Le Sud

 

I have always liked French food.  Like many other cuisines, it changes based on what region you are exploring, though it can still be recognized as French Cuisine.  Many French restaurants around here focus on the food focused around the capitol and cultural center of France which does combine several regions, so you can get kind of a big picture of French Cuisine in general, though it is nice when a restaurant focuses on a specific region.  I went to Le Sud recently which, as you may guess, serves cuisine from the Mediterranean south of France.  Located in the neighborhood in Roscoe Village, the general design of the building is pretty plain.  It looks like a small concrete box with small windows.  The color of the concrete box, though hints that there is something special here, it is sky blue.  There is a round sign on the corner, above the door, with a rooster, the name, and the fact that it is a Mediterranean French restaurant.  There is a hall inside the door that enters the dining room midway into the dining room.  The dining room looks like a classic French bistro.  It feels very homey.  The walls are drywalled and have some hanging art between the French doors looking out.  The tin ceilings are unpainted and the hanging lights look like milk bottles in a metal basket.  The bar is small and is located in back near the wine rack and the kitchen and it's where I sat because it gave me a good view of what was happening and someone to talk to about the restaurant (the bartender and eventually, the manager).  There was a general map of Southern France painted above the kitchen entrance and next to a large wine rack containing what looked like a pretty good wine selection.  When I am sitting at a bar, I will generally look to see what their liquor selection looks like.  My first choice, when it comes to liquor is gin, and as I expected with this bar, while there was some gin, the general selection was kind of slim.  What they did have was a very nice selection of Amaro and French Bitters which I also like to explore.  While I said that their gin selection was slim, what they did have was pretty good.  The cocktail I ordered was called The Sylvan and included St. George Terroir Gin, Dolin Genepy, Fresh Sage, and Muddled Orange.  It tasted very fresh and green, earthy and herbal, and had a nice citrus finish from the large amount of orange that was used in the drink (I think an entire orange was muddled).  It was very fresh and very much fit in my mind what a bistro cocktail should taste like.

For my first appetizer, I went for more earthy flavor.  I like Escargot (Snails) and I will order them frequently when I see them on a menu.  There was Escargot on the menu and I ordered it, but the presentation was not what I expected.  The snails, of which I was presented plenty, were shelled and skewered on one skewer.  They were Wood Grilled and served with Herbes de Provence (Rosemary, Fennel, Thyme, Marjoram, Basil, Lavender, Parsley, Oregano, Tarragon, and Bay), a Petite Green Salad, and Country Bread.  As it was presented, I figured that the best way to eat it was similar to the way that I eat Marro, as an open faced sandwich.  I did eat an Escargot on it's own to get the flavor individually, but generally, I piled the greens on the bread, and topped it off with the escargot.  The snails had were very savory and smoky and had a nice earthy flavor which went well with the greens.  It was different from how I had ever had it, but very good.

My second appetizer was also earthy and many people are kind of unfamiliar with what they are.  Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem Artichokes, are a tuber from a species of Sunflower.  They have a texture similar to potatoes, though the flavor, slightly nutty and a little sweet, is kind of like a cross between an artichoke heart and a great potato.  These Sunchokes were Roasted and served with Pickled Blueberries and Trumpet Mushrooms.  It was earthy, a little tart from the blueberries, and very good.

My entree was a classic of Frence cuisine, Steak Frites.  My steak was a Bavette (or Flank) Steak served on the Rare Side of Medium Rare with Sorrel Butter and Aioli.  It was juicy, tender, and very good, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and the frites were cooked perfectly.  It's one of those dishes that will just bring a smile to your face.

Dessert wasn't specifically Southern French or French in general, but it is something that I really enjoy.  It was a Basque Cake with Dates, Almonds, Oranges, and topped with Chantilly Cream.  It is simple sweet, and nutty, and topped with Chantilly Cream.  It was a nice and simple finish to a simple, earthy, and very good meal.  I will enjoy returning.