Le Fou Frog [KC]

[Aaron Deacon]

More so than MelBee's, I'm surprised Le Fou Frog doesn't have its own thread.

Tried Le Fou Frog this past Tuesday and enjoyed it rather well, even as it seemed like the sum added up to perhaps more than it’s parts.

Hadn’t read too much about the place, though it seems to have a pretty good rep. We both laughed when pulling up to the outside. The River Market area proper is pretty cute, but this location a couple blocks west looked dismal, and the windowless building looked like a strip club, surrounded by construction, chain link fences, and parking lots. Such is the life of a developing downtown, I guess.

The inside was very cute, consciously French-kitzsch decoration. Not at all bothersome though, and rather enjoyable, all told. It was a lovely night, and we might have sat on the patio out back, but the chairs looked incredibly uncomfortable, especially for a woman with child, a mere couple months from delivery.

Our meal began with an amuse that I don’t quite recall, a very small sort of crescent-shaped pastry, some honey butter, a smidge of prosciutto. I was pleasantly surprised to receive an amuse at all, though I can’t say this really startled my palate, and the butter was too cold. Still, a nice touch.

The food was enjoyable, good even, but only one dish approached exceptional. For starters, my wife had a salad with fresh chevre and a fig honey compote. Quite nice, with generously portioned condiments.

I had the soup du jour, which was some frog leg/morel soup. The broth was really terrific (approaching exceptional). The frog legs were in the form of a puck in the middle of the bowl. I’m not sure if I’ve had frog legs before or not, and I was beyond surprised to note that, whaddya know, it did kind of taste like chicken. The morels were good enough, though they seemed to me reconstituted from dried. It strikes me as a bit too late for fresh, but I’m no expert. I really enjoyed this soup, but was slightly disappointed that the solid accompaniments added relatively little to the experience.

For mains, my wife had three very large prosciutto-wrapped prawns. I should know more than that, but I don’t. Served with fried polenta, a bit of some brown sauce, and some token veggies…a baby carrot (!?), a cherry tomato, something else perhaps. A poor description, I know. She seemed to like it just fine, and I enjoyed my taste well enough.

For me, it was a luxurious-sounding monkfish preparation…wrapping asparagus, rilettes of pheasant, and “truffle foie gras.” I suspect this latter was the D’Artagnan product mousse truffe, which is a truffle-flecked or flavored pate, good in its own right, but not quite as luxurious as it sounds. Unadvertised was an excellent and creamy risotto upon which the meal was served.

While I again enjoyed the dish and happily cleared my plate, the monkfish was a little overdone and didn’t have the delicate butteriness that it can. And the accents to the dish ended up a bit muddled. Had I not read the chalkboard, I doubt I would have picked truffle or foie gras flavors out of the dish.

Cherry clafoutis was the dessert du jour and again, while good enough, noticeably inferior to what I can produce at home when I’ve got good cherries in the freezer.

Now these may seem (and I feel) like I’m picking nits with bistro food. Sure, it can be great, but I can be quite happy with a bistro experience where the food is just “good enough.” Our service was charming, I enjoyed the space, and I didn’t feel like I was someplace (see MelBee’s) that just couldn’t hang in a better food city.

But Le Fou Frog is not quite bistro prices. At $26 per, our entrees were among the cheapest on offer. They offer some pretty tony stuff (a wagyu and ahi surf & turf for $50), which is fine. But more typical bistro fare, like veal sweetbreads or braised lamb shank, is pushing $30. The entrée prices are more typical of a Chicago 3 star, which would be one thing if you could get commensurate quality. I’d love to see a menu like Le Bouchon here.

This is the kind of thing I’m talking about when I say the cost of living for a food geek is higher in KC than in Chicago.

The price is mitigated somewhat by a reasonable value wine list and pretty easily available (modest) discounts through the KC Originals, PowerCard, those coupons you can buy every quarter, etc., saving you $15-20 for a meal. Still…

Ultimately, would I go back? Probably. There are enough places in that price range (and that’s a rare enough occasion) that it won’t be soon. But it’s pleasant enough and good enough that I wouldn’t rule out a return.

