For last weeks cheat meal the first stop was Petite Maison for appetizers.
First off let me start by saying what a cool place this is! The parking even at 6:30 on a Saturday night was no problem. We didn't even need to use the free valet service offered. It is a beautiful restaurant. Lots of woods and stone and looks very cool at night with all the candles they have everywhere. This would be a great place to take someone out or for an anniversary or any special engagement.
The service was great. There was always someone making sure we were happy and didn't need anything. We had a friend show up very late and instantly they showed up with a drink and a place setting for him.
What We Chowed Down On:
Foie Gras:
Toasted brioche is topped with roasted apples which is then topped with a piece of foie gras. The plate is drizzled with some tasty honey and spotted with pickled concord grapes. The pickled grapes were a very unique flavor I really loved these. I liked the whole dish I only wish there was a larger piece of foie gras. This was the first time I had it and only got a small taste since it was shared with two other people. This was a well executed dish with very complimenting flavors. I didn't feel as if anything was an overpowering element.
Tar Tar:
Steak tar tar topped with a friend egg and served with a side of house made kettle chips. This was a good dish but nothing spectacular. It's very subtle there weren't any super amazing flavors going on. The fat of the yolk mixed with the meat and the crunch of the chips were a nice textural experience.
Escargot:
Another first for me! Was a night of lots of new culinary experiences.
Escargot was cooked in a butter, garlic, herb sauce which was then topped with puff pastry. They were a little chewy but I could tell they were cooked correctly. I can see how they could become pure rubber in the wrong hands. The platter they are served on is very hot so you need to eat them quickly or they will overcook just sitting on their serving dish. For those who have never had it before I would say it reminded me of a mushroom. It has the texture of a cooked oyster mushroom and the flavor of a very mild wood-loving mushroom. You could definitely taste the environment of the snail.
Cheese Plate:
Four cheeses plated with toasted baguette. It was paired with quince, black pepper, pink sea salt, house made mustard, small marinated olives. I can't remember exactly what the cheese were. There was a sheep, goat, roquefort, and triple creme brie. I loved everything except the roquefort.. I really wish I could get over my hate for roquefort and blue cheeses in general but the pallet just wont do it.
Onion Soup:
This was a pretty classic execution. The broth was beefy and sweet from the onions. It wasn't overly salty. In general it was a good dish.
Pros:
Free Parking
Good Service
Amazing Atmosphere
Respectable Price (Especially for a french place in the middle of scottsdale)
Cons:
Give us more Foie Gras! :)