Bob Gordon, September 2014

DINING OUT

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“Mixed crowd again,” my wife whispered as we settled into a comfortable banquette in the Paris Bistro & Jazz Café, Chef Al Paris’ spiffy, boisterous, spot-on homage to the French brasserie/ bistro/ bar genre. Old and young, well-heeled and casual, tweedy and tie-dyed—all blend homogeneously—just as they do at Heirloom, Chef Paris’ other Chestnut Hill gem located a few paces to the north.

Kudos go to Chef Al who has helped Chestnut Hill find dining mojo for, arguably, the first time since the high-profile heyday of the quirky Chef Tell Erhardt. Locals and an emerging army of foodies, lured by the likes of Heirloom, the Paris Café, and Micah, are savoring the renaissance of this staid, sophisticated old Philly ‘hood into a foodie nexus. The Paris Bistro deepens the local pool of choices, adding not only the authenticity of French bistro cuisine but also the vivacity of French style. Paris Bistro’s bustling interior corrals the joie de vivre at the soul of the bona fide French bistro and Italian osteria.

The food and menu are superb. These days, the bonne bouffe (“great food” in French) at Chestnut Hill’s Paris Bistro is arguably superior to many counterparts in the City of Lights. In fact, a recent New York Times article recounts the slippage in the quality of French cuisine that’s furrowing Parisian brows and demeaning France’s culinary tradition. Based on recent trips to Paris, my wife and I have noted just that. The gastronomic gap between France and the USA that wowed us decades ago on halcyon trips to France, has narrowed, if not vanished. Parisian restaurants still vaut le voyage (“are worth a special trip”) as the Michelin Guide would say. But so do ours. So does the Paris Café, which will even please French ex-pats, who receive a welcome Champagne cocktail on the house simply by showing proof of their French citizenship.

Hors d’œuvres include de rigeur Escargots & Pernod Butter. Served on the classic dimpled plate, each individual escargot comes capped with brioche, which is crisp on the outside and yieldingly soft inside. The hint of anise in the Pernod-infused butter is perfect. Tartare of Salmon is dolloped with chopped eggs. Capers and red onions supply poignant counterbalance. Among the Hors d’œuvres, my favorite is Cauliflower & Comté Custard. The custard texture is so swooningly silky that this dish alone is worth the trip.

Honeyed balsamic lends delicate finish to Roast Beet & Boursin Salad made notable by the creamy delicacy of the house-made cheese. Salade lyonnaise brings a plate of frisée stocked with uncommonly rare lardons brightened by a sunny-side-up egg. Classic Salade niçoise is a lusty, fresh version of the French favorite.

The Cassoulet is stocked with more meat than any I’ve ever had on either side of the Atlantic. The mass of white beans is chockfull of house-made garlic sausage and pork belly. Notching up the carnivore clout, there’s also a duck leg planted Excalibur-like in the mass of beans.

Skate Wings floated in zingy sauce vièrge with a healthy side of carrots and crushed olive potatoes is delectable.

A vegetarian ratatouille crêpe stocked with eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes is savory and filling. Other Main Courses worth the trip are Crêpe du Jour; Rabbit Fricassé with mustard cream, mushrooms, and egg noodles; and the Paris Bistro Burger—a lavish version of the American classic on brioche slathered with sweet pepper relish coated with Gruyère cheese with sweet pepper relish.

Desserts, all house-made, include Parisian Almond Cake and a sinful Chocolate Grand Marnier mousse. The pucker of lemon curd slathered atop a crêpe that’s speckled invitingly with flakes of powdered sugar makes an ideal base for a mound of raspberries and strawberries in fruity coulis.

Daily Classics from Tuesday through Sunday plumb a trove of French classics. Choices include Frogs Leg Provençal, Tuesday; Coq Au Vin, Wednesday; Marseille Bouillabaisse, Friday; and Côte de Bœuf, Saturday. And true to bistro form, a selection of Oysters and Shellfish is available daily as well.

I’d be remiss not to mention the Jazz Café part of the Paris Bistro & Jazz Café. The downstairs Jazz Café, sultry as the classic Parisian boîte with its red-curtained wall and plush banquettes illuminated by wall sconces, is an awesome venue for music lovers. Check the website or call for the performance schedule. Some of Philly’s top acts are on the playbill, and the full menu and full bar are available during the performance. Best of all, particularly for the jazz-uninitiated, you needn’t feel out of place. Everyone fits into the crowd here.

Paris Bistro & Jazz Café, 8229 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia. (215) 242-6200. www.parisbistro.net