Le Fou Frog

400 E 5th Street

Kansas City, MO 64106

816-474-6060

http://www.kansascitymenus.com/lefoufrog/

[moosnsqrl]

Aaron, you're right, Le Fou Frog should have a thread all its own. We have discussed it but, as you'll notice due to the relatively light traffic here vis-a-vie Chicago, from whence you came, a separate thread often dilutes the dialog.

I am always somewhat reluctant to write-up "the Frog" because I've been going there since before they really opened and it is owned, and largely staffed, by friends, so I feel not only like a shill, but also like a traitor to those of us for whom it is a fairly well-kept secret.

It is, simply the best at what is does. And I am *really* loathe to post this, but they have un-freaking-believable happy hour specials. I hope no one else finds out. There. I said it. Now I will be shunned.

[joiei]

Aaron, you're right, Le Fou Frog should have a thread all its own.  We have discussed it but, as you'll notice due to the relatively light traffic here vis-a-vie Chicago, from whence you came, a separate thread often dilutes the dialog.

I am always somewhat reluctant to write-up "the Frog" because I've been going there since before they really opened and it is owned, and largely staffed, by friends, so I feel not only like a shill, but also like a traitor to those of us for whom it is a fairly well-kept secret.

It is, simply the best at what is does.  And I am *really* loathe to post this, but they have un-freaking-believable happy hour specials.  I hope no one else finds out.  There.  I said it.  Now I will be shunned.

←

I was in "the Frog" late one Friday night upon the recommendation of someone who shall remain nameless. I ordered the charcuterie plate because I didn't want a big meal and loved it. Do they do a weekend brunch?

[Big Country]

Aaron, you're right, Le Fou Frog should have a thread all its own.  We have discussed it but, as you'll notice due to the relatively light traffic here vis-a-vie Chicago, from whence you came, a separate thread often dilutes the dialog.

I am always somewhat reluctant to write-up "the Frog" because I've been going there since before they really opened and it is owned, and largely staffed, by friends, so I feel not only like a shill, but also like a traitor to those of us for whom it is a fairly well-kept secret.

It is, simply the best at what is does.  And I am *really* loathe to post this, but they have un-freaking-believable happy hour specials.  I hope no one else finds out.  There.  I said it.  Now I will be shunned.

←

I was in "the Frog" late one Friday night upon the recommendation of someone who shall remain nameless. I ordered the charcuterie plate because I didn't want a big meal and loved it. Do they do a weekend brunch?

←

No Brunch, but they are usually packed on Sunday night with service people and Chefs. I love the food at the Frog!!! Bring on more offal!!!!

[ulterior epicure]

Sniff.

Did someone write "offal?"

Aaron Deacon, thanks for starting this thread. It's been quite some time since I've been to Le Fou Frog, and I should revisit. I've only been for lunch, but I think a dinner is in order. (Do they even serve lunch anymore?).

Yes, the prices are quite high, I hear. I don't think you'll find anything (currently) comparable in value as Le Bouchon here in KC on the French end of things. Le Bouchon's $22 three-course prix fixe on Tuesdays is one fo the best deals in Chicago.

u.e.

[Aaron Deacon]

It's worth pulling Big Country's post out, as it got a little lost in the quote:

No Brunch, but they are usually packed on Sunday night with service people and Chefs. I love the food at the Frog!!! Bring on more offal!!!! laugh.gif

Edited June 12, 2007 by Aaron Deacon (log)

[moosnsqrl]

No longer serving lunch.

Again, Aaron, if you can get there by 7, you'll find the bistro chow at prices you're expecting. The offerings are more limited but there is generally a fish, a viande, several soups and a dessert at greatly reduced happy hour prices. And, as joiei mentioned above, the charcuterie plate and the cheese plate are always good, and the frites are as well.

[Aaron Deacon]

No longer serving lunch.

