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| - This place is a great surprise. It's located in a strip mall, but don't let the surroundings throw you off. It was one of my absolute favorite casual, French dinners ever.
From what I understand, they only recently introduced the dinner menu. Even so, there were no signs of growing pains--as if they'd been doing it for years. The food was very well presented. I had the foie gras salad to start. It was simply prepared with a tiny baton (fresh out of the oven!), mixed greens, balsamic vinaigrette, and a generous, thick portion of fois gras. Outstanding.
I had the coq au vin afterward. It was a more modern take on the classic French comfort food, with some of the traditional elements separated out. Again, presented very well. The chicken breast was topped with mashed potatoes. The braising sauce was perfectly seasoned. It came with a carrot puree, bacon (lardon perhaps? I can't remember), and sauteed mushrooms, all on the side... I had to remind myself that I was an adult in a public place to keep myself from licking the plate.
All the while, we were well attended by the wait staff. During the meal, Duc, the owner/chef, came to check on us and make sure everything was up to par. As great as the food is, meeting Duc was my favorite part of the evening. The man was very enthused to talk about the meal and the restaurant, despite being at the end of a long day. His passion for food shows in his words and in his cooking.
I ended with a profiterole, to-go. While going through the pastry case, Duc even gave me some great insight on the methods and history of choux pastry dough. I've been struggling with making it at home, and I can't wait to try his recommendations.
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