Coquette Bistro & Raw Bar

[Alec Hart]

I just saw the menu for Coquette Bistro & Raw Bar on Foobooz and I already dislike the place.

http://foobooz.com/2007/07/coquette-bistro...oday/#more-2699

It's a weird amalgam of French and English that is just infuriating to me. It starts with the French, Hors D’oeuvres, then goes to Les Salades, and then mysteriously switches to English with Entrées. How hard would it have been to continue the motif and used Les Plats instead? I mean Caribou Cafe and Pif (R.I.P.) both pull off the French. Or, better yet just gone with the English straight through, like Brasserie Perrier

Then of course there's the descriptions that sometimes use French and sometimes use English. The Roasted Chicken is Ratatouille, Pommes Aligot, Natural Jus, but the Steak Frites is Marinaded Hanger Steak, Housemade Steak Sauce (Housemade? Housemade? Is everything else on the menu brought in from someplace else?!?).

I don't know what I expect, but is it really so difficult to be consistent?

I understand that is impossible to open an authentic French Bistro(t) in Philadelphia. It's basically impossible to do it outside of France, but I guess I was just hoping that with Pif closed we'd get something good and this just doesn't look like it.

I'll still try the place and who knows, maybe they'll surprise me.

-- Alec

[Mummer]

That's why there's a soft opening.

Too bad you aren't on the list; you could "rant" privately.

[Andrew Fenton]

Linguistic consistency aside, I think the menu looks pretty good.

[mrbigjas]

as far as i'm concerned, they could write the menu in romanian for all i care. if the food is good and what i'm looking for at a price point and atmosphere that i like, then i'm all for it. we have too little regular ol' french food in this town.

but i'm down with your rant anyway. if you're going to put together a themed restaurant menu, at least try to keep to the theme...

edited to add: what's up with the plats du jour, though, that are significantly more expensive than regular dishes? for two or something?

Edited July 19, 2007 by mrbigjas (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

edited to add: what's up with the plats du jour, though, that are significantly more expensive than regular dishes?  for two or something?

I was wondering about those, too. Maybe there's a prix fixe kinda deal going on?

[matthewj]

eee

Edited July 19, 2007 by matthewj (log)

[Phila-Foodie]

...we have too little regular ol' french food in this town.

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Amen, brother.

[philadining]

I'm with the rest of you, I'll forgive anything if the food's good, but the menu errors don't inspire confidence!

The Salmon is served with "haricot vert." Just the one bean, really? Could they go nuts and spring for two or three haricots verts?

The Coquette Bar Steak is described as "A Cheval With Caramelized Onions, Creamed Spinach." OK, it's hard to know, with all the toggling between French and English, but I'm going to assume they don't mean it's "a cheval" (a horse), but actually mean "à cheval" as in "on horseback." But I really think one needs to say what's "on horseback" as in "oeuf à cheval." Or is the steak itself on horseback somehow? What does that mean?

Sure, we call main dishes entrees, but using "Les Entrées" here is weird, just because it's a conventional French menu term for something completely different.

But the one that really bugged me was: "Le Coquette Plateau pour Deux."

Good god, it's the NAME of the restaurant, you'd hope they might get the gender right: It's LA Coquette!!! (Yes.. I know it's "Le" Plateau, I'd accept "Le Plateau Coquette")

Jeeze...

Anyway, I'll be happy to mix the genders of my nouns, stop using plurals, heck, I'll ask for extra "natural jus" if the place brings the goods!

But in a city like Philadelphia, would it have been all that hard to find a Francophone to proof the menu?

Edited July 19, 2007 by philadining (log)

[mrbigjas]

well it hasn't actually opened yet, there's still time! maybe y'all can score a free meal of horse on horseback or whatever for your translation help...

[wkl]

i don't think it's impossible to open an authentic (or very close to the real deal) bistro outside of paris. try bistro du coin in dc. pretty authentic in my book with lotsa tasty rib sticking food, leffe and stella artois on tap, and pichets of beaujolais and edzelwicker to wash it all down with.

wouldn't be a bad road trip one saturday or sunday afternoon. we could take the train down...............

Edited July 19, 2007 by wkl (log)

[michaelklein]

as far as i'm concerned, they could write the menu in romanian for all i care.  if the food is good and what i'm looking for at a price point and atmosphere that i like, then i'm all for it.  we have too little regular ol' french food in this town.

but i'm down with your rant anyway.  if you're going to put together a themed restaurant menu, at least try to keep to the theme...

edited to add: what's up with the plats du jour, though, that are significantly more expensive than regular dishes?  for two or something?

