On the surface, Reims shines to the rhythm of Champagne bubbles. But at 63 bis rue de Chativesle, you have to go down a stone staircase to enter the world of L’Alambic, this cellar restaurant where soft darkness and white tablecloths reign. Here, the light does not come from neon lights or flashes, but from plates and conversations.
Since the end of 2008, Alsatian chef Fabrice Ansel and Rémoise resident Karol Lindekens have been running a table of local French cuisine, generous and seasonal, far from fanfare. And behind this assumed discretion, their story draws an astonishing common thread.
Underground in Reims, the L’Alambic cellar as a mineral cocoon
The real treasure of the address is hidden in the basement: a vaulted cellar dating from 1870, whose vault and its key are said to have been made by Compagnons du Devoir. Without being a chalk pit, this volume of raw stone immediately evokes the other Reims, underground, where the shadows accompany the radiance of Champagne.
A few steps from the city center, you settle into this mineral setting to feel almost cut off from the world. Music comes from conversations, the clinking of glasses and the pleasures of the table; the couple did not consider it useful to add screens or superfluous staging. Two months of work carried out as a family were necessary before the opening of L’Alambic in December 2008, after the takeover of the restaurant fund on rue de Chativesle.
From Munster to Reims, the travel journey of Fabrice Ansel and Karol Lindekens
Originally from the Munster valley, Fabrice Ansel has kept a family home in Alsace where he returns every year. After an apprenticeship in Colmar in a classic kitchen, he worked for three years at Zum Ochsen in Karlsruhe, with starred chef Anita Jollit, then at the Auberge du Schantzwasen in the Tanet massif. He then joined Club Med in Méribel, in a 5 Tridents establishment, where his path crossed that of Karol Lindekens, born in Rémois: says the chef with a smile in a report from Nouvelles Gastronomiques.
Karol then moves from the kitchen in winter to the dining room during the summer, a double experience which announces the natural distribution of roles today, he in the kitchen, she in the dining room. Together, they spent seasons at La Ferme du Magnan in Saint-Tropez, where Fabrice finished as chef, then in Cannes and Saint-Raphaël in semi-gastronomic restaurants. The generosity of Provençal cuisine, its vegetables and herbs, leaves a lasting impression on the cook. When the time comes to settle down, Reims is the obvious choice: birthplace of Karol, father a farmer, encouraging mother, and a Champagne region to explore in a different way.
A local cuisine where Champagne is introduced in small touches
In the cellar, the chef boasts local cuisine nourished by classic bases, readable and without passing fashion. Dinner can begin with a cold cucumber soup accompanied by an arugula-lemon sorbet, a play of vegetal freshness and clear acidity. Among the emblems of the house, a millefeuille of duck breast and foie gras, the duck breast dried on site and served with a pesto vinaigrette. The herb-crusted lamb arrives pink, surrounded by long-simmered vegetables, a melting potato gratin and a concentrated juice, with rosemary from Fabrice’s garden becoming the common thread.
The menu expands this register with terrine, snails, Rossini-style beef fillet, can, pork or fish, also working with poultry and Champagne beef. The region is especially used in sauces and desserts, via ratafia champenois and marc de Champagne. A signature dessert illustrates this approach: under a shell of Grand Cru Caraïbe chocolate from Valrhona, an iced dome meets grapes marinated in ratafia, a liqueur wine made from grape must and Champagne brandy. Among the local nods, we also come across a “gourmet champagne” instead of gourmet coffee, or even domes iced with Champagne marc. And then, leaving this vault where they cultivate an assumed discretion, Fabrice Ansel likes, literally and figuratively, on a two-seater paraglider or on a motorcycle, just to clear his mind before returning to his stove.
Where is the restaurant L’Alambic in Reims?
L’Alambic is located at 63 bis rue de Chativesle, a few minutes walk from the center of Reims, in an old 19th century Champagne cellar.
What is the style of cooking proposed by Fabrice Ansel?
The chef offers local, generous and seasonal French cuisine, with classic bases, regional products and a few Champagne touches such as ratafia or Marc de Champagne.
Do you need to make a reservation for dinner at L’Alambic?
The restaurant has a small room and a very popular vaulted cellar, so reservations are recommended, especially on weekends and during major Champagne events.
Is Champagne very present in the dishes?
Champagne is never stuck on the menu: it comes in touches, when ratafia, marc or local meats really add something to the taste.
Does L’Alambic have social media accounts?
The couple claims true discretion and does not communicate on social networks, preferring word of mouth and the loyalty of regulars.
