On a back street midway between Place Vendôme and the Place de la Concorde, there’s a small restaurant called Le Soufflé. My husband – always on the watch for soufflés – first discovered it many years ago on a business trip to Paris.
He subsequently claimed that on more than one occasion, he actually feasted on an appetizer soufflé, an entrée soufflé, and a dessert soufflé. In Vero, alas, he finds soufflés hard to come by.
But recently, he noticed that Bistro Fourchette, an intimate French restaurant in the heart of Vero’s old downtown, tends to offer soufflés on some weekends – a chocolate soufflé one week, Grand Mariner another, raspberry a third.
So last weekend, we went there on Mother’s Day, ostensibly so I could enjoy a soufflé.
Ushered to a nice table in their attractively decorated side room, our server quickly took our wine order.
For starters on this visit, I opted for moules “à la mariniere” ($11), my husband chose the escargots “Bourguignon” ($10), and our companion ordered French Onion Soup “Au Gratin” ($8).
My steamed Prince Edward Island mussels were extremely tender, and were served in a luscious shallot, garlic, herb and Chablis broth. My husband’s snails, prepared the classic way, were flambéed with Cognac and baked in herbed garlic butter.
It clearly was going to take a lot of the crusty French bread to dip in the very garlicky broth from the mussels or the herbed garlic butter from the escargots to tell which was better, and our attentive server quickly replenished the bread basket. Our companion’s onion soup also was excellent.
Then for entrées, I ordered the Côte de Veau Grillé ($32), my husband went for the calves liver ($22), and our companion settled on the Bistro Fourchette Black Angus cheeseburger ($17).
My grilled veal chop was topped by a delicious Pommery mustard sauce. A very good chop, and I love the taste of this whole-grained mustard from Meaux. The chop was accompanied by broccoli rabe and Cippolini onions.
My husband loved his calves liver, perfectly prepared with onions and bacon. He noted that it is almost as hard to find good calves liver in Vero as it is a soufflé. Our companion also gave high marks to her cheeseburger, which of course was served with bistro pommes frites.
Then it came time for dessert. The Grand Marnier soufflés served with crème anglaise were a thing of beauty. All in all, a fine bistro dinner.
As it completes its second season, Bistro Fourchette finally seems to be hitting its stride. The space long occupied by the beloved Swiss Melody Inn now has a very French feel. Nicely decorated and enhanced by French cabaret music, it is more attractive and cozy than ever – and chef Stephane Becht clearly knows how to prepare authentic bistro fare.
But since the menu changes from week to week, if you are a soufflé or liver lover, you want to call ahead to make sure those dishes are being served on the night of your choice.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at [email protected].
The reviewer is a beachside resident who dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of this newspaper.
