At first I thought this Dijon restaurant was linked to “Le Petit Prince” with its title and logo, but it is, indeed, an independent, yet no-less-charming enterprise. The woodsy interior with neon-green apron-clad servers perfectly exemplified contemporary meets cozy. The modern, laid-back ambiance immediately caused me to feel that I had landed somewhere between Chicago restaurants Boka and Mado, somewhere in the middle of France.
After prompt water and bread service, we received our (single) menu: A chalkboard that was propped against our neighboring wall, which was then carried to the next undecided table. I really dig the chalkboard menu concept, and even more so when I am able to read it without squinting my eyes and asking the couple at the next table to move their heads "just a little more to the left.. a little more..." To be able to cut paper costs while building character is just one of the dual-purpose ideas that this place has done right.
I ordered the foie gras brioche to start. Thinking it would be a warm brioche, I was slightly disappointed to taste a cold sandwich. That feeling lasted a mere second, though, and it melted away as quickly as the foie. The smoked magret that was placed on the side salad was also a fantastic complement.
Next, I had the sauteed scallops with a basil cream sauce, which was simply out of this world. It’s sauces like this one that inspire complete kitchen amateurs to possess the need to sign up for the next series of sauce and stock classes. It was rich, but balanced by the perfect pinch of acidity.
The restaurant’s storybook charm proved to continue throughout the evening with the personal blackboard menu for dessert, the Camembert cheese carton check presenter and the lottery-ticket-esque business card (scratch-off required).
A must for anyone in this area who is looking for a present-day spin on Burgundy décor and food (seemingly difficult to find in an area so rooted in tradition) for middleclass fare and regal quality.
No comments:
Post a Comment