Gone are the days of the plat du jour at Fricassee. Now, you could enjoy Chef Mark Papera's "super classics," like pot a feu, dry aged rib eye, cassoulet, and whole roasted fish, any night of the week.
"This opens up more opportunities for specials requested by customers on their comment cards," says Papera, "that's originally where our burger came from." (For those of you who remember the supremely delicious -- and sadly short-lived -- Fricassee burger made from ground porterhouse, filet mignon, chuck and - - - wait for it - - - bone marrow (!), with herb butter, cheddar, mozzarella, swiss and bleu cheese, on a Balthazar bun, I ask this: please, make the request on the comment card!)
Though selections from the dinner menu are available at lunch, Papera has also added a new menu of lunch specials. Priced from $12 - $18, available Monday thru Friday, specials include soup and sandwich ($14), frisee salad with duck confit ($16), sausages and eggs ($14), roasted chicken with house salad ($18), salmon with glazed vegetables and herb vinaigrette ($18), and mussels and french fries ($16).
During a recent Friday lunch date, Mr. Hot and I dined from both menus - and Chef Papera treated us to a few, like the profiteroles au chevre, a lovely puff filled with creamy goat cheese mousse, with a tangy black olive vinaigrette. We also enjoyed house made terrine of foie gras with caramelized onions and apples.
We also opted for the mussels. Served in a cast-iron pan, a giant mound of mollusks is splashed with savory, herbed white wine sauce. The fries, which have always been irresistible, still are. Mr. Hot enjoyed the roast chicken lunch special - moist, flavorful. Feeling rather carnivorous, it was tartare de boeuf, for me. Freshly ground filet of beef, tossed with egg yolk, mustard, ketchup, shallots, capers and cornichon, smeared on garlic toasts, it's enough to take me to pasture!
I want to give a special nod the bread and butter at Fricassee. So crisp, the simple baguette is accompanied by a mini cast-iron pan, filled with pale yellow butter topped with a bit of sea salt.
Lunch wrapped up with delectable, oh-so-cocoalicious spoonfuls of chocolate mousse dolloped with whipped cream. Oh, la joie de vivre!
Lunch at Fricassee -- no matter which menu you order from -- feels like dinner. Il est si bon!
