Dining: Chez Nous
For charm and unpretentious cuisine, think Chez Nous
By Dale Rice
American-Statesman Restaurant Critic
Web posted: Feb. 23, 2005
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Photos by Mark Matson for AA-S Like its other offerings, Chez Nous' salads (such as this 'Salad Michele,' top) aren't fussy; they're just delicious. And the housemade dressings are some of the best in town. The caramelized apples, above, in the crêpe à la Normande are tempered with Calvados. |
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Chez Nous 510 Neches St. (512) 473-2413 Hours: 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 6 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners, Discover Wheelchair access: Restaurant is accessible; restrooms are not Wine: 21 by the glass ($6-$12), 33 by the bottle ($20-$95) Rating: 
Feb. 24, 2005 Review: • Chez Nous More In Restaurants: • Complete Restaurant Reviews • Austin360 Foodