JJB’s Ramblings

Last night I crossed the line.  For a long time I have been reading the works of Anthony Bourdain and Jeffrey Steingarten (among others) and taking in copious amounts of food knowledge.  They have made me reconsider the foods I don’t like and driven me to try more foods that I am not normally exposed too (usually for the better).  I can now look at a plate of cured olives (not to be confused with those salty black rubber rings sold in cans) and dig in and try and understand how it’s appealing and give it another shot of my own, sometimes with pleasant results.  Does this mean I will eat anything? No.  Zucchini is still on my Most Not Wanted list but I did eat a beet after 17 years of aversion.

ANYWAY.  Last night we dined at Petit Robert Bistro  in the South End.  This little frenchie joint has been on my “restaurant to-do list” for at least a year, so I was very excited to help eRock celebrate her friend’s birthday there.  The service was decent, the atmosphere was quaint (and they had the sox game on) and the company was enjoyable.  Now that I have all that out of the way, let me dish on the dishes. It could be called fabulous and new (to me anyway) and intriguing.  It could (and most likely will) be called potentially gross by those that don’t wander far from the sanctuary of meat (read: beef or chicken) and potatoes.   

To start with, here are some of the appetizers that were passed around the table:

French Onion Soup (complete with a giant gob of gruyere)
Carrot and Ginger Soup was the special of the day 
Braised Endives and Ham au Fromage (with more gobs of what I think was gruyere, parm {maybe} and emmental) 
Trio of Homemade Patés with Condiments (this was mine, though I shared a little).  Chicken liver, pork and pate de campagne served with little cornichons and some mustard.  Spread this on the warm crusty bread they gave us and it was perfect. I really wanted to try the Pan Seared Foie Gras, Apple Wedge Tatin Style, Cinnamon Vinegar Sauce but decided that would have to wait until our next visit.  All of the appetizers were delicious but it was really the entrees that I was looking forward too. 

First, here is a photo of the entrée options so that you can try and decide what meal YOU would have ordered…   

As I said, I crossed that culinary line.  I was feeling adventurous and was eager to try the something new.  E opted for the Beef Short Ribs Pot au Feu with Vegetables, Broth and Marrow Bone, which had also caught my eye but I let her run with it.  The dish was very similar to a pot roast, where everything is simmered together for a long time, allowing for very tender meat.  I had wanted to try roast marrow  and was not disappointed.  It was incredible…. I may even give this a shot in the home kitchen. 

My entrée was Duel of a French Andouillette with a Boudin Noir over Mashed Potatoes.  This is Andouillette .  I assure you that it was tasty and not nearly as repulsive as this wiki article makes it sound.  Would I eat it again?  Oh sure.  Am I going to go out of my way to find it? Probably not.  The Boudin Noir on the other hand … that I will keep my eyes peeled for.  It had a fantastic flavor and texture that was complimented very well with the mashed potatoes.  I am officially a fan. 

The other (and probably most interesting dish to me) was the Tripes Provencal ordered by one of the other diner companions.  I was offered a taste and found it to be a very likeable dish.  It was hearty with a tomato base to it and root vegetables simmered along with the tripe.  Probably not a dish I would order as an entrée, but certainly a dish that I would accept a taste (or two) from every time. 

After all of that food, I was feeling fat and content and knew that it would be weeks before I could take a cholesterol test.  Only the birthday girl opted for a dessert, which was intriguing.  It was called Ile flottante and it was delicate and silky and carmely and delicious. And I could only eat one bite for fear of splitting my own seams.  

So I urge you… get outside of your palates comfort zone and try something new.  You can eat burgers and fries any old time, this is just something a little different that you owe it to yourself to try. Or maybe not.  

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