Photographs by Thomas Mcgovern
Summer Street, south of Broad, has become a mecca for adventurous eaters. The latest gem in the international cast of restaurants is CAFÉ NOIR, which bills itself as a “bistronomie”—a marriage of bistro and gastronomy—and honestly, we could not think of a better label to call this lovely French dining spot.
It’s cozy—only thirty-four seats—however the tables are perfectly positioned to afford diners privacy and space. They could have squeezed in a few more tables, so we applaud their restraint. The décor, with an abundance of candlelight and lovely black-beaded chandeliers hanging from a wood-beamed ceiling, contributes to the welcoming ambience. The music is eclectic, from Bob Marley to American standards and light jazz, and the scene is completed with two brick walls; a small but more-than-adequately stocked non-seating bar; and butcher-papered tables that if you were bored would make the perfect vehicle for a game of tic-tac-toe or hangman. But why waste your time on silly games when you’re here to eat? And that should be the focus of your visit.
left: a specialty cocktail; right: cheese platter;
beet salad with chevre, candied Sicilian pistachios wwand mandarin
Although the menu is limited, the food is inventive, and offers a wide range of choices to meet most palates.
If escargot is on any menu, we call it a must, and this version is perfection. Served in the traditional garlic-scented butter sauce, sans shells, these snails have the requisite bit of chew reminiscent of lobster; the grill-marked bread slices are the perfect tool for mopping up the delicious sauce. The French onion soup is as it should be: loaded with onions and topped with a still-crusty crostini and a thick slab of bubbling Gruyère. As for the slow-braised short ribs, consider them melt-in-your-mouth goodness served with house-made red-cabbage sauerkraut.
Lamb shanks are an either love ’em or hate ’em item, but if you fall into the former camp, order it here. The dish is served as a vertical tower: creamy duchess potatoes topped by lamb shank, then pickled vegetables and thinly sliced onion rings, an exquisite, hearty combination. The glistening sea scallops arrived on a bed of chive mashed potatoes, flanked by haricot verts. The scallops were faultless, nicely crisp on the outside, tender and juicy inside. We only wish the trio of scallops had been a quartet. Duck aficionados need to consider Noir’s version, crispy medallions with Grand Marnier sauce accompanied by a sweet potato mash. There was one tiny green bean left on the plate because this diner’s mother taught her that ladies never clean their plates. This offering was that good.
There are only three desserts, and since we couldn’t decide on one, we ordered them all. The profiteroles, filled with vanilla ice cream and napped with a touch of chocolate sauce, were our least favorite, but they had some stiff competition. The chocolate mousse was dense and light at the same time—is that even possible?—and so yummy the person who ordered it had trouble sharing. And the crème brulée, a traditional version of creamy vanilla-laced custard below the hard caramel crust, was worth every last calorie.
Crispy duck breast with haricots verts, sweet potato mash, in a Grand Marnier sauce
Traditional crème brulée
Before we end, kudos to the small staff is required. Our first visit to Noir could have been a nightmare: We were greeted by lovely Tani, who told us there was an issue with the plumbing. They expected it to be solved within an hour, and they would love to treat us to a glass of wine if we were willing to wait. We should also note that they had no idea we were there to review. With our wine—brought to us by the always-affable Rich—came the house staple, warm bread served with a to-die-for béchamel bean spread with just the right amount of kick. They also brought out a lovely cheese plate, and then followed that with a plate of caviar, served atop quarter-sized pancakes and a dollop of sour cream. Alas, the plumbing issue was not rectified, but we were comped two cold salads—an amazing mix of avocado and charred baby kale in an orange vinaigrette and an arugula with praline pecans and pomegranate vinaigrette—plus another glass of wine. We left sated and content, returned another evening soon after, and we are delighted we did. We will return, since there are still so many menu experiences waiting to be explored and savored.
NOIR
225 Summer St.
203-323-2711
noirstamford.com
CUISINE:
French
HOURS:
Tuesday–Thursday, 5–10 p.m.
Friday–Saturday, 5–11 p.m.
Sunday, 1:30 a.m.–3 p.m.