Le Soufflé is like being in Paris without leaving Carmel! I had lunch there this afternoon with my husband and everything was perfection. The space is beautiful, calm and chic. They use only the finest ingredients. Each of the three courses was excellent. It is such a refreshing change from all of the tourist food in Carmel by the Sea. It is an authentic soufflé experience. I would highly recommend and I know we will be regulars going forward. read more

WOW! I can't remember how I stumbled upon Le Souffle but so glad I did!! I remember going on their website and finding one slot open for a Friday reservation so I snatched it for my husband and I. We were approached by the co owner who was incredibly sweet and accommodating (I was 26 weeks pregnant at the time & she made sure I was as comfortable as possible in my seat). She's knowledgeable with their menu and drinks which is great! They change their menu often so our options were a bit more seasonal. Everything was baked to perfection and so delicious! Hats off to the chef!! My husband and I loved the non traditional limited seating as it felt more of a personable and intimate experience with the 3 course meal. Everything we both had was delicious!! Nearby, another couple was telling the owner that it was their second time coming back - says a lot! If you get lucky to snatch a reservation, do it! You'll walk away happy you went with a full belly! read more

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Everything was perfect for our party of two. The gentle wine recommendations were spot on and paired beautifully. Every bite was exquisite. Will be back! read more

Both the spouse & I are "lactose sensitive" ! and prefer foods not too cheesey/creamy, but fortunately we ended up greatly enjoying the souffles here, as they were light & fluffy, and tasty. When ordering I did inquire on which souffle would be less "creamy," and their recommendation (the lardons & fromage souffle with "winter fruit and jalapeno chutney") was a perfect recommendation. This souffle is made with gruyere cheese & small chunks of bacon, but itself not heavy at all. The side of chutney had pieces of fruit (that tasted like apples or pears to me), and had a warm spice (nutmeg?) flavor and a hint of jalapeno, that wasn't really spicy at all. The chutney balanced the bacon cheese souffle extremely well. For our other entree souffle we got the garlic souffle with Dungeness crab sauce on the side, which they explained is less so creamy and more so buttery. This souffle is made with garlic pieces, so we loved it as well. The crab sauce on the side was somewhat creamy and had nice chunks of crab in it. For our dessert selection, we had the Grand Mariner souffle & the passion fruit mango souffle. As other reviewers have mentioned, I would agree that the Grand Mariner sauce is pretty good but didn't taste too boozy, so next time I may try a different one ;-). The passion fruit mango souffle had a nice bright flavor, and if available I would get it again. Service was intimate & friendly. Bad on our part, we were actually running a little behind schedule (I arrived 10 min late, but the spouse still needed to find parking) for our noon appointment, but we were greeted with warmth and understanding. read more

Le Souffle - garlic souffle with Dungeness crab sauce; lardons & fromage souffle with "lwinter fruit and jalapeno chutney - French Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Le Soufflé is a cute spot for brunch/lunch! Reservations are highly recommended as they do not take walk-in's (only for dessert on weekends if they have openings). It's about $85/person for a 3-course meal that includes an appetizer, main, and dessert of choice from the selected menu. We highly enjoyed the food and atmosphere here and would return to try the other items on the menu. The lobster and the mushroom soufflés were a hit! The flavor for both was on point and neither of the sauces were too overwhelming. We liked the chocolate dessert over the strawberry. Chocolate is always a classic! The soufflés are made to order and come out piping hot. The texture is soft and fluffy! read more

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First off, the service was exceptional. Every item explained with suggestions. The food presentation was a 10/10. Ambiance was perfect, from seating to the overhead music. We will definitely return! read more

A quaint restaurant staffed by folks who are doing it for the love of it. The service is very personal. They are friendly and the food is amazing. We had the prefix menu for $78 PP which came with a freshly made salad. It was sliced sugar peas with carrots and herbs. The sauce was buttermilk style ranch , but herbs were amazing. For main course we had the crab savory soufflé. The desert was amazing. We both had the Grand Marnier. All in all it was amazing. read more

