Tea time
Le Chambard (Kaysersberg, France)
GETAWAYS • Alsace
In the picturesque village of Kaysersberg, among colorful half-timbered houses, the building housing Le Chambard is a velvety red anchor. Inside, in a subdued, intimate atmosphere, a handful of tables are set for afternoon tea. Beige carpet, marble, raw wood. The staff, dressed in pale blue uniforms, bring a subtle Wes Anderson-esque touch to the scene.
Le Chambard is, of course, first known for its gastronomic restaurant, La Table d’Olivier Nasti, its winstub, hotel, and spa. Le Salon, the tea room, is a more recent addition, but it fits seamlessly into the wider experience. Here, choose between a six- or nine-step marche gourmande, a breakfast offering, a savory menu, as well as pastries and viennoiseries displayed at the counter. The pastry selection evolves with the seasons and the foraging of pastry chef Jordan Gasco.
On this visit, we opted for the six-step marche gourmande. It begins with drinks selected by head sommelier Jean-Baptiste Klein, who sources rare, precious teas from around the world: today, a comforting roasted hojicha alongside a rhubarb and fig leaf infusion, bright and slightly vegetal. Then, a pastry chef arrives carrying an immense deer antler, from which small wooden platforms emerge like oyster mushrooms, each holding a different creation:
Savoury fleischnacka, a traditional Alsatian dish of meat rolled into a noodle dough, here filled with venison, served with a reduced wild boar jus — gamey, precise, almost forest-like. All of the game meat is hunted by chef Nasti and his friends.
A confited butternut squash tartlet, lifted by kalamansi and a raw cream infused with lemon balm.
A delicate chestnut torch, paired with foraged rosehip.
A tartelette built around Buddha’s hand, blood orange, kalamansi, Swiss meringue with yuzu and finger lime, finished with a touch of gold leaf — bright, sharp, almost electric.
Swiss-style cake with Piedmont hazelnuts, caramel, and chocolate follows — round, comforting, grounding the sequence.
Everything is executed with remarkable precision, both in presentation and in flavor. The progression, from savory to sweet, unfolds like a gentle walk through the forest. Even the tableware plays its part: delicate Kinto glass cups, thin and almost weightless against the lips.
For the final step, a pastry chef returns to present the last dessert of the journey: coffee baba, with coffee cream, mascarpone ice cream, hazelnut praline, and freshly grated hazelnuts.
The service is quietly flawless. One guest mentions she doesn’t like coffee and her dessert is instantly replaced with a beautiful vanilla entremets, without hesitation or disruption. Like everything that preceded it, it’s a testament to Le Salon’s pursuit of precision and quiet excellence. –Candice Chemel
→ Le Chambard (Kaysersberg, France) • 9-13 rue du Général de Gaulle • Book.