French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwich

A bowl of French onion soup emitting a fragrant aroma with hints of dry white wine (and perhaps cognac), big crouton, melting Gruyère and maybe (I say maybe for the 'purists') thyme and bay leaf is screaming grilled cheese sandwich. All the components are there (bread and cheese, clearly) and a French onion twist with its slow-cooked onions caramelized to a golden brown sweetness.

Grilled cheese is a simple American classic. But to make it taste outstanding, quality components are necessary. In addition to good cheese and bread, the texture must also be considered. A golden, buttery, crisp bread surface with soft interior and cheese melted through until gooey. Lackluster grilling and un-melted cheese are already signs of grilled cheese gone wrong. Personally, I prefer to butter toast the inside of the sandwich bread as well so the interior is not soggy, mushy, nor saggy.

This French onion soup grilled cheese sandwich was my first experiment. I took some freshly baked French baguette already at room temperature and cut it in half lengthwise. From a vat of French onion soup, I ladled a healthy helping of the soup onions onto the bread. Rich soup the onions carried soaked into the bread to add flavor, but the thick crust would protect the exterior from getting soggy. A layer of Gruyère was placed atop the onions. In a cast-iron pan over medium-low heat, a nob of butter was melted and the sandwich placed on top and weighted with another heavy pan until one side browned. The process was repeated for the other side so it the sandwich would be evenly crisped. Toasting the sandwich in the oven would also be effective.

The resulting grilled cheese sandwich was actually pretty good. The flavors of each aspect in the assemblage of a classic French onion soup were present: onion soup, crouton, and Gruyère. The bread was buttery and crisp on the outside and the Gruyère was completely melted. However, the bread on the inside was soggy from the soup. The interior sides would be best dry-toasted to counter this. It is also important to use a good French onion soup. The one used at this instance did not have as deep of a color as one would like and the onion flavor was less intense. Time and patience are necessary to draw out the sugars from the onions, which creates that lovely dark brown color.

Yeah, I am definitely going to make this again.

French Comfort at Franc

At the back of Ferguson Lane sits a lovely French bistro called Franck. The decor of the restaurant is decidedly French with a cozy, candle-lit feel. Franck is known in Shanghai to be one of the best if not the best restaurants for French food. Now, we must emphasize this is about French food and not service, which has received mixed reviews. In any case, an invitation to dine at Franck could not be refused.

Walking through the doors and past the red curtains, there is a little store seamlessly integrated with the decor selling cheese, meats, and other goods and a small waiting area on the left. The bistro extends further back revealing a bar and a wine room. The dining room has a quiet murmur of Chinese and expats alike taking time with their meals.

The server arrives with two menus written on blackboard: one for the starters and another for the mains. This gives the impression that the dishes are seasonal and based on availability, a sign of freshness.


From the selection of starters, the "tomate, mozzarella di bufala" (140RMB) and "la grande charcuterie" (290RMB) was chosen. The first was presented as a large ball of fresh mozzarella and a cluster of fresh, incredibly ripe tomatoes with pesto and balsamic reduction. It was quite rustic to cut into the juicy tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and sliding it in the sauce of choice. The portion of mozzarella was not equal to the tomatoes given, which lowered the mozzarella to tomato ratio per bite. The la grande charcuterie was quite generous with cured meats piled on the wooden board with a large slice of the house-made terrine de campagne, a heaping of caramelized onions, and a thick slice of foie gras which became even more buttery as it reached room temperature. About four types of thinly cured meats were counted. All this was accompanied by imported butter and warm, crusty bread. The board of meats was magnificently satisfying. With six people reaching for this board, most were already feeling full before the mains arrived.

As there were six eating, the table decided to order all but the most expensive entree, the côte de boeuf (Australia) at 640RMB.



