KACHEN #28 (Autumn 2021) English Edition

RESTAURANT PORTRAIT
UM PLATEAU
A HISTORY OF FLAVOUR(S)
“We explore global
cuisines, from
Japan to Italy via
Knokke! It’s tasty,
generous cooking.”
It’s a haven of peace and relaxation situated between the
old town and the Rives de Clausen area. Just 10 minutes’
walk from the Place d’Armes, a warm welcome awaits in
this old listed building which has retained part of its original
stained-glass windows, because history is an integral
part of this convivial space.
The history, firstly, of a restaurant which opened in the
1980s. As the years went by, Roland Sunnen’s establishment
became one of the coolest places to be in Luxembourg.
“Mythical,” the papers would call it. The whole
of Luxembourg wanted to meet there, the party never
ended and the champagne flowed freely. But the great
man bowed out in 2003. He probably made “Um Plateau”
the City’s Place-to-be. A little while later, a young Belgian
woman, who was already a city restaurateur,
decided to take over the premises
with her then business partner. Stéphanie
Jauquet evidently saw it as a challenge to
put the spark back into this exceptional
place. The reopening in December 2008
was a success. The customers went back to
their good old habits.
A few years later, history was made
again. A new partnership was forged: the owner, Belgian
from Namur, hired a very young manager called Jonathan
Germay. Stéphanie Jauquet knew him well: he was
the son of restaurateurs who had trained her when she
was starting out. A family story, to some extent… She
placed her trust in him and he would go on to breathe
new life into the thirty-year-old establishment. In 2016,
“we decided to change the concept to help it move with
the times.” Um Plateau also became the “bar to eat in,”
where you could get a delicious aperitif whilst snacking
on sharing platters. One of the three traditional restaurant
rooms was transformed to achieve this: high stools
and standing tables have appeared, a large bar has been
created where you can graze whilst keeping an eye on
the barman as he sets to work creating cocktails (ask
Florian for a Gëlle Fra or his recent award-winning elixir,
the Uisge Beatha!). This new space gives the restaurant
an even more dynamic vibe, blending designer furniture
and sumptuous stained glass with Luxembourger
hard furnishings.
Of course, the very intimate and very plush lower
room is still there – this is where the “longstanding clientele”
like to meet, those who have known Um Plateau
since the very start of its glory days – just like the upper
room, which is comfy and warm, perfect for bad weather,
and which gives the impression of being a “Home sweet
home.” A huge and stunning mirror adorns the entrance:
it belonged to Stéphanie Jauquet’s grandmother.
Another lovely story.
As for those sunny days, there is a huge terrace which
can cater for up to 90 covers, and which has been recently
revamped to offer an ambiance with a Mediterranean
palette. Pots containing box bushes and new terracotta
tableware compliment the olive greens and bamboos.
At Um Plateau, the clientele is hugely varied, both
Luxembourgish and cosmopolitan. Here they can enjoy
a menu which changes every 5 to 6 weeks.
“We offer simple but carefully-selected
produce”, explains Stéphanie Jauquet,
who also manages the brand Cocottes
that champions fresh, seasonal produce,
local artisans and environmentally-responsible
practices. “We explore global
cuisines, from Japan to Italy via Knokke!
It’s tasty, generous cooking.” For sure,
the pleasure is in the eating, but you also come to Um
plateau to benefit from a “package” of unique conviviality,
including décor, music, clientele and ambiance. And
for that to work, Stéphanie Jauquet has spared no detail.
In particular, by offering an impressive wine list (twenty-odd
champagnes, wines by the glass, forty or so white
wines and sixty odd red!), which doesn’t merely feature
classic wines, but goes on, with a series of “Beautiful
Bottles”, exceptional bottles of wine (forty or so whites,
and more than a hundred reds), which the establishment
has chosen especially to please the most discerning
connoisseurs. What better than choosing exception in
diversity? History teaches us…
UM PLATEAU
6, Plateau Altmuenster — L-1123 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 / 26 47 84 26
umplateau.lu
102
KACHEN No.28 | AUTUMN 21