Like high-waisted denim, plenty of long-gone French dishes are making a comeback. We're talking about the classics, the stuff of corner bistro legend. The foods that make a bottle of wine at 3 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon seem mandatory. But you don't need to hop across the pond to get a taste; you can find these dishes on the menu at plenty of restaurants in the states. Here’s a taste of a few of our favorite new-school versions of French classics:
Escargot
L.A. has officially become a mollusk town. At Petit Trois, the snails are drenched in a garlic-parsley butter. At Spring, an artful presentation (above) tilts them more avant-garde than bistro. (But yes, there’s still butter and garlic.) The mollusks that count as delicacies are typically larger than the back patio variety and traditionally hail from Burgundy.
Veal Blanquette
A stew of veal in a roux-based cream sauce that goes against everything modern chefs love: no browning, no colorful garnishes. This dish—a
Sunday night special at NYC’s Augustine—should be as pale as possible, and we like it that way.
Quenelles de Brochet
French for fancy fishcakes, these pike dumplings—fish puréed with lots of butter and cream—are straight out of a Lyonnaise grandma's kitchen. Now they're cooked in a lobster sauce—à l'americaine— at Le Coucou in NYC, and the humble dish skews more Paul Bocuse.
Pommes Paillasson
Shredded potatoes confited in duck fat, pressed into circular ring molds, then fried on each side until golden brown and finished with (the not-so-French) Maldon salt. Think latkes meet diner hashbrowns, with an accent, and if you want to see (and taste) for yourself, head to Henrietta's in Charleston.
Pommes Aligot
Picture the glorious cheese stretch of a mozzarella stick. At the new Bellecour located outside Minneapolis, chef Gavin Kaysen achieves something similar with puréed potatoes beaten with cream and a très généreux helping of Gruyère and Fontina.
Cuisses de Grenouille
Sounds nice when the French say it, doesn’t it? “Frog legs” may lack the same appeal, but when fried (as at SF’s Monsieur Benjamin) they might as well be chicken.
Pommes Dauphinoise
Made famous stateside by Julia Child, this crowd pleaser involves steeping thinly sliced potatoes in cream with garlic, thyme, and nutmeg, and arranging them in alternating layers of cheese, potato, and cream before broiling for some beautiful golden brown bubbles. You can find these beautiful taters Marcel in Atlanta.