Initial - Reservar uma mesa

I had this restaurant on my list of places to try during a 2 week stay in Caen and this was my first stop. I had not realized it was upgraded to 1 Michelin star as my red guide was from 2015. After eating here I am not surprised. It is fully deserving of this level.I walked by the restaurant thinking I would look at the menu and book later in my stay but after meeting one of the owners I was convinced to come in for lunch on a Saturday. I had the 4 course prix fixe menu and it was stunningly good food, beautifully presented and with very pleasant and helpful staff. I can heartily recommend this restaurant.In addition to the 4 courses there were two amuse bouche and two extra desserts so to call it a 4 course meal is underselling what you will get. My first course was pleasant to the eye and also on the palate. Seared scallops in a sauce of spinach and with a sheet of spinach pasta on top. This was followed by a dish with flaky cod and a white sauce. The main course was a cochin (pig) and the chef served a centre cut piece that was juicy and tender along with an outside portion that had a crispy skin and a delicious layer of marbled meat underneath. Several different flavours of foam and garlic accompanied this dish. Finally a chocolate/hazelnut course was presented that was notable thanks to the beauty of the presentation-small daubs of each with a lemon sorbet and sprinkled with chocolate/sugar on the top.In addition to great food, the plates were diverse and really showed off the food. Everything was cooked to perfection.I sat upstairs and I could watch the team at work. Hardly a word was spoken but everything worked like a well oiled machine. I was eating alone so the spectacle in the kitchen only added to the pleasure of the meal.The co-owner/sommelier was super pleasant and helpful and gave me experiences with wine that were completely new (an unfiltered Sancerre that was affected with Botrytis but completely dry). In addition we discussed other restaurants worth visiting in Caen and he was remarkably candid and suggested one I did not know (L'Accolade) that is equally deserving to be in the same category as Initial.Overall this was a great meal and a very good price to quality ratio at 40 Euro for the 4 courses. Definitely worth experiencing this creative chef and outstanding team. I plan to do so again asap.

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This was the second Michelin 1* restaurant we ate at on consecutive nights in Caen. The menus are imaginative and exciting, very different from more traditional high end establishments. The name of the restaurant gives a clue that the Chef is going to surprise you with flavors and combinations that are hard to guess, and the waiters quiz you after to see if you passed (one sauce with tomatoe was easy, the other with courgette impossible for us to identify). Overall the food is excptional and very good value. The only minor downsides are that the wine list is a little bit sparse, but still good; and the bread service acceptable, but not exceptional. The ambience and service is a bit more relaxed, that fits well with the style of the food. We would happily eat here again, and recommend highly. The number of tables is small, so advance booking probably essential.

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We found this restaurant while on a short stay in Caen. It was our anniversary and we could not have asked for a better meal! Every bite was exquisite. The food was so fresh and beautifully presented. The attention to detail was impressive, as was the service. They had a very interesting wine list and we had some special selections that we are also still talking about. The only regret about our evening was that we chose the 4-course menu. If we had known how wonderful the food was at Initial, we would not have eaten during the day so that we could have enjoyed the 6- or 8-course menu! This restaurant is worth a special trip to Caen.

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The chef focus his cuisine on fresh food, so you never really know what you will eat, and you rarely it twice the same dish. I have to admit that the concept is fun as you choose the number of dishes you want to have (4, 6 or 8) and then the only thing you know is the main ingredient, the rest is a surprise.Little by little you discover the dishes and you can enjoy great food, cooked perfectly well.The only downside for me was the wine list, which seems a bit short, but still good.So, I would definitely go back, as I found the pricing in line with the top chef quality.One restaurant to try.

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We had the lunch menu at 21 euros, which was mind blowingly good. Small gazpacho for intro followed by the entree, then a free small cuplet of mussels which were cooked to perfection, then main course of filet of sea bass (fantastic) and finally a dessert to crown the whole gastronomy experience. Wow! On ly the french can cook this good.

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