Chez Fonfon and I
Like an old friend, she is always here for me.
By Jan Walsh
I hate Octobers. If I could, I would find a magical calendar that skips this month every year because bad things tend to happen in October. And this month was no exception, with the loss of our 14-Year-Old Cavalier Kings Charles Spaniel, precious Wyckie.
Today is our first outing since. And I choose lunch at Frank and Pardis Stitt's Chez Fonfon because here I can laugh, or I can cry. Seated in our favorite corner, the window table of the bar, her warm, French jaune walls wrap around me, protecting from the worries of the world as the antique lights glow like halos above. Sizzling aromas of escargot fill my senses, warming my soul. “People never forget how you make them feel. And in restaurants those feelings become the brand,” Chef Craig Shelton, The Enlightened Restaurant. I just finished reading Craig’s book. And his section on “Designing Delight” brought my past experiences at Fonfon to mind. Highly recommended reading for restaurateurs, chefs, and foodies.
I feel the need to order something comforting… something like champagne. Relating to Lily Bollinger, “I drink Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad…” Thus, we opt for a bottle of Crémant de Saumur Louis de Grenelle Brut Rosé. We toast the life of “The Wyck” as autumn leaves fall outside, sticking to vehicles as they pass by on Highland Avenue.
We pair our flutes with Charcuterie Board and Cheese Plate. I am sometimes disappointed by restaurant charcuterie, in both quality and quantity. Not at Fonfon. Our charcuterie tour starts at the top, left with a slice of house made country pâté, which combines chicken liver mousse, foie gras, pork belly, pork shoulder, and a bit of pistachio, all cooked together with brandy and white wine, before being chilled and sliced. Next is French ham, duck and pork rillettes, cured meats of salami and sopressa, whole grain mustard, tart marinated potatoes, colorful watermelon radishes, celery root remoulade, sweet golden beets, arugula, and toast points. Artisanal cheeses include a variety of goat, cow, and sheep’s milk cheeses from France, Indiana, and England, along with a generous portion of country walnuts, and baguette. We mix and match, layering meats, cheeses, and veggies onto the bread and slathering with mustard. This interactive course is a joy to experience! Combining these two make the ultimate charcuterie and cheese board and more than we can eat.
More comfort is found in our entrees. Kev has today’s special, Potée Lorraine. And it occurs to me that I have never had Hamburger Fonfon. Although I hate to admit it, I have only had bites of Kev’s. So, the burger has my name on it too. Kev’s French stew is a rich and hearty bowl of melt in the mouth braised pork, savory sausage, fresh cabbage, and supple, creamy marcella beans. Fonfon may be an old friend, but she is also a man pleaser with this heartwarming stew. My signature burger comes open faced with a thick (here’s the beef) patty coated in bubbling comté cheese. Speaking of cheese, savory complexities of this comté just make the burger. I could forgo the top of the bun. Not today. I top the beef with accompaniments of grilled red onion, lettuce, and pickles. Add the bun’s top making it a beefy, juicy handheld. As a side, I forgo fried, substituting the pommes frites for fluffy fingerling potatoes.
For dessert, I am tempted by my all-time favorite, Chocolate Pot de Crème. Yet I am feeling the “delight,” of trying something new. So, we share the seasonal Pear and Almond Tart. The classic French pastry is presented on elegant, fine china, reminiscent of my grandmother’s. The buttery golden crust is crowned with amethyst-colored, juicy, sliced pears, encircled with crunchy sliced almonds, atop a creamy almond frangipane, topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. The counterbalance of its textures and flavors integrate into a superb synthesis. Like a visit with an old friend, when feeling down, I leave Fonfon happier than I came. And the leftover charcuterie and cheese will be delightful tomorrow.
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