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I made a Yelp account just to review this restaurant. Truly one of the best dining experiences I've had in California, and not something can easily be found elsewhere. The soufflés were cooked perfectly, and the taste of every single one of them was to die for. The service was great, and the restaurant felt cozy yet refined. I will absolutely go again next time I'm in Carmel, even if that means taking a day off of work. read more

Le Souffle - French Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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A very small and quaint French restaurant. They only serve 4 tables each day during their limited lunch hours of 11:30am-2pm by reservations only ($50/person). They have a relatively simple menu where you choose from a starter course, main entree course, and a dessert course; each person is $78. Service was very friendly and the food came out a good pace. All courses are shuffle based of course. 1. Lafayette Baguette with House-made Butter (3/5) The baguette was crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside. Minus 1 star because it was not sliced all the way through, which made pulling each slice apart a pain. Also, we felt their house-made butter was nothing special. It tasted like regular store-bough butter decorated on top with salt and dill. 2. Frisee Salad with Caramelized Pear and Hazelnuts (5/5) A very light and refreshing appetizer. The dressing was subtly tart, but not rich or heavy. The caramelized pears were super soft, delicious and not too sweet. The hazelnuts added a very nice crunch. 3. Alsatian Style Mushroom Soufflé with Mushroom Riesling Sauce (5/5) The souffle itself was nice and fluffy. It's so fragile and cute. The sauce had a good mushroom taste, but is not overwhelming. Creamy and airy = excellent 2. Roquefort Souffle (5/5) It's basically made of clue cheese, so you either love it or don't. I am a cheese lover, so this was perfect for me. The top had a very fragrant and crispy baked cheese while the inside was soft, airy blue cheese. It did not stink like stinky feet as I would expect, so that was a pleasant surprise. I have to say, the main entree course was large in portion and was very filling. 3. Chocolate Soufflé with house-made Vanilla Bean Ice cream (5/5) The souffle was again light and airy, but had a very nice chocolatey taste. Paired with their real vanilla ice cream, it is heavenly. The ice cream was not waxy, overly sweet and had a very nice vanilla flavor to it. This is how vanilla ice creams should be. 4. Grand Marnier Souffle (5/5) A buttery and slightly eggy soufflé that is paired with their sauce that had a subtle brandy flavor that was not overpowering or sweet. A very pleasant souffle per my partner. Overall, a fantastic experience that left us with smiles and a full stomach. Well worth it! read more

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Found this gem from reviews for a special meal while in Carmel. It does not disappoint. It's very intimate ... 5 total tables so I'm assuming seatings are on the 15 min mark (11:30, 11:45, 12, etc) so that they can manage the flow of the meal as the entree and dessert are souffles and those are delicate and take time. The woman who greets you is warm and friendly and very helpful. The person making the dishes is the owner and chef and does everything else. The menu is straightforward - first, second and third course with 3-4 items per category to select from. When ordering with someone else, try different things so you get the most of the meal. Started with the grilled nectarine salad which was amazing. Loved the charred / smokey/ grilled flavor the nectarine gives off and the dressing is a tangy, cheesy, tart wonderful bite. My hubby ordered the chilled corn soup which is refreshing and light, especially as it's been a warm week in CA. I also ordered the bread and butter (which is the third option on the First course) and there is an add'l cost for it, but it is SO, SO, SO WORTH it. The chef makes the butter himself. It's dense, creamy, rich and sprinkled with sea salt. The bread is warm out of the oven with a crusty/crunchy exterior and pillowy soft inside. It's vacation so ok to splurge. I had the lobster sauce and my husband had the mushroom sauce for our entree. The souffles are identical (at least I think they are) and it's the sauce that makes all the difference. The lobster sauce reminded me of the lobster bisque that The Sardine Factory had been famous for. Generous amounts of nice sized lobster bites in a buttery, creamy sauce. To die for. The mushroom sauce is packed with mushrooms and that earthy, meaty mouth feel and taste. If you are a mushroom fan, order this! Finally for dessert my husband ordered the seasonal special which is raspberry souffle. It comes out light with a whipped mousse texture bursting with fresh, tart, sweet raspberries. A must order if you love fresh raspberries. I ordered the chocolate souffle which was lovely ... bittersweet chocolate so not overly sweet but just the right amount of cocoa to let you know what your enjoying. Both came with their delicious homemade vanilla ice cream which was so dense (custard like) consistency and flavorful. If there is a special occasion or you want to splurge (as you deserve it) make reservations and come here. It's well worth it! read more