Again, Aaron, if you can get there by 7, you'll find the bistro chow at prices you're expecting.  The offerings are more limited but there is generally a fish, a viande, several soups and a dessert at  greatly reduced happy hour prices.  And, as joiei mentioned above, the charcuterie plate and the cheese plate are always good, and the frites are as well.

←

Sorry, Judy, I should have sent you a PM...don't mean to seem (be?) obtuse. I'm rather enthused by that prospect but didn't want to gush too much in lieu of your concern about getting overrun. I definitely thank you for sharing.

Regarding the cheese plate...it doesn't specify on the menu how many you get, and there are about 10-15 listed on the menu. My wife and I gasped in puzzlement, wondering how they could possibly serve that much cheese on one plate. We saw elsewhere that you choose between 3 and 5. It's a pretty good cheese list.

Once my wife delivers and is back off the wagon, I can see this becoming a more frequent stop. Especially if we can convince the in-laws, moving up from Tulsa, to buy in the Northland rather than SoJoCo or western Shawnee.

Cheers,

Aaron

[Zeemanb]

And it sounds like, from what I'm hearing, that I may not be getting more bang for my buck at what I would consider more convenient competitors, like Tatsu or Cafe Provence.

Just wanted to throw Aixois into that mix.....great food (veal liver, duck confit salad), good service and setting........

[ulterior epicure]

And it sounds like, from what I'm hearing, that I may not be getting more bang for my buck at what I would consider more convenient competitors, like Tatsu or Cafe Provence.

Just wanted to throw Aixois into that mix.....great food (veal liver, duck confit salad), good service and setting........

←

Great throw-in, Z. Given that I've not been to either Cafe Provence or Cafe des Amis (another French restaurant in Parkville), I would say that Tatsu's and Aixois are both great options for French dining in KC.

I take exception, however, to Aixois' service, which, from my half-dozen visits or so over the past three-four years, has been very uneven. I've had decent service there and I've had horrible service there.

Tatsu's service is always great. There's not a whole lot of variety at Tatsu's (as there apparently seems to be over at Le Fou Frog), but the kitchen does a solid job on everything that comes out. They do have some offal (sweetbreads) and variety cuts (braised oxtail, for one).

[Zeemanb]

I take exception, however, to Aixois' service, which, from my half-dozen visits or so over the past three-four years, has been very uneven.  I've had decent service there and I've had horrible service there. 

In retrospect, I guess the service could have always been terrible.......or great.......all I remember are goth-schoolgirls bringing me food, which automatically ranks as a five-star experience.

[Aaron Deacon]

Good point, on Aixois, though interesting comment on the service. I don't know if it was here or somewhere else, but I was just mentioning that the sullen, bored, and completely disinterested girl who told us we couldn't get a cup of coffee when house hunting one afternoon has really put a damper on our desire to visit Aixois for a meal.

[ulterior epicure]

Good point, on Aixois, though interesting comment on the service.  I don't know if it was here or somewhere else, but I was just mentioning that the sullen, bored, and completely disinterested girl who told us we couldn't get a cup of coffee when house hunting one afternoon has really put a damper on our desire to visit Aixois for a meal.

←

Yep, stand-offish, and occasionally very very forgetful, is how I would characterize my worst service experiences at the restaurant. I don't know if it's a way of affecting the American perception that French restaurant service is supposed to be that way, but I don't find it particularly authentic to the (real) French restaurant m.o.. Nor do I find those instances fair representations, unfortunately, of Aixois' service when it is at its best, which can be quite pleasant.

[maftoul]

The last time we were at Aixois, our server and the hostess entered into a very heated "discussion" in the middle of the dining room. It took for ever to get our food, which fortunately was fine, but what a weird thing to witness.

Interestingly enough, something similar happened to us at Le Fou Frog, the food was very good, but odd to be eating such good food after witnessing a near altercation!

Keeps things lively, that's for sure

Edited June 13, 2007 by maftoul (log)