When Cheval Blanc Paris Hôtel opened in 2021, the ground floor space that now houses Hakuba was better known as Limbar, a relaxed restaurant slash salon de thé which focused on the creations of pastry chef Maxime Frédéric. Although the space took design cues from Africa, it has now been seamlessly reinterpreted as Hakuba, an omakase restaurant headed up by chef Takuya Watanabe, Arnaud Donckele of Cheval Blanc’s three-Michelin starred Plénitude, and Frédéric overseeing the desserts.
Hakuba at Cheval Blanc Paris Hôtel
Interior of Hakuba at Cheval Blanc Paris Hôtel
The dark-grained walnut walls, which have been retained from Limbar, are well suited to Hakuba’s minimalist Japanese style and have been left in place to remind guests of a Japanese forest. Another natural touch is the Tsukubai stone and bamboo fountain, which travelled from Japan to sit at the restaurant entrance and set the calming mood with a soft stream of water.
The original walnut wood bar counter is still in place, finished with a bronze edging by artist Ingrid Donat. The bronze shelving behind has also been designed by Donat and while before it stacked fresh rustic loaves, it’s now home to a collection of Japanese antiques such as large decorative pieces of stone and ceramic vases, all handpicked by Cheval Blanc Paris designer, Peter Marino.
Interior of Hakuba at Cheval Blanc Paris Hôtel
Following the Japanese sushi bar style, another counter has been added facing away from the original to focus guests’ attention on the chefs in front of them and to allow the team to move seamlessly behind. The walls of rice paper panels have been made bespoke for the restaurant and slide open in the traditional Japanese manner to reveal a third, private dining space set around a curved wooden table.
Interior of Hakuba at Cheval Blanc Paris Hôtel
As art de la table is held in as high regard in Japan as it is in France, each service is thoughtfully presented down to the finest details: even the lighting above each counter has been designed to follow the plates to highlight each dish as it arrives.
The team tapped into Japanese savoir-faire to source glassware directly from Kyoto and most earthy ceramic plates and bowls from the south of Japan. One particularly special piece, though, is a glazed white sculpture of a lotus flower, created by French ceramist Virginie Boudsocq in collaboration with Frédéric to elegantly present his delicate mochi desserts.
Matcha cheesecake
Hakuba is located at Cheval Blanc Paris Hôtel, 8 Quai du Louvre, Paris, chevalblanc.com
-
Discover midcentury treasures in Marylebone with Álvaro by AppointmentLondon is full of sequestered design havens, and Wallpaper* knows them all. Allow us to point you in the direction of Álvaro González’s shop window on Nottingham Place, home to a bonanza of beautiful 20th-century antiques
-
Beach chic: the all-new Citroën Ami gets an acid-tinged, open-air Buggy variantCitroën have brought a dose of polychromatic playfulness to their new generation Ami microcar, the cult all-ages electric quadricycle that channels the spirit of the 2CV for the modern age
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Rosewood Miyakojima: ‘Japan, but not as most people know it’Rosewood Miyakojima offers a smooth balance of intuitive Japanese ‘omotenashi’ fused with Rosewood’s luxury edge
-
The warmth and comfort of Paris restaurant Margaux: ‘It’s like feasting at grandma’s’Located on the 16th arrondissement, Margaux dishes up timeless French classics in a setting that feels like home
-
Saint Laurent unveils Sushi Park Paris: the Los Angeles omakase’s new outpostA beloved Californian restaurant finds a second home at the Saint Laurent Rive Droite flagship, merging the worlds of haute couture and high-end gastronomy
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
Shop hyperlocal gifts, from Harlem to Hawaii, at R Finds’ global online storeWallpaper* goes shopping with R Finds, Renaissance Hotels’ digital marketplace, which connects travellers – and armchair travellers – with local makers and stores, one gift at a time
-
This Italian Bistrot in Paris offers all-year-round ‘felicità’A diminutive of the Italian word for family, Miglia is a cosy trattoria radiating warmth, friendliness, and traditional flavours
-
First look at Maison 3, an eclectic new Parisian bar for sleepless nightsMaison 3 is an enigmatic space with a sensual atmosphere brought to life by the French studio Les Beaux Jours Architectures
-
The world’s best new hotels that we’re loving without reservationExplore the best new openings in the world, from Orient Express’ La Dolce Vita train and first-ever hotel to Capella’s debut in Taipei
-
Dine at Paris’s historic Maison Baccarat, reimagined by chef Alain DucasseThe newly opened Ducasse Baccarat restaurant – at the crystal house’s Paris mansion – offers not just a culinary experience but a cultural encounter