The best dish for most was the poulet rôti (180RMB) or roasted chicken, which covered mushrooms and rested on a cloud of potato pureé surrounded by jus with a few pods of blanched green beans and accompanied by fries. The chicken was moist and tender regardless of which angle it was cut from. The mushrooms and mashed potatoes were buttery and melted against your tongue. This dish is what many would think of when the idea of comforting French bistro cooking comes to mind. The fries were disappointing as they were nicely roasted on the outside, but a bit raw on the inside, revealing that these fries were cooked only once instead of twice. The lotte à américaine (200RMB) was a white fish cooked in a creamy orange sauce that tasted of French cognac and had a sweetness of saffron. The sauce was flavorful and carried the moist fish well. Another memorable dish was the pigeon feuilleté (220RMB), which was encased in a thin layer of puff pastry (or what looked like a few layers of phylo dough) and stuffed with foie gras and spinach (which was not evident after cutting the pigeon in half). The pigeon was indeed gamey and the foie gras carried the deep flavors even further. The thin layer of pastry covering the pigeon added a slightly crunchy texture to the tender meats. The dish was supposed to come with a pot of mushrooms as was seen earlier on another table, but never did arrive.



Out of all the plates that received the most hype, the tartare de boeuf (160RMB) did not live up to its reputation. The beef did not melt against your tongue as easily and was a bit chewy. Another disappointment was the seliole grillée (220RMB) or grilled monkfish (the English term for "seliole" was not clear). The flesh of the fish tasted, well, fishy. The ratatouille the monkfish was served with was not as thinly sliced as one would like, but it did still have a nice rustic texture to it. The selle d'agneau rôtie (220RMB) or roasted lamb was and accompanied by lentils. The lamb was cooked rare and was moist all the way through, but the lentils added nothing more than texture to the star of its dish.


For dessert, everyone shared the nougat glacé and crème brûlée. The nougat ice cream had large bits of hard nougat and almonds with in the ice cream and drizzled with a fresh berry sauce. The crème brûlée was served in an extremely shallow ramekin. The custard was more milky than custard in taste and was a bit runny. Though, no one can deny they love a crispy sugar topping.

The dinner at Franck left you cozy and comfortable with service that was not intrusive, allowing you to simply enjoy the experience of eating good food. The French in Shanghai are right to call Franck among the best to represent their nation's gastronomic fare.

Franck. Ferguson Lane, 376 Wukang Lu (by Hunan Lu) 武康路376号 (近湖南路), Shanghai, People's Republic of China. www.Franck.com.cn

Enoterra's Croque Monsieur

Enoterra (formerly Enoteca) updated its food menu and removed the duck sandwich in favor of a croque monsieur (about 68RMB if memory serves as the menu is not online), a French hot ham and emmental or gruyère cheese sandwich. After a couple of bottles of wine, why not try it? The sandwich is huge and a great value for what it is worth, especially considering the relative size of sandwiches in Shanghai. The kitchen will even cut up the croque monsieur to make its sharing easier in a group. The sandwich has an even balance of cheese, ham, and bread. The cheese was perfectly melted and slightly toasted on top, stretching into wires when pieces of the sandwich were removed from its whole. The bread was not soggy from the butter and cheese. The ham completed the sandwich with its slight sweetness. The duck sandwich is still missed, but Enoterra's decadent croque monsieur is not a bad substitute.

Enoterra. 53-57 Anfu Lu (near Wulumuqi Lu) 安福路53-57号, 近乌鲁木齐路, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

Ethics of Foie Gras

I just read this fascinating article on Serious Eats by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt on "The Physiology of Foie: Why Foie Gras is Not Unethical." For those skeptical to the idea of force feeding, a friend's impression of a Moulard duck during the gavage process struggling and shaking its throat did not help. A visit to a La Belle Farms in Hudson Valley cleared up a lot of hearsay and answered questions. At this farm, the ducks were found to look healthy and live comfortably. A lot of emphasis was placed on how humans must avoid anthropomorphizing the animals as the physiology of the animal may differ greatly from that of a human. One should also take into consideration the origin and the process of animal products when making purchases to support a good farm instead of a bad one or making generalized judgements based on the worst. Take some positive steps in consumer behavior to encourage change in standards. I was quite taken by this article and found it fascinating as a person appreciative of foie gras and curious about the process of producing a high-quality product. This is definitely worth a read and consideration.

Speaking of foie gras, does anyone know where one can find a whole, prepared lobe of foie gras in Shanghai for retail sale?

Merci, Germany, for your chocolate

Merci - when associated with chocolate - is supposed to mean the "finest Assortment of European Chocolates with a brand name that literally means thank you, there is no better way of expressing heartfelt gratitude." Merci is actually a brand of French chocolate manufactured by a German company.

Merci Milk Chocolate variety box came with 20 milk chocolate, hazelnut-almond, hazelnut cream, and praline cream sticks lined up in two rows. The cellophane and paper wrapper was easy to open and did not stick to the chocolate. Its simplicity made it elegant and not too fussy. In the hazelnut creme stick, the milk chocolate encased a small bar of light-colored hazelnut creme, which was silky and nutty, but the hazelnut flavor started to dissipate after the next few nibbles. I preferred the hazelnut-almond stick the most with bits of hazelnut and almond in the chocolate. The crunchy texture was complimented by the smooth milk chocolate, though highlighting the chocolate over the nut flavors. The milk chocolate was smooth, creamy, but too sweet in comparison with the others. The praline creme is dryer than the hazelnut creme and the flavor, again, is very subtle with only hints of caramelized sugar. The chocolate is very, very, smooth. This was the overarching characteristic of the chocolate sticks that I noticed. However, I am not really a fan of milk chocolate though, preferring the bitterness of cocoa nibs. Someone get me the Dark Chocolate variety!

Breakfast Sandwich at Boulange

Early morning walking through Hayes Valley in the conflicting state of breakfast or sandwich, I walked into La Boulange. From the street you could see several diners inside reading the morning paper or working remotely and people queueing for a breakfast order, coffee, or pastry to go. Relatively large numbers of patrons in one place is promising. It turns out that La Boulange is actually a chain bakery in San Francisco, but this fact did not seem to deter regular customers.

The menu on the wall had the perfect breakfast sandwich to appease cravings for an American breakfast and a sandwich. It was hard to choose when the healthier yogurt options and tempting The egg and cheese sandwich (US$7.00) comes with tomato and a choice of bacon, ham, smoked salmon, or avocado on crossaint, plain or multigrain country bread with fresh fruit. My order had bacon with multigrain bread. If only the order could have come with all the options because I would have liked to try them all (without paying extra)...at least the avocado. It was hearty, but the bread was a little on the dry side causing slight abrasion in my mouth whilst chewing. There was not enough fluffy egg to balance the dryness or the addition of avocado could have helped. As much as I enjoyed eating this breakfast with the residents of Hayes Valley, this is something to try to recreate at home.

La Boulange Bakery. 500 Hayes Street (by Octavia), San Francisco, CA 94102, United States.

Cafe Chloe

I actually came to Cafe Chloe several years ago when it first opened and the East Village was being gentrified as a hipper, more local alternative to the Gaslamp. A friend and I came late for a dessert of creme brulee and a bottle of sparkling wine to once again celebrate the fact that neither of us had money to spend. Flash-forward a few years later. The Chowhound boards are buzzing with recommendations for Cafe Chloe and the small wine bar established itself as a dining destination in San Diego.


On a Monday evening, the small restaurant was able to accommodate a party of three outside, though smashed around a tiny table. The "larger" tables inside were not that much bigger. With nice weather, it is nicer to sit outside anyway. The restaurant does not take reservations for smaller parties. Promptly seated, the server immediately asks what we would like to drink and even offers a small sampling of a few wines to accompany the meal. This detail of service is amazing because we got to choose a wine that suited our palates. Ended up going with a medium-bodied red to match the variety of dishes we selected created by chef Katie Grebow.


