LE PETIT PONTOISE -- Restaurant Review

 

Check Website for directions, menu and reservations. http://www.lepetitpontoise.fr/en/

Rating Standards: 5-Stars = Extraordinary; 4-Stars = Excellent; 3-Stars = Average; 2-Stars = Fair; 1-Star = Poor

€ = Inexpensive: 30€ and under; €€ = Moderate: 31€-49€; €€€ = Expensive: €50 -75; €€€€ = Very Expensive: more than €76 (prices based on minimum 2-courses)

1-Bell = Pleasantly quiet (less than 65 decibels); 2-Bells = Can talk easily (65-70); 3-Bells = Talking normally gets difficult (70-80); 4-Bells = Can talk only in raised voices (75-90); BOMB = Too noisy for normal conversation (90+)

4.80 - Star.......................................Between €€ &  €€€....................................... 2 - Bell

At a good friend's recommendation, Josselyne from NYC and a francophile, we finally went to "Le Petit Pantoise". Josselyne and her family have been coming here for years and I can see why.  How did it I miss it, since it literally is right around the corner from one of my favorite restaurant Kitchen Ter(re) review).

Once I entered the restaurant, I kept saying it looks familiar, BAM it hit me, I had been there, but it was years ago. 

The location is in a great area, easy access. As you enter, it's small, but very, very cozy. And, Madam Bom is the Maitre'd restaurant. A woman from Thailand who's been there for 10-years. Such a wonderful warm person.

NOTE: I decided to taste most of the dishes, so here's what I thought.

ENTRÉE

Frog legs. I had this for my appetizer. The phrase "taste like chicken" is true to form. Frog legs are not new to me, I've had them growing up. But served with a very buttery sauce is not common for me. The meat was tender and succulent. If I have only 1 complaint, total personally, a bit too much butter for me, but then again it's because I am lactose intolerant. Nonetheless, DELICIOUS! and a great start. 

Mille-feuilles de betteraves bio & chèvre frais.  (Puff pastry with beets and fresh goat cheese).  JJ loves beets and this was a brilliant presentation.  Everything was fresh and the layers of golden and red beets with the cheese in the pastry wrap was a hit. (note-This was from the a la carte menu....the daily special also had a beet salad but it was a more normal presentation and excellent as well.)

ESCARGOT (snails).  Originally I was going to order this dish, until I found out it was heavy on the cream. I can't do heavy cream because I am lactose intolerant. However, I decided I would just taste it. OMG, the sauce was delicious. I could bathe in it. I didn't taste the escargot, but told it was tender, and as we all know, it's never about the escargot, it's about the sauce that accompanies the escargot. This was a winner.

PLAT

Caille.  (Quail). I ordered this dish. I have to say, this has got to be my favorite dish of the YEAR! It was more than a full meal, it had texture, taste, and sweet & savory.

The quail was crispy, but moist on the interior. It was sitting atop baby potatoes, sweet pea pods, squash and GRAPES. The grapes brought it to the next level. It hit all your senses with the exception of heat, but this is because it is french style dish. I could've just had this dish and nothing else, and I would've been a very, very camper. 

Veal Kidneys.  JJ ordered this dish and of course I had to taste it. It is hard to keep kidneys soft and tender, they can easily become tough and rubbery when under or overcooked. It's all about the timing. I have to say this was a delicious dish. A bit heavy with the cream, but nonetheless delicious. And, mustard is a rare commodity these days because of the shortage due to the drought etc., the mustard gave it a great a much needed tart flavor to cut back on the richnesss. A hit. 

DESSERTS

Chocolate mousse cake (Amadeus). We were all full, but Josselyne insisted we try this cake. OMG, it was so delicious, especially with the ice cream to offset some of the sweetness of the mousse. I'm glad Josselyne insisted. 

Café & gourmandises. An honorary mention. Usually a dish with coffee accompanied with sweets. There was a cake, a brownie and baba rhum and ice cream. And, although I didn't taste it. Other's in the group said it was very good. 

WINE

Josselyn recommended this wine. She said as a general rule, she does not like chardonnays but this is the one exception. For me if it has alcohol and dry, I'm good to go. 

I tasted and thought OMG, this is good. So smooth and doesn't have that strong oak-y flavor. Then once I looked from the label it's from Bourgogne. I actually love Chardonnays from the Bourgogne region. That along with Sancerre are my all time favorites.  

"The nose of “Bourgogne Tonnerre” reveals pastry universe (candied lemon, almond, orange and quince), spiced by scents of acacia and buttercup. After few minutes of aeration, the wine expresses notes of smoked limestone which is typical of our marly limestone rocks with which fragrances of liquorice, star anise, orgeat, verbena, vineyard peach, apple, pineapple and roasted nut are mixed. The palate is supple and fruity, highlighted by a lemon freshness. The middle palate is guided by the marly limestones that bring cleanness, iodic saltiness and a long-lasting mouth. The wonderful maturity of the grapes echoes the richness of the stone that brings Chardonnay a beautiful aromatic power. The delightfully salted and iodised finish is delicate and reveals aromas of lemon zest and pomelo. The whole is fresh and palatable and leaves a long-lasting feeling in the palate." ~ (Made in little France, review)

SUMMARY

I haven't known Josselyn very long, but it feels like I've known her forever. I'm discovering more and more, we have very, very similar tastes and personality. She picked a great restaurant. CHAPEAU to her.  This is now on my top 10 favorite restaurants to go to in Paris. 

The restaurant is a typical Parisian style restaurant, small, but very, very cozy. The service is EXCELLENT. The menu has something for everyone. It is very French, hence heavy on meats. Vegetarians will find the selection very very limited with just some entrées that are vegetarian, But I"m pretty sure if you let them know ahead of time they can accommodate vegetarians. 

Would I go again, ABSOLUTELY. In fact, taking friends there in 2-days. 

With  7-entrées, 7-plats, 3-desserts, 1-bottle of wine, 2-glasses of red, 2-amarettos, 1-bottled water, 1-tea, 2-cafe cream, total came to €414.50 or €59.21 per person.