When you think of French food, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? It might be the meat, the croissants, the créme bruleé or maybe all of the above. To me, it is always the snails. And I do think the measure of a good French restaurant will definitely be the escargot. Enriched with butter, garlic and parsley, subtle yet rich and of course, you have to dunk your bread into the sauce :) ok, that's not too chic.
Escargots de Bourgogne a l'ail. Snails in garlic butter. 7 smallish cups came in warm and cozily placed on a plate. I can see the lovely beauties swimming in garlic butter. The sizes of the snails are almost uniform which goes to show that these were carefully picked and they fit perfectly into the cups. The snails were firm and there was no earthiness to the taste at all. I guess there was just too much butter to actually cover the taste. It almost reminded me of delicate mushrooms with minced garlic and butter. A must try.
Iles flottantes. Soft meringue, créme anglaise. I love love love the créme anglaise. It was just the right consistency with that lovely vanilla scent and flavor to it. I could just drink the thing. The soft meringue was like a sweet puffy cloud that melts in my mouth. With the cream, it was just sheer bliss. I know, I know. It's not chocolate but it will do.
France-soir will be worth coming back to if you're looking for a good home-cooked French meal. Simple and to the point but not too in your face. It offers tradition and authenticity to those who are looking for it.
What my friend WL loves about France-Soir is that it's unpretentious. Sure, the atmosphere is nice and warm and inviting and all that. To me, it's small and crowded but well-staffed and efficient. The waiters know their stuff and they really don't entertain indecisions. I actually came to France-Soir already decided on what I want to have. Ze snails and ze duck l'orange. After deciding on a nice Pinot Noir, I want my food and let's do it right.
Escargots de Bourgogne a l'ail. Snails in garlic butter. 7 smallish cups came in warm and cozily placed on a plate. I can see the lovely beauties swimming in garlic butter. The sizes of the snails are almost uniform which goes to show that these were carefully picked and they fit perfectly into the cups. The snails were firm and there was no earthiness to the taste at all. I guess there was just too much butter to actually cover the taste. It almost reminded me of delicate mushrooms with minced garlic and butter. A must try.
Demi-caneton rôti, à l'orange. Half roasted duckling with orange sauce. I can't really say that this is a let-down but I had high expectations. The duck breast was cut too thick, though juicy and with a tinge of pink. The duck leg confit was tender and I loved the crispy skin but on the inside it was a bit dry. The orange sauce was sweet but I wanted more of that tangy-ness. I'm not sure what exactly to expect but I wanted a more robust taste to the dish. The sauce I found too watery, I was hoping for a more syrupy consistency. It wasn't an utmost failure because the dish was enjoyable.
Iles flottantes. Soft meringue, créme anglaise. I love love love the créme anglaise. It was just the right consistency with that lovely vanilla scent and flavor to it. I could just drink the thing. The soft meringue was like a sweet puffy cloud that melts in my mouth. With the cream, it was just sheer bliss. I know, I know. It's not chocolate but it will do.France-soir will be worth coming back to if you're looking for a good home-cooked French meal. Simple and to the point but not too in your face. It offers tradition and authenticity to those who are looking for it.
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