Racine

Rating: 15.5
Author: Gault&Millau

6 Place Godinot, 51100 Reims, France

15.5/20
Remarkable Restaurant

BOOK

9 PHOTOS

Chef: Kazuyuki Tanaka
Cooking: Gastronomic | Local | Signature cuisine
Services: Access for people with disabilities | Children's Menu
Style: Elegant | Romantic

Budget (€)

Indicative price per person (excl. drinks)

150 to 310

Gault&Millau's review 2026

It is a literary and visual feast, for those who appreciate the poetry of the work—while others may consider it too verbose. Each person will decide for themselves, based on their own experience, whether it suits their taste. That said, one can only applaud the dedication of Chef Kazayuki Tanaka, who offers a total—even radical—experience that begins with a reduction of the senses (only four tables, four seats at the counter, and an omnipresent minimalism), and culminates in engaging all the senses, beginning with the eyes as you read a menu presented as sketches. Behind each sketch lies a dish and a message, bridging the seasons and ingredients, Japan and France, the chef’s personal history, and his love of Champagne. The dishes are remarkably precise, each plate like a work of art, with meticulous attention to balance: hamachi (Japanese yellowtail), beet, blueberries and kiwi; oysters, cucumber, and turmeric vinaigrette; flambéed and glazed pollock, tomato, and zucchini; tomato beurre blanc with cucumber and onion; a vegetable dish of carrots, radishes, and parsnips; and lamb prepared three ways, beautifully complemented by a side of artichokes, tagetes, and red bell peppers. The desserts are equally impressive, featuring a lovely medley of raspberries, chocolate, and elderflower sorbet—elegant in both texture and flavor combinations—followed by melon with fir-flavored sorbet and yuzu beads, offering a refreshing finish. Brice Beuzeville-Loiseau, who previously worked at Les Sources de Caudalie and the restaurant Ressources in Bordeaux, does a remarkable job as sommelier, demonstrating both erudition and eloquence. The wine list features some truly beautiful entries, particularly those highlighting the region.