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Le Soufflé is incredible. The best soufflé's in the world. Better than we had in Paris. Lisa is the co-owner maître D and Server and she has a great smile and super positive attitude. Lovely linens, China, and silver wonderful ambience. read more

What a great place. Food, service and setting were amazing. Very friendly and food was delicious.

We arrived early for our reservation, but we were taken right on time. Don't go without a reservation. They don't always take you as a walk in. The restaurant is quiet with calming music and just a few tables. The food was wonderful. We tried the salads and two of the entrees and two of the desserts. Everything was wonderful! read more

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Were in Carmel for a few days and had lunch here. As there were 4 of us, we covered the menu pretty well. The spring pea soup was delicious. I was able to snag a slice or two of the baguette and homemade butter. The garlic and crab soufflé was excellent with a very generous amount of crab. The grand marnier dessert soufflé was very flavorful. Definitely going to return next time we go to Carmel read more

The afternoon menu at Le Soufflé is so delectable! I recommend the garlic soufflé with crab sauce. read more

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Those rave reviews are really worth it. Le Souffle is a small intimate restaurant and you definitely need to make a reservation ahead of time. Though it didn't seem overly busy when we were there on a Sunday night, I couldn't get a similar table on a Friday or Saturday. The service was very hospitable and I felt like the waitresses who served us seemed to enjoy working there and enjoy the food - which helps if you ask for a recommendation and they are actually familiar with the choices! I started with the spring salad and my friend got the pate as her starter. I ordered the garlic souffle with crab sauce - and the crab sauce was full of luscious crab meat. I also had the chocolate souffle for dessert and it was really perfect, not too sweet with a good chocolate taste. My friend got the cheese souffle for her dessert and I ended up eating the leftovers from it the next day and it was great. I think this restaurant is the epitome of "doing a small menu really well." I would definitely come back and see what other dishes they offer in different seasons! read more

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Returned to this hidden gem souffle restaurant. The winter menu differred from the previous fall menu, but the food and service are still fantastic. Bread was still served piping hot with butter. Salads are light & refreshing. We got the 2-course meal this time. The souffles were rich & airy. The mushroom souffle had good umami esp with the mushroom sauce. Duck l'orange souffle was a new experience. The sauce was rich & thick and slightly gamey, with shredded duck meat to boot. I simply poured the mixture onto the souffle. I sorely missed the strawberry souffle and the pinot noir that were the previous fall menu. As always rsvp is a must for one of the 6 coveted tables. I have attached a video link below for my dining experience. https://youtu.be/LPdwjL3KZOE read more

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Everything we were hoping for! We were able to book on a Thursday and were warmly greeted. Hot French tread with fresh butter to start. My wife ordered the fennel and cara cara orange and pecan salad and the mushroom Souffle. I ordered the French onion soup, garlic and Dungeness crab souffle, and grand Marnier souffle for dessert. All were outstanding, served without a glitch or any of fhe three soufflés falling. A very nice glass of rose champagne to round out the celebration. Pretty and elegant decor with lots of windows to view the setting sun and trees. Service was friendly and excellent. And reasonably priced for a very filling meal (we took home some leftovers). Will be back! read more

