I am happy to have been introduced to
Le Village (
127 East 7th St., New York, NY) by a couple of friends, because a BYOB (with no corkage) French restaurant is definitely a rare find! The French are known for their wine, and most French restaurants have a heavily French based wine list, so BYOB is often not very welcome.
Upon entering this East Village restaurant, I noticed how cozy and cute it was inside. It felt very warm and inviting and the staff extremely friendly and accommodating. The menu offers many options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free customers, which is pretty unheard of when it comes to French cuisine since meat and bread are standard staples of French cuisine.
 |
French Onion Soup - Swiss au Gratin
(Vegetarian Broth) |
To start, I had the French Onion Soup, which was served with a vegetarian broth, instead of the standard meat stock that French Onion Soup is normally made with. The top layer was extra crispy from the toasted baguette pieces, while the cheese was extremely gooey and creamy. There was so much cheese on this soup that it kept sticking to my spoon, which I am not complaining about, because the more cheese, the merrier! The broth was much lighter and thinner than other French onion soups that I have had because of the vegetarian stock, which made it seem healthier and more enjoyable. Also, there were a lot of onions in the broth which I loved because I love onions! My only complaint about this soup is the temperature, as it was way TOO hot! Even after blowing on each bite several times, it still burned my mouth, which unfortunately made the rest of the evening a little more difficult because of my burned taste buds :( Now, a few days later my mouth is still recovering.
 |
Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries |
Next we shared the sautéed brussel sprouts, which were probably the most unique brussel sprouts I have ever had. They were fresh instead of the standard savory. They were mixed with strawberries and seasoned with pepper and a balsamic glaze. The balsamic glaze was almost similar to syrup and added a delicious sweet flavor to the vegetables, while the pepper gave it a little extra flavor. I definitely think strawberries and brussel sprouts are a great combination that I never would have considered!
After doing some searching, I found the recipe online, and I think I am going to make it at home now!
 |
Royan's Ravioles al la Creme
Fresh little French raviolis stuffed with Comte cheese garlic, parsley, cooked with heavy cream and truffle oil |
Next we enjoyed the Royan's Raviolis al la Creme, which were VERY miniature raviolis served in a creamy, cheesy, garlic sauce loaded with truffle oil. I have never seen such tiny raviolis before, which made it easy to eat, since each one was bite size. This was one of my favorite starters because of its rich truffle flavor and simplicity. It was the perfect size, since it was a little heavier due to the cream, and all you needed was a taste because of its richness! I would definitely order this again!
 |
Cassoulet
Mixed Beans stewed, smoke portobello, oyster, shiitakes mushrooms, sliced boiled potato, eggplant, olive oil |
For our main course, we shared 3 entrees that were all very different from one another. My favorite was actually the Cassoulet, which was quite surprising since it was vegetarian. I loved the lightness of this dish, and how it was filled with flavor and hearty vegetables. It was a stew of beans, portobello, oysters, and shiitakes mushrooms, potatoes, eggplant, and olive oil. The tomatoes on the top of the dish added extra flavor, while the bread crumbs on the top added the crunch that made each bite sensational. Also, the abundance of mushrooms made me enjoy this dish even more since I rarely get to eat mushrooms due to my fiancé's allergy. This was the perfect dish to enjoy on a cold winter evening. MMM!
 |
Gnocchi Parisian au Gratin
with truffles, mornay sauce, and swiss cheese
(French Mac and Cheese!) |
The Gnocchi Parisian au Gratin was my other favorite entree. It was referred to as the French Mac and Cheese! It was extra creamy with a mixture of cheeses making the mornay sauce, and also swiss cheese. The addition of truffles gave it a rich flavor. It wasn't as truffle flavored as the ravioli appetizer, but it was delicious and more subtle. The burned cheese on the edges I loved because it added some burned bitterness to the somewhat indulgent meal! I didn't realize gnocchi could be considered a French dish, but apparently it can be :)
 |
Coq au Vin
Red wine, bacon, onion, mushroom, bouquet garni, stewed chicken |
The last entree, the Coq au Vin was my least favorite dish because of its stew-like flavor. I thought it was a little on the blander side compared to the other dishes, but still very tasty. It was definitely the perfect dish for winter. It consisted of chicken on a bone, potatoes, and mushrooms. The red wine, bacon, and onion stock gave the dish a super hearty flavor. I also learned that the chef started preparing this dish a week in advance to make sure the chicken is overly tender and so that everything is stewed to perfection.
 |
Banana Brûlée
French Pastry Cream, Nila style cookies, caramelized sugar coating |
For dessert, we shared 3 selections that were all very different from each other. I was excited to see that the brûlée on the menu wasn't your typical brûlée with caramel flavoring. The brûlée on the menu at Le Village was banana flavored! Upon my first bite of this tasty treat, I enjoyed the extra crispy caramelized sugar coating, which is my favorite part of creme brûlée, and this was true in this case too! The creme part of this dessert was much more refreshing and flavorful than a standard creme brûlée because the addition of banana really made it much more interesting and tasty.
 |
Fondant au Chocolate
Dark Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream Strawberry, Coulis and Whipped Cream |
The Fondant au Chocolate was my favorite of our three desserts because I am very biased when it comes to lava cake. If it's on the menu, I must order it because it's my favorite. This one in particular was amazing with oozing dark chocolate in the center with a nice warm cake on the outside. The vanilla ice cream was also very fresh and creamy and a nice contrast to the warm chocolate cake. The cream was definitely homemade and enjoyable. I would eat this dessert everyday if it didn't come with the weight gain!
 |
Minute Baked Vegan Seasonal Tart
Apple Tart, served with Coconut Sorbet |
The apple tart was delicious and light. It wasn't overly crusted and was more about the actual apple rather than the crust. I almost couldn't find the crust under all the apple slices. Also the coconut sorbet that accompanied the tart was amazing! It was so coconut-y, that it reminded me of a pina colada. It was definitely a nice addition to the plate.
I really enjoyed my dinner at Le Village. The food was very authentic to France and the desserts were unbeatable. The service was also very friendly, and they took their time in delivering each course to the table, which I always appreciate. I would definitely recommend this place to friends. It is a great place for a date, or even a group of friends. Just grab a bottle of Bordeaux and enjoy a nice romantic dinner there!
