This place is as charming as it gets. I mean literally it’s mini-Paris and I could not love it more. The ambiance, the music, the servers, the menu, the décor. It’s everything and more. It’s a small place with a streamlined, but perfectly crafted menu. The servers are pleasant and helpful. There’s a tiny outdoor seating area, which normally I’d be all over, but I absolutely wouldn’t think of sitting anywhere other than inside to just soak up the scene here. It can get busy during peak times, but there are tons of times when you can wander in (between meals) and there are just a few locals or couples sitting around having a snack, wine, or coffee.
And while that’s great and all, it wouldn’t be what it is if the food didn’t match. This place is delicious. Everything is a hit, including the complimentary bread they bring to the table. It’s just sliced white bread, which I’m normally so disappointed by, but this bread was fresh, simultaneously soft and crusty, and actually had a real, yet delicate taste.
They serve tartines, which are out of this world. In particular, try the one with ratatouille, ricotta, and olive. The topping is piled high, so even though it’s only one slice of bread, it’s a good size. On a sandwich or tartine, it’s a huge plus when the filling outweighs the bread.
The carotte rapees is lovely and a lot lighter than I expected it to be. It’s julienned carrots with pistachios, lemon, and olive oil, though the lemon flavor is pleasantly very subtle and not overpowering. Also, the olive oil is poured with a delicate touch, which really makes the dish. Otherwise, drenching raw carrots in a heap of olive oil would be off-putting. The pistachios are actually a nice, fun touch. The worst part of this dish, and sadly I will say there is one, is the overpowering cumin flavor. While I adore cumin as a spice, for me the use of it as a vegetable seasoning, as opposed to in meat, detracts from the refreshing nature of the salad. That flavor was really quite distracting, but otherwise, the dish is very well measured and light.
And of course you’ll have to try the famous croques here. There’s the classic monsieur, the sexier madame, and then the aptly-named vegetarian version, the forestier (mushrooms, gruyere, herbs de provence). The bread is super crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. The good quality cheese is melted on top in a not soppy/greasy way. The béchamel sauce keeps it moist and the ham is thinly shaved, good quality, and not offensive. It’s a pretty substantial sandwich, actually, as each half is quite filling.
I’ve also heard rave reviews about their chocolate mousse and am dying to try it!
You’ve got to give this place a try. It’s a gem.