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It was our first time having any kind of souffle. Their menu changes as the season does. For $93 a person you each get a starter course, entree course, and dessert. The fare presented exhibited quality and quantity in satisfying our hunger. There is plenty of nearby street parking. We were greeted with a warm gesture. Their service continued to be so throughout the entire night. For a place that others would see as "fancy," they are far from the typical snobbery mannerism. They are very thoughtful and attentive when engaging with customers. They are open for dinner service Thursday- Sunday from beginning at 5 pm. Reservations are done online https://lesoufflecarmel.com/ and are required to experience this wonderful meal. Borscht was such a comforting soup. I wanted to bring a bowel back to the hotel. We both loved the bouillabaisse. Seafood wasn't over cooked at all. The flavorful garlic souffle impressed my husband! The seasonal fall entree Morrocan dish was one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. It was cooked all the way through while still being moist. I sincerely enjoyed each bite! The souffle desserts were the cherry on top to our evening. Not overwhelmingly sweet at all. There is a reason for all the superb reviews! Come and see for yourself to appreciate this humble place called the Le Souffle. read more

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Can't go wrong at Le Souffle. Great service and professional presentation of lunch. As beautiful as they were tasty. Made for a very Happy Birthday brunch . The limited number of tables makes the experience quite intimate and personal. Highly recommended read more

Perfectly un-rushed dinning experience. A well priced meal for the labor and service. Everything tasted wonderful and highly recommend it. Be sure to make your reservation for a seamless time. read more

What a special dining experience! I showed up for a leisurely lunch, and was greeted by the co-owner who welcomed me to my table by the window (hint: all the tables are by the window). She assured me that all the items on the menu were incredibly prepared by the chef (the other co-owner). And she was right! I enjoyed the salmon with citrus, the garlic soufflé with lobster sauce, and the strawberry soufflé with homemade ice cream. Her wine recommendations were perfect. I understand this is a popular place for locals. And I understand why! I truly felt like I was a guest dining in her home. The lunch was beautiful! read more

Le Souffle - Strawberry Soufflé with Strawberry ice cream. - French Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Delish! Everything so fresh and light. Loved the Sancerre and plenty of vegetarian options. A must go! Will return when they change up their menu want to try it all. read more

Made a reservation for dinner on a weekend. We found parking a street over. Was greeted by friendly staff. Ordered Frisee Salad with Caramelized Pear & Hazelnuts Bouillabaisse Served with Ficelle Toast & Rouille 2 Chef Ivan's Seasonal Fall Entrée of the Day Chocolate Soufflé with house made Vanilla Ice Cream Seasonal Apple soufflé with caramel ice cream Inside was clean. The food was delicious. I loved the soufflés! Staff were excellent. read more

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This place is a gem. It's a small restaurant and only serves lunch. It's run by a single front of house/waitress worker and a single chef. Only a handful of tables. The menu is prix fixe and you select one app, entree, and dessert. The soufflés are gorgeous. The sauces are delicious. The bread and soups are divine. The service is excellent. It's a bit pricey for lunch but the service, quality of food, and ambiance make it worth it. read more

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Is this place romantic? Sure. Was the service awesome? Yep!! Was it the best "Dinner" soufflé I've ever had? Yes, but for me, also the first. Was it the best dessert soufflé I've ever had? Maybe. Started with borscht. Very standard and solid, but nothing special. The mushroom soufflé had a really nice mushroom forward flavor and the accompanying mushroom sauce was excellent and enhanced the soufflé even more. The Parmesan crust provided an excellent crispy contrast. The chocolate soufflé had a nice rich chocolate flavor and the cool ice cream provided a nice cooling contrast. In all, it was a nice evening, but felt that $93 per person was expensive. read more

