A few steps from the port of La Napoule, the enchanting Relais & Châteaux L’Oasis restaurant is located in a bourgeois mansion that has completely been renovated to host gastronomy lovers in the best possible conditions. I had the pleasure to enter in Chef Stéphane Raimbault’s cuisine and I can ensure it’s as flamboyant as the charming palm-fringed and flowery patio you discover a few steps further. For a private lunch or larger group dinner, L’Oasis is the perfect verdant and serene place to refresh yourself and your guests with 2 Michelin Star Chef Stéphane Raimbault’s delightful cuisine, some exceptional wines selected by Pascal Paulze and a plethora of amazing desserts.
As soon as I entered the neo-gothic villa and discovered the exotic garden where shade and coolness live together, I felt the authenticity of the restaurant mixed with modernity. After having the honor to meet the Chef in his beautiful cuisine, I sat at probably the best table of the restaurant, close to the fountain, and I instantly felt comfortable and relaxed.
Perpetuating a high-level French cuisine, Chef Stéphane Raimbault also brings some special and delicate tastes from when he used to live in Asia. Fine fragrances, perfect cooking, he does not make compromises on the quality of the products he uses; they are always fresh and delicious. “We live for cooking. So of course we are always on the look-out” says Chef Stéphane Raimbault. In the kitchen, his brother Antoine and him enhance flavors and exhilarate the papillae of gourmet food lovers. Together with their 3rd brother François, who is the Pastry Chef of the restaurant, they create fabulous meals that align with 3 words: passion, culinary excellence and originality.
On arrival, I had the pleasure to meet Chef Stéphane Raimbault who kindly proposed me some of his memorable meals. After tasting some really nice appetizers including a black truffle butter, I was served “RISING SUN OF RAW FISH « MEMORIES FROM OSAKA » Rice Salad with Shiso and Chinese Cabbage, Asparagus Tips. Perfect mix between the crisp of the cabbage and the tender flesh of the fish, I could not resist to finish it all even if it was just the first plate of this amazing dinner.
During the dinner, the wine steward had us tasting a selection of great wines including Château Boissel Pinot St. Georges 2014, with which I fell in love with.
A culinary masterpiece was then brought to me: the CAPPUCINO OF SEA SCALLOPS SHELLS AND RAZOR CLAMS WITH CITRONNELLA Steames Beans and Shimeji Mushrooms. This was a beautiful light dish full of the soft and subtle flavors of sea shells.
I also tried the SEA BASS GLAZED-AND-ROASTED ON THE COALS Lobster « Chao Mian » and Seasonal Vegetables, Teryaki Sauce. The fish was perfectly cooked and I loved how it was delicately roasted with a hint of caramelized sugar.
The “Caravane” of tarts, desserts and pastries, delicacies and marshmallows, which is presented on a legendary trolley created every day by François Raimbault, was immensely compelling. Between pies, mousses, sweets, the choice was hard but I decided to go for a creamy but delicate dark chocolate cake. I already felt happy as ever but this irresistible pastry revived me even more defiantly making me feel is an oasis of happiness. It was the perfect end of a memorable dinner.
During the dinner and at several times, Chef Stéphane Raimbault played the perfect host and went to meet his guests at their tables, which is highly appreciable when you are in a restaurant of that level.
Dining at L’Oasis was a wonderful experience that I would recommend to anyone who wants to plunge deep in a peaceful atmosphere relieving the gourmet pleasure of a lifetime of hard work and creativity. L’Oasis sits in a lush greenery paradise which instantly makes it a charming destination. But as well as the setting, it is obviously the food that makes L’Oasis one of French cuisine’s most desirable dining experiences. L’Oasis was probably one of the best restaurants I have ever been to.
Visit L’Oasis restaurant website and book at or call +33 4 93 49 95 52
Location : 6 Rue Jean-Honoré Carle, 06210 Mandelieu-la-Napoule, France