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The prices of the plats du jour indeed are "pour deux."

[Holly Moore]

It is neat that we have achieved a plateau on eGullet where we can dissect a restaurant even before it has opened.

Michael, is it not "for duex" or "pour two"?

Edited July 19, 2007 by Holly Moore (log)

[Vadouvan]

I just saw the menu for Coquette Bistro & Raw Bar on Foobooz and I already dislike the place.

http://foobooz.com/2007/07/coquette-bistro...oday/#more-2699

It's a weird amalgam of French and English that is just infuriating to me. It starts with the French, Hors D’oeuvres, then goes to Les Salades, and then mysteriously switches to English with Entrées. How hard would it have been to continue the motif and used Les Plats instead? I mean Caribou Cafe and Pif (R.I.P.) both pull off the French. Or, better yet just gone with the English straight through, like Brasserie Perrier

Then of course there's the descriptions that sometimes use French and sometimes use English. The Roasted Chicken is Ratatouille, Pommes Aligot, Natural Jus, but the Steak Frites is Marinaded Hanger Steak, Housemade Steak Sauce (Housemade? Housemade? Is everything else on the menu brought in from someplace else?!?).

I don't know what I expect, but is it really so difficult to be consistent?

I understand that is impossible to open an authentic French Bistro(t) in Philadelphia. It's basically impossible to do it outside of France, but I guess I was just hoping that with Pif closed we'd get something good and this just doesn't look like it.

I'll still try the place and who knows, maybe they'll surprise me.

-- Alec

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Interesting observations Alec.

There hasnt ever been a serious discusssion on E-gullet on how the language/structure/authenticity of the menu correlates to the seriousness of the food or accuracy of the cooking. They invariably get shuffled off to "I dont give a rats ass as long as the food is good".

Look at Tinto, absolutely nothing on the menu is distinctly of Basque origin but everyone labels it a "Basque" restaurant, quite a stretch but people dont know and those who do dont care.

The fish labeled as Turbot isnt even "Turbot". Is it packed, Yes.

It is quite possible and in fact there are lots of restaurants in which the grammar is lame but the food is excellent.

Now setting that aside and actually looking at the things you pointed out, french is a contextually strange language and only the most fluent or educated like Phil A will see the language problems.

With servers ostensibly explaining the menu details in English, it should not be a problem. There are those however who believe and in many cases are right that it is a symptom of unpreparedness that carries over to the food and cooking. That will be left to see when the restaurant actually opens and we eat the food.

The more concerning questions are the actual contents of the menu and it's lack of seasonality for one.

None of the Hors D'oeuvres are hors d'oeuvres.

There is no Charcuterie it seems.

Why Feta cheese with tomato Salad, are there no good FRENCH cheeses ?

Warm potato and chopped green salad seems redundant to lyonnaise ?

Coquille St Jacques seems to be a clam dish and not a scallop dish...odd!

Lamb MILANESE ? hardly seems French.

Cassoulet, braised short ribs all summer ?

Making all the Plats du jour for two is just wierd on so many levels, does it mean only even numbered parties can order plats do jour ?

Why ?

[philadining]

Coquilles St Jacques seems to be a clam dish and not a scallop dish...odd!

That was my first reading too, but I can't tell if it's a clam dish, or scallops accompanied by a clam/corn/cream thing. If it is made with clams instead of scallops, it's a little strange. I guess we'll have to go find out.

Holly, I agree it's a little weird for us to be analyzing too closely before actually eating anything. I really hope we're not getting to be music snobs who just look at a score rather than listening!

I'm eager to check it out. I can't quite tell if it's open to the public and just not serving liquor yet, or if they're still in pre-opening test mode.

[mrbigjas]

i'm a music snob who knows what i hate before i even hear it. also i think fat bottom girls by queen is the greatest rock song ever written.

also i hardly ever see any movies but still have opinions about everything hollywood puts out.

however, i am still looking forward to coquette for the reason i stated above, and will happily go there for a nice grilled sardine or two. and maybe a roast chicken. and if the fries are good and the steak frites is an onglet, really that's all i ask. i'll head down at some point.

edited: p.s. i just wanted to use the phrase 'clamquilles st. jacques' real quick. ok.