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Lovely, quaint place with only 6 tables. We have tried to get reservations here twice during past summer visits and couldn't get in. It took a winter visit to get in. Staff and owner greeted you and they were charming ladies. Our waitstaff was very attentive and friendly. Just loved the ambiance. Only 2-3 other tables were occupied during our dining. The $95 prix fixe 3 course menu was just enough food and we almost couldn't finish the desserts because we were full. Hubby had the bouillabaisse and it was delicious. His main complaint with all seafood is that it's "fishy" but not this dish. I ordered the borscht soup. Arrived hit with ample beets but didn't have enough seasoning. We really liked the garlic souffle but I thought the veggie and meat sauce didn't add much to it. I would've preferred a crab sauce. Hubby had the Duck L' Orange souffle and we both agreed it was a bit too sweet. There is a non souffle option of the day, chicken tanginess which we didn't order. Desserts were smaller portions. The chocolate souffle with vanilla ice cream was delicious. The Grand Marnier was good but I couldn't taste any liquor in it. Paired well the creme Anglaise sauce. We're glad we tried the food and if you're looking for souffle, this is a good place. read more

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I had the pleasure of dining at this lovely restaurant. The atmosphere is great - quiet and beautiful surroundings. Since it was a chilly day, I had the Hungarian mushroom soup as the first course - it was piping hot and perfectly seasoned. My second course was the garlic and crab souffle. It was wonderful and not one bit heavy or too eggy. Last course was the passion fruit souffle - the best dessert souffle I have ever tasted. Super light and fruity, not one bit eggy. For the price of $78, this meal was worth every penny. I did not need to eat dinner, since it was filling enough, but not overwhelming. read more

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If you want a taste of Paris in Carmel...this is your place. The corn bisque was served cold and had the most amazing flavors. The soufflés also had the most balanced flavors and of course ending with the chocolate and the Grand Marnier soufflés for dessert was the best. The service is unique as only Lisa takes care of you, so it feels intimate like your having lunch at a friend's kitchen. The restaurant is small and simple and that's what makes it a special lunch. Thank you! read more

Le Souffle - French Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

A concrete experience that left me wonderfully satisfied. It's an incredibly charming and cozy restaurant like you're in your nan's dining room. I was greeted by a wonderful hostess who runs the whole front of house by herself. The souffles were made perfectly and the flavors were without fault but I will say the dessert ones were the best out of them all. We had the grand mariner and chocolate souffle and they were to die for! What a way to cap off a wonderful meal. I am looking forward to the next time we go. read more

Decadent Every course was an experience and The waitress was very helpful being that it was our first soufflé experience. Highly recommend! read more

Le Souffle is outstanding! Fabulous food, incredible service, and a charming atmosphere!! We first ate at Le Souffle in December 2023 for dinner and it was superb! This time, I celebrated my 70th birthday for lunch with my husband and friends! We were all AMAZED! Delicious salad, phenomenal crab souffle, and scrumptuous chocolate souffle. My husband loved his passion fruit souffle. I loved the attention to detail with the special antique serving pieces and the incredibly attentive service. LE SOUFFLE IS THE PLACE TO GO TO IN CARMEL! We LOVE it!!! read more

This is one of the most memorable dining experiences in recent memory. I must admit, it is impossible for me to pick a favorite - each thing we had was absolutely off the charts delicious. The seafood souffle and the leek and lardon souffles are simply divine! Service was nothing short of perfect - amazing dinner pace, prompt, polite and friendly, simply outstanding all around. I simply cannot wait to be back, I'd plan another weekend getaway just to go to Le Souffle again! read more

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Artificially pretentious, refused to seat us. A friend told us we just had to come. Then we just had to leave. We won't be back. Neither will our friends. read more

Expensive but worth it! I got the grand mariner soufflé but preferred the pineapple soufflé! Do get a reservation as they are limited. I asked to be a walk in and the owner was very gracious and squeezed me in. read more

Another amazing dinner at Le Soufflé Carmel!!! This place is the reason I come to Carmel. Every dining experience takes me back to Paris. The intimate dining room, friendly staff, and especially THE FOOD- I can't say enough about this amazing place. We opted for a two course meal- I had savory mushroom and my husband had garlic and crab - both soufflés weee heavenly. For the second course we shared Grand Marnier and passion fruit mango- we loved every bite. Keep it up, Le Soufflé!!! read more

