changed the decor, we’ve noticed that our customers are tending to extend their meal, with a nightcap that can last well into the evening,” says the chef, who hopes to offer evening events with DJs in the coming months.
The Lorraine restaurant run by Louis Scholtès and his team has everything it takes to once again become a not-to-be-missed address in the city centre, for lunch and dinner that’s likely to last a while. You’ve been warned.
Further information: La Lorraine
Photos: La Lorraine