Version Originale, French restaurant in Reims, France.
Version Originale is a French restaurant in central Reims that serves creative dishes on a single rotating menu, featuring items like saltimbocca with Parma ham, Japanese-style tuna, and raw sea bream tartare. The kitchen also prepares seasonal seafood and meat dishes that shift based on what is available.
Chef Christophe Mertès founded the restaurant after working in Michelin-starred kitchens, bringing refined cooking methods to central Reims. The establishment grew into a place where elevated cuisine meets local ingredients and creativity.
The kitchen celebrates ingredients from the Champagne region while blending classical French cooking with global culinary ideas. Weekly menu changes showcase the chef's commitment to working with what the seasons offer locally.
The restaurant sits in the city center and opens only in the evening from Tuesday through Saturday. It is wise to reserve ahead, as seating is limited and only one menu is prepared each night.
The kitchen prepares a seven-hour slow-cooked lamb confit, showing how much time the team invests in single dishes. Such labor-intensive methods are uncommon in smaller restaurants and turn each evening into something noteworthy.
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