Le Clos des Sens: authentic, plant-based cuisine!
With its plant-based approach to cooking and its respect for produce, seasons and producers, I just had to try Clos des Sens!
Opened in 1992 by Laurent Petit, the Clos des Sens restaurant was awarded its 1st star in 2000, followed by its 2nd in 2007. In 2015, the chef decided to offer a lakeside, local and plant-based cuisine. In other words, no more meat products. In 2019, chef Laurent Petit was awarded a 3rd star.
To these we can add a green star, 4 toques from Gault & Millau and a place in Grandes Tables du Monde (a club comprising 178 of the best restaurants on 5 continents).
In 2018, the chef set up a magnificent 1500 m2 permaculture garden based on 4 fundamental principles: no ploughing, no fertilizers, no weeding and no pesticides. Vegetables and herbs are picked just before the meal to preserve their goodness and flavor. In summer, the restaurant is self-sufficient in vegetable products! Chef Laurent Petit wanted to show his team the obvious link between the kitchen and the garden.
2022 is an important year for the restaurant, as chef Laurent Petit decides to embark on a new challenge. After 30 years at Le Clos des Sens, he decided to hand over the reins to two long-time collaborators: Franck Derouet, Executive Chef, and Thomas Lorival, Head Sommelier and Restaurant Manager. The gamble paid off, with the establishment retaining its three stars in 2024!
When you arrive at Le Clos des Sens, you already feel that “natural” and “warm” touch. The view from the terrace with its century-old chestnut tree makes you feel as if you’re in another world. In a few words, you simply feel good and at peace. The meal begins with an envelope with a note from the chef. I loved this special attention (being a graphic designer by training, I find that little details like this make all the difference).
We were tempted by the 4-flavor “Pour Voir” menu.
The menu
Sage leaf crisp, Fermented shallot, Beetroot candy, Mushroom leaf to leaf
A flight of Savoy mushrooms
Plissé of Beetroot, Smoked Lavaret
Leek fondant au Laurier, spoon sauce
Oxalis for itself
Acacia pollen, wax and honey
Intense walnut
“
The work on plants is simply incredible!
The menu begins with a series of appetizers featuring herbs from the garden. Unlike a lot of restaurants, where the tastes are more ascendant, here the chef offers something quite striking right from the start, which awakens our taste buds.
I fell in love with the chef’s signature dish: the mushroom flight. Visually, the dish is magnificent: you hardly dare touch the different shavings of mushrooms seasoned with mushroom vinegar. Gustatively, it’s simply incredible. There’s a real interplay of textures in the dish, with mushroom mousse, mushroom powder and bits of dried mushroom underneath the shavings. The dish is accompanied by a mushroom cappuccino that brings out all the tastes and flavors. It’s a rather daring challenge, since button mushrooms seem rather “neutral” in terms of taste. In this dish, however, we find a real power and a singular taste that I’ve never experienced before.
The menu as a whole was perfect : we stayed in the world of plants right up to the mignardises, which were there to really finish off the meal rather than weighing it down.
Best Veggie Tables' opinion
In a nutshell: Le Clos des Sens is a real showcase for plant-based cuisine. The focus is on the product, and the tastes are straightforward, without superfluity. A real favorite!
Areas for improvement: There’s not much to improve. If I had to make one small remark, it would be about the dessert, which I found a little too classic compared to the rest of the menu (already encountered in other exceptional restaurants).
Last visit: October 2023 (1 visit)
Where to find this exceptional table
Le Clos des Sens
Gourmet restaurant – 3 Michelin stars and 1 green star
13 Rue Jean Mermoz, 74940 Annecy
Open Tuesday evening, Wednesday lunchtime and evening, Thursday evening
Friday lunchtime and evening, Saturday lunchtime and evening, Sunday “soirs d’été'”.