Le Souffle - Grand Marnier Soufflé- heavenly dessert. - French Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

The service was kind and two of us were able to try two recommended wines each before deciding on a glass. Let your server guide. The pairing of the Alsatian Style Mushroom Soufflé and the Serrigny Burgundy was perfect. The Mushroom Soufflé to me was the best out of the seven dishes we ordered. Also lovely: the seared scallops. This was the first indoor restaurant dinner out of three where I've felt completely soothed by the ambiance. The Mariage Frères tea was also smooth with our three dessert soufflés: Chocolate, Strawberry and Grand Marnier that were each delicious in their own way. The Chocolate felt quite rich, deep and dark, the Grand Marnier and Strawberry, so light. The Strawberry Soufflé was my personal favorite. The texture of this particular one felt so fine. It also reached etherial heights. I loved the limited and well-spaced seating. Well worth a reservation made well ahead of time. read more

Le Souffle - French Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

We came here to celebrate my birthday. It's a prefix 3 courses meal. Great food and friendly service! read more

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We had such a high expectations for Le Souffle WOW! Yes they met our expectations. The restaurant itself is very small and have a simple decoration but elegant at the same time, I love their big soft chairs where I can just slide my little evening purse on my side. The food preparations are well thought here nicely put together and tasty as they look and expected, the restaurant is very quiet and everyone pass by outside short of wonder what going on inside its almost like intimidating I guess since its look so formal but its not that formal really. Its all glasses windows so everyone passing outside will see everything inside. They will serve each table with a really nicely well toasted French baguette with a nice soft butter, I had the chicken liver with a little salad on the side witch was really fresh, the fruit de mere souffle is a must have if you love seafood , the souffles are very nicely done very light and fluffy, one of the best I have had, everything here are well thought and nicely prepared to make you happy. My hubby had the chilled sweet corn bisque which was amazing really who would of thought that cold corn soup would be so delicious ? the Lardons de fromage, with bits pieces of bacon with gruyere, no worries, its very light, not heavy at all. The service is great, I found it that it is in the little fast service but I guess because they are so small and most of the work they do at the serving time is to cook the souffle and put things together so if you want to take your time I think you can let them know in advance otherwise the service between the starter and the entrée could be a little close, or maybe make a reservation at later in the evening so they don't have to rotate the table anymore. There were Three thing I want to point out about the service that I could have complain about but I didn't because the most important things were the food and they were amazing so that balanced everything out but I wanted to post it here in case the owner and the servers read my post. We ordered a bottle of red wine ( Domaine de saje) Great wine by the way. # 1 The bottle was really chilled, in General red wine are not suppose to be serve chilled, its should be room temperature, I understand the fact that to keep your wine safe you have to keep them at about 55 F degree however they should be serve at room temperature at least closer to room temperature ( not sure how to solve this issue for restaurant ) when a red wine is that chilled its missing the flavor. Maybe they did this because its summer and most people prefer it chilled ? #2 The server didn't ask us to taste the wine before pouring it to both of our glasses! I can say ! they are very confidant about their wine since there are very small chances the wine would be corked however a nice restaurant serving non screw top wine should practice having the guests taste before serving. Its just good practice ! # 3 They didn't really clean the bread crumbs on the table after that baguette before serving that amazing souffle. None of these 3 things I indicated were very important to me however I just wanted to point it out just in case if that is something important to some future customer ( room for improvement) We will be back again in the fall when the menu changes. read more

Genius! That is how I describe our meal at Le Souffle. From the Hungarian mushroom soup and snap pea salads to the mains (we had the garlic souffle with Dungeness crab sauce and the lardons and fromage souffle) to dessert (chocolate and grand marnier souffles) every bite was delicious and well worth the price. Lisa, who is wonderful, explained the menu and noted that it changes with each season. So, we will definitely be back. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and encourage you to try Le Souffle too! read more