A wonderful new French restaurant that is greatly in demand. The limited menu is the brain child of a young and very creative chef.
I had seen Frenchie in the Guide Michelin and was interested because it had the "Bib Gourmand" designation which is awarded to restaurants where you can expect to get an inexpensive meal of excellent quality. I wanted to go there, but when I called and listened to the "reservations rules" I knew that getting a table would be a challenging endeavor.
Frenchie is open for dinner during the week and takes reservations during the week only from 3 to 5. I called, got through eventually, and just asked for the first table they had available. I was eager try Frenchie and thought of going alone, but when I told my friend, Adriana, that I had nailed a table in a competitive restaurant, she was game to join me. We had a delectable experience.
It is a small unassuming place with about 20 seats on a side street near the lively rue de Montorgueil: a shopping street bar none. The small youthful staff is completely bilingual and the chef, Grégory Marchand, worked with Jamie Oliver in London and in NY. He is creative and enthusiastic and creates marvelous dishes in his tiny kitchen with a window into the restaurant.
The menu, comprised of two choices of three dishes (plus a special foie gras torchon, agrumes) as a pre-appetizer, changes daily. They suggest that a duo order every dish so that everything can be tasted and tested.
The meal was thoroughly delicious and we had a wonderful time. First came fresh crab salad with preserved lemon and spring onions; sweetbreads with mushrooms and a wild greens salad. Both dishes were excellent, complex and beautifully presented. Our main courses were a beautiful rosy trout with lemon oil, wild asparagus and smoked baby potatoes and a thick piece of beef with carrots, ginger and beans from the South of France. It was best to start with the trout and have the beef afterwards--moving from light to heavier fare.
The cheese dish is optional and our night we skipped the wonderful blue cheese from Causses--in the south of France, served with lemon zests and amarena cherries. We wanted to go directly to the passion fruit tart garnished with caramel au beurre salé (made with salt butter) and the luscious and light panna cotta with an avocado purée and bits of chocolate pearls. Such a satisfying and exciting dinner.
The prices are very reasonable for food of this caliber (38 euros for three courses) as promised by the Guide Michelin and frankly, I can't wait to go back.
No comments:
Post a Comment