We shared the starter of the corn and smoked mozzarella tart with pickled shallot ($8.75), which was then cut into thirds for sharing. The corn added a sweet taste to the meatiness of the smoked mozzarella. Its summery taste matched the ambiance and was a good start for the dinner.


After some time as each dish is made to order, the entrees eventually came out. The local white sea bass with ragout of summer vegetables, herb salad, espellette pepper sauce, grilled ciabatta ($23.00) was lightly overcooked as we saw it sitting under the heat lamp waiting for the other dishes to finish preparation. The sea bass had a thick crust, but the fish inside was not light and flaky, but rather dry. The fish should have been prepared last out of the other dishes. Ordering the steak & frites with roquefort, onion marmalade, and sautéed spinach and wild mushroom ($21.75) also meant that Cafe Chloe will donate $1.00 to the S.D Food Bank's Food for Kids' Backpack Program, at least during the month of August. The steak was more on the rare side than the requested medium-rare, but was still succulent with the generous chunks of roquefort. The frites were also well-executed and added a new texture in between bites of steak. Also on the side were the spinach and a variety of tender wild mushrooms. The plat du jour: choucroute garnie- fresh cherries & brandy pork sausage, brined pork loin, spiced pork belly, sauerkraut and butterball potatoes ($23.00) showcased pork in one of its several forms. The pork belly tasted more buttery than spiced - so lusious. Pale in comparison were the sausage, still rich and slightly sweet, and the loin. Full from the dinner, we passed on the dessert.

The foodie mill was right to recommend Cafe Chloe as a great place to dine, but the experience was not as mind-blowing as the hype led it up to be. That was slightly disappointing because I expected each bite to provoke wide-eyed amazement and wonder of the food. Maybe my taste buds have been spoilt by too much foie gras imported from the southwest region of France.

Cafe Chloe. 721 9th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101-6481, United States. (619) 232-3242. Open Weekdays 7:30am-10:30pm; Sat 8:30am-10:30pm; Sun 7:30am-9:30pm. www.cafechloe.com

French Crepes at work

Even in a country and city with delicious Chinese food from different regions, special treats from home are often yearned for. At a leaving lunch, crepes were prepared in the office. The actual crepe was prepared the night before and was to be filled with a savory and sweet filling right before lunch.

Typically French, butter was used. A lot of it.The first crepe had mushrooms, ham, emmental cheese, and a fried egg. The mushrooms were probably sauteed in a lot of butter as well. The pan was prepared with a nob of butter melted and coating the entire pan. The crepe was gently placed on top and the filling was carefully distributed in one quarter. After this perfect quarter section of the crepe was covered, the crepe was folded over to cover the quarter. In order for everyone to eat at once, they were placed in the oven to keep warm. ::gasp:: This place had an oven - in China!


The sweet crepe was a classic crepe suzette. As really lovely fresh oranges were not found at the fruit vendors, orange marmalade was used and mixed with a lot of butter. This orange marmalade butter was melted in the pan in large portions. About 3/4 cup first. Then pre-folded crepes were placed in the pan in quarters and more of the orange marmalade butter was melted on top, about another 1/2 cup. Midway through the cooking, the crepes were unfolded and refolded to soak up more of this melted buttery mixture. The Cointreau was prepared in a second pot, simmering to reduce. After part of the reduction, a flame was held against the fumes to burn off the remaining alcohol and also provide a show as well as the possibility of burning the kitchen. The Cointrieau was then poured on top of the crepes bubbling in the pan. These were definitely more decadent in taste from the buttery richness and tartness from the orange flavors.


It was nice to have something decidedly French in a palate primarily taken over by Chinese food as of late. All were left full and unable to move. Just don't think about the amount of butter used.

Sorry, no recipes available.

La Creperie

After the ravings I heard from a friend, a trip to La Creperie was in order for a Sunday brunch. The owner is very French. And the people working there are also very French (at least the French ones). This I am told by my French dining partner. That is a good sign of some authenticity.

The crepes were nice. Not too thick, but could be a little thinner. Perhaps I ordered "the wrong one" or one of the misses on the menu. The salad with walnuts and goat cheese was meager, though there was more goat cheese embedded in the crepe. The mushroom, bacon, and cream crepe sitting across from me looked way more attractive. Looking around, it did appear that the crepe menu was either a hit or miss. We did not opt for the brunch deal instead paying 78RMB and 72RMB for our respective crepes. My French dining partner did not make any indication if this creperie was complete crap or really good, giving a somewhat average impression of the place. Or this could be the French attitude.

Leaving somewhat satisfied from the light meal, the price matching the value is still debatable. More should be sampled from the menu to give these crepes a better judgment.

La Creperie. Taojiang Lu,near Fenyang Lu.桃江路1号, 近汾阳路 Shanghai, China

Le Petit Bistro - Nha Trang

A hard overnight coach from Saigon to Nha Trang combined with checking into an overpriced hotel room during the high season of Tet called for a breakfast splurge. After walking around the coastal streets looking for at least a street vendor for breakfast (none of which were in sight because it was the night before Tet began), I stumbled upon Le Petit Bistro. Food is cheap in Vietnam, even non-Vietnamese food. Why not?

Out of the bare menu, the eggs benedict looked like the most bang for the dong considering an omelette and baguette were not worth that much or a sad looking pastry with preserves. To accompany the meal, fresh mango juice was ordered.

Eggs benedict were fair. Baguette cut in half with a thick slice of ham and a helping of hollandaise sauce on top. Orange juice and more hollandaise sauce were served on the side in shot glasses. The hollandaise sauce was slightly citrusy. The best part was the mango juice, which was literally mangoes put through a juicer with bits of mango fibers in the juice. If only it was also made cold before serving.

Circumstances given, the breakfast was decent, especially for Western fare. Bear the heat and keep walking to taste Vietnam.

Le Petit Bistro. #26D D Tran Quang Khai, Nha Trang, Vietnam

Balthazar

Eduardo Vargas, please stop your restaurant ADD.

The soft opening of the latest venture of Vargas, Balthazar, set in a cozy nook in the lanes off Taikang Lu / Jianguo Lu, offered 2-for-1 draft specials and a 30% discount on the total bill. The promos on SmartShanghai and CityWeekend were alluring enough to make a reservation at this "French bistro" and check things out. Plus, paying full-price is not attractive when a discount could be found.

As the layout of the restaurant is not suited for the slightly disabled or handicapped, we were seated outside on the cozy patio on a warm autumn evening, though left to the mercy of countless mosquitoes taking one last nip before winter hits. The seating of the restaurant is mainly on the second and third floors with bar space on the ground level. The “cheese cave” did not hold any cheese, but a prep area.

For dinner, we ordered the terrine de canard, lobster bisque, mushroom crepes, and confit de canard (which the kitchen ran out of, so instead they sent duck on a bed of spinach and beets) to go down with the 2-for-1 Hoegarten draft beers. With the busy soft opening, it almost seemed like our lovely Filipino server almost forgot about us.

The lobster bisque was an utter disaster. The color looked more brown than a flushed pink and the lukewarm bisque showed a failed attempt at any thickening (from the faint raw flavor of a roux that should not be there). It tasted more like some other crustacean than crab, devoid of flavor or character or a badly needed splash of sherry or more chunks of “lobster”. Even the lone dime-sized lump of “lobster” floating in the bisque was surprisingly dry.


The terrine de canard did not fare any better. It arrived on a plate with a small salad and drizzled with a sort of pesto sauce. Already that was wrong for serving. The complimentary bread was used as a vehicle for the terrine, which had more filler than actual duck.


Resembling enchiladas in a wide ramekin, the mushroom crepes appear to have been cooked in a manner similar to an enchilada. Mushrooms were wrapped by a crepe too thick and doughy before being placed in the ramekin, covered in a green crème sauce, and blasted under a boiler. The flavors came through individually, but did not marry in the dish.


Last hope for the duck, which had a nice flavor, but a little on the dry side. The spinach and beets, however, were really nice. Maybe the only redeeming quality of the entire meal.


Our server told us and begged us to offer our comments, suggestions, and criticisms of the meal and even went further to permit us to be brutally honest. The disappointment was great enough that she took off the lobster bisque from our final bill.

While waiting for the bill to arrive, a Chinese party found the chef at the entrance and also told him that the food was terrible. I was unsure if it was just my personal taste, but the sentiment reverberated through other diners (save one Vargas cheerleader on the CityWeekend site) showing the kitchen was still developing and needed drastic improvement. If only this Chinese man waited a few more moments for Vargas to show up and review the damage.

Vargas, please stick to what you know and try not to move too fast. With the restaurant gems bearing the Vargas name in Shanghai, it would be a shame to ruin a gastronomic reputation with quick expansion. All that talent could be lost in impulsive restaurant decisions resulting in poor execution, lack of attention, and dissatisfied fans.

Perhaps another visit is needed in the future to see if there has been any improvement in the kitchen since the soft opening. Anyone? Anyone?

Balthazar. No. 7, Lane 155 Jianguo Lu, Shanghai, China. Near Ruijin Lu and Taikang Lu.

London Restaurant Week - Papillon

A meal deal through London's Restaurant Week means that those with a tighter budget with a taste for high end will get to enjoy a gastronomical pleasure with a guilt-free wallet. It gives a chance for these restaurants to showcase their cuisine and expertise to a more accessible audience.

Papillon looks like the picture-perfect corner bistro in a smaller, upscale neighborhood that you would frequent once a week or so. Draycott Avenue is a lovely, charming street in South Kensington dotted with unique shops and indulgent places to eat. The interior matches the vibe and is not too fussy. As "another stunning venture from Danish born restauranteur Soren Jessen, owner of top London eatery 1 Lombard Street," the food is expected to match the high caliber of the top City restaurant.

The fixed menu was divided into vegetarian and omnivore with little options for starter, entrée, and dessert. When the food produced by Head Chef David Duverger arrived, the conclusion is that it is decidedly French. From an amateur French palate with simple understanding of French cuisine, the dishes were characteristically buttery and salty - too salty and buttery.


The stand-out dish of the meal was the starter, foie gras on a bed of lentils with a drizzling of some sort of balsamic reduction and rocket. Decadent. The foie gras was lightly grilled to develop a subtle caramelization. The buttery texture was contrasted with the peppery bite of arugula and intense flavor subdued with the lentils. The meal went somewhat downhill from that point. The other starter was a mushroom creme soup which was more creme than mushroom flavored. Sea bream on a bed of spring vegetables with an olive paste was the beautifully presented main. It was unfortunate that the presentation did not match the flavor and the bright color of the green baby vegetables covered the thoughtlessness in choice. The entire dish tasted as if it were mopped with clarified butter and then dehydrated with salt. The purpose of the olive tapenade was not clearly understood as it more masked the taste of the sea bream than enhanced it. For dessert was a simple apple tart, which had no distinguishing qualities from any high street bakery.


Papillon was worth the one-time visit only to experience what everyone else in the world believes is characteristic of French food leaving the diner heavy and bloated afterward. It would not be advisable to have your cholesterol tested the next day as a few days after would be required to siphon off the unnecessary use of excess butter and salt from your system after a visit to this restaurant.

Papillon. 96 Draycott Avenue, London, SW3 3AD. www.papillonchelsea.co.uk