Edited July 20, 2007 by mrbigjas (log)

[Capaneus]

It is neat that we have achieved a plateau on eGullet where we can dissect a restaurant even before it has opened.   

Michael, is it not "for deux" or "pour two"?   

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We haven't begun to dissect! Nothing terribly cutting has been said, so far. For instance, no one has mentioned that the ownership of the place might give us some reason for concern. We have discussed the menu oddities - which are, in fact, "open", in some sense - and only Vadouvan hinted that a place that puts forth such a slipshod public face is more than a little likely to let other things slide as well.

Heck, we've been outright angelic. Cherubic, even.

I agree with mrbigjas that a good French bistro is a good thing, especially since we just lost our best. But personally I feel this particular venture justifies only a glimmer of hope, not a wholehearted investment.

And then, there's the cute little Cochon place opening nearby. Maybe it's because I know less about it, but that's where my curiosity points me, at the moment.

[Buckethead]

I checked this place out last night, they are open for business but it's BYO until they get their liquor license, which is apparently imminent. We were a party of three and we were hungry, so I got to taste quite a few things. I don't know whether the menu is authentic French bistro or even whether the grammar and spelling were accurate, but I also don't really care too much if the food is good, and our food was very good. We didn't bother with the raw bar, we ordered off the regular menu, and here's what we had:

Apps: Duck rillette, mussels, and beet soup. All were good, the duck rillette was the best. One of the mussels was a little tough, but there was a giant plate of them, no big deal. Actually the mussels app plate was plenty for a main dish. The rillette was served with cornichons and a fruit spread (aigre-doux?) with figs and currants. Delicious, however it's spelled.

Mains: Roasted chicken, scallops (the 'Coquilles St. Jacques'), and rainbow trout. The trout was fantastic, skin perfectly crisp over the entire surface of both pieces, tender and light flesh. The menu's promise of an almond-anchovy sauce was a little unfulfilled, the pungent anchovy taste was a little too subtle. That's really picking nits, though, it was probably the best piece of fish we've had since Shola's suzuki at the Restaurant M dinner. Roasted chicken was above-average, I especially liked the pommes aligot.

I got the raspberry chocolate napoleon for dessert, my friends split the cheese plate, and we sampled the lavender ice cream as well. The napoleon was a little hard to manage, and not quite up to the level of what we'd eaten to that point, but still good. I think I'd try something else next time. The lavender ice cream was, as we were warned by our server, very intense. It was delicious, but a few spoonfuls was plenty for me. I didn't get to sample much of the cheese plate, but there was a great aged cheese and a nice blue. The coffee was very good too.

I think the server said that the chef was formerly of Loie.

For a place that had been open for a day and a half, they're off to an impressive start. Everything we had was good, some of it was great. I'll go back.

[philadining]

Thanks for the report! Despite the bitchiness here, I think we all want it to be good!

Any comments on the Coquilles St. Jacques? Was there a clam-studded sauce or something?

[Carlson1105]

Weird menu, kind of in Frenglish. Shrimp Cocktail? Is that French?

[mrbigjas]

we stopped by last night as well, but didn't eat there because of the lack of a liquor license yet... next time.

[Buckethead]

Thanks for the report! Despite the bitchiness here, I think we all want it to be good!

Any comments on the Coquilles St. Jacques? Was there a clam-studded sauce or something?

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Actually I didn't read the entire thread before I went there, so I wasn't aware of the confusion over that dish, and the scallops were someone else's. All I got to sample from that plate was the scallop itself. I'm not a big fan of scallops, so I'm probably not the best judge of them. Someone else at the table said it was good, but not as good as James or Pif. I didn't get a taste of the sauce, I'm afraid.

[CherieV]

FYI, this place was packed last night! I didn't eat there but from what I saw the food looked great and people were waiting. That's a good sign at least!

[Vadouvan]

Any comments on the Coquilles St. Jacques? Was there a clam-studded sauce or something?

Phil.

A few of "us" made an unsheduled touchdown at Coquette a few days ago.

Indeed the "Coquilles St Jacques" is a Scallop dish with 3 extremely large scallops sitting on a corn and clam stew.

Edited July 22, 2007 by Vadouvan (log)

[KatieLoeb]

...people were waiting. That's a good sign at least!

There's an extremely long wait at Olive Garden and Red Lobster too. The line is meaningless. The food looking good is meaningless if it tastes like crap.

What's the address of this place and who's running it?

[mrbigjas]

5th & bainbridge, cary neff.