A Michelin-star restaurant in Alsace: La Merise

After a 30-minute drive from Strasbourg, we arrive in Laubach, a tiny village with a population of only 300. In the middle of the Alsatian countryside, this is where Cédric and Christelle Deckert have chosen to establish their gourmet restaurant (2 Michelin stars) – La Merise.

Nestled in a peaceful and pastoral environment, this building in the traditional Alsatian style is surrounded by an orchard, an herb garden, and several beehives.

The decoration is classic and subtle, with a harmonious combination of high-quality materials. The atmosphere is both calming and bright.

We happily follow the instructions and advice from the kind and attentive staff, as well as the sommelier, who is the guardian of a wine cellar containing over 5000 bottles.

The cuisine at La Merise aims for authenticity, precision, and most importantly, intelligibility. The latter pursuit becomes obvious as soon as we read the descriptions on the menu, which are all clear and easily understandable.

Each dish is carefully and skillfully prepared, with ingredients picked out by the chef for each season, which he then showcases and sublimates. The presentations are tasteful, elegant, and graphic. Every dish in the Menu Découverte (Discovery Menu) are served at an agreeable pace, allowing us to fully enjoy the experience.

The chef subtly reinterprets French classics, as well as dishes from his childhood, by incorporating a wide range of influences. The flavors are clear-cut, without any garish blends. As a result, everything is balanced to perfection.

Having quickly become one of the places to go for fine dining in Alsace, La Merise has gone from one distinction to the next since it first opened in 2016. The restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 2018, and a second star in 2021. It recently also became a member of the prestigious restaurant association les Grandes Tables du Monde.

We particularly enjoyed how every ingredient was cooked with such precision, and the sauces were silky and flavorful. Another highlight was the bold and inventive combinations, the balance of seasonings, and the sweet nostalgia of the desserts. From the Menu Découverte, we’d especially like to mention the enticing and delicately scented red mullet with Madras curry (which instantly transported us to a spice market in southern India), blending with the freshness of the coconut soup; the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the roast pigeon breast, and the subtle and full-bodied flavor of the reduced jus with ginger.

La Merise
📍7 rue d’Eschbach, 67580 Laubach