Quercy?

[efdee]

We like La Luncheonette but haven't been to Quercy, their Brooklyn restaurant. How is it? TIA

[efdee]

Thanks for all the terrific input. After all that, Petite Crevette could be closest to what I'm looking for.

[bobjbkln]

Other suggestions:
Canaille (PS) - Good food but smaall menue and quirky atmosphere and chef/owner.
A.O.C. Bistro (PS) - Ordinary, but quite authentic bistro.
Autour du Monde (FG) - Haven't tried
Le Barricou (WB) - Haven't tried
Le P'tit Paris (Windsor Terrace) - New with generally favorable reviews here
and in your neighborhood: Pomme de Terre got goor reviews when it opened a while ago.

-----
AOC Bistro
259 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Canaille
78 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Autour du Monde
860 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Pomme de Terre
1301 Newkirk Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11230

Le Barricou
533 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

[efdee]

Thank you bobjbklyn, for an interesting, unfamiliar list -- except for Pomme de Terre.

Had dinner there twice, about a year apart, and both meals were disappointing. Not horrible, just disappointing in preparation, service, and presentation. Portions were large, but the food was dull and expensive. Too bad b/c we WANTED to like the place.

[Elaine Snutteplutten]

I only ate there once this past summer, and thought it was OK, but nothing special or memorable. At the time, they were doing a very cheap dinner special -- don't remember the exact price but it was notably inexpensive (low 20's for 3 courses or something like that). The people were extremely sweet, accomodating us outside with our rambunctious canine dining companion (not my dog and I DON'T endorse dining with a not fully trained dog, but not my call) and helping with some tasty wine suggestions.

The food however was standard retro bistro fare -- I had a goat cheese in puff pastry salad to start and an enormous merguez couscous special (enough for 2 or 3) to follow -- and was reminded of my first student on a budget trips to Paris 20 years ago. Nostalgic, but not particularly delicious or memorable.

Definitely good quantity to price ratio though!

[efdee]

Thanks, Elaine, I don't think Quercy is what I'm looking for. Which Brooklyn French restaurants do you like better in the less-than-$50 pp-range?

And thanks for the detailed Purple Yam report. I live around the corner and am waiting for the hype to cool down.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving.

[Steve R]

Brooklyn French... my roundup:

Quercy - I dont think either the food or the service is consistant. Ehh
Bacchus - used to be good. Seriously downhill the last few years. Dont go.
Jolie - mediocre & overpriced. Sometimes good. Sometimes not friendly.
Tabac - if you want a loud, friendly, informal, ok food. Nothing more than that. Ehh
Sue Perette - new and I havent been
Pit Stop - easy going, with lots of children running around when outside is open. Okay
Provence en Boite - can be very uneven, but we tend to like it. I worry about recommending it.
Petit Marche - not bad sometimes but currently closed by DOH. ???

C'est tout? I think I'm forgetting some place. Patois is gone.

[LED]

What about Cafe Luluc on Smith St.? We've only been for brunch which was fine but not substantially different in quality from Tabac. Can anyone comment on Luluc's food at lunch/dinner?

[Elaine Snutteplutten]

Steve, I think you've summed up the sad state of the competition pretty well. I used to enjoy Pit Stop's garden, although their food was erratic, but I believe I heard they closed.

I walked by something brand new looking on Smith in the old Patois space on Sunday -- La Petite Provence (if I were Provence en Boite, I might be a bit annoyed by my new neighbor) -- looks like a bakery/wine bar/cafe -- big signs advertising croissants $2 in the window, but also meals being advertised.

I used to like Ici best for casual French in Brooklyn, but my last visits have disappointed. More for odd service, unpleasant drafts and being out of a lot of things (on their already small menu) than for specific food issues.

I agree with Steve below that Petite Crevette is tasty and cosy, but there was recently a bunch of internet buzz about Neil Ganic throwing a lobster at an annoying customer. However, I want to throw lobsters at my fellow diners from time to time, so still probably worth a shot.

[missmasala]

I believe La Petite Provence is owned by the same people as Provence en Boite, so no need for them to be annoyed.

[Elaine Snutteplutten]

I should never underestimate the ability of restauranteurs in this neighborhood to open a nearly identical restaurant within blocks of one they already own! :)

[Steve R]

Provence en Boite does own La Petite Provence and is trying out a "small plates" concept (isnt everyone?). I havent looked at the menu yet. Neil has a temper and got into a heated argument with a friend of mine at the original P.Crevette on Atlantic 20 or so years ago over (I think) a request to have the crab cakes without the bread (my friend didnt want a sandwich). I think he insisted on charging her more, since it was a request and not on the menu. It was just his way of saying "my way or the highway". What's a thrown lobster among friends? It's the passion he brings to his cooking as well, I guess.

[efdee]

In an ideal world, chefs -- no matter who they are -- would accept that they are in the hospitality business : ) But even though it will be a special occasion dinner, I will have no problem with "the highway" (literally in this case), if it comes to that. Sad to even have to think about this crap when making dinner plans, but thanks for the heads-up.

[efdee]

Thank you all very much for the great input. It sounds like Petite Crevette comes closest to what I'm looking for.

[famdoc]

Re: Ici

We eat at Ici several times a year, and were there recently. No problem with food, service, or atmospheric conditions. We enjoy their skate and it again was prepared very well. I'm just a bit concerned that only four tables were occupied on a Saturday evening at 8 PM. Would be very disappointed to see them fail.

[efdee]

Thanks, Steve R, for your comprehensive -- and uninspiring -- list. Do you know whether Almondine is a restaurant or just a bakery?

[Steve R]

As far as I know, it's a bakery. Luluc's was the place I was forgetting... thanks LED. Try Sue Perette and maybe Provence en Boite... maybe?

[Steve R]

I'm getting old & my memory is slowly going. There's a lot more in Bklyn & I forgot everything outside of my immediate vicinity. However, in my vicinity, the Slope has Moutarde and Belleville (havent impressed me either), but I've heard decent things about Robin des Bois (havent tried it) on Smith. In Ft. Greene there are a couple of decent places including Ici and just on the other side of the BQE off Union is Petite Crevette, which I've always really liked if Neil Ganic is cooking (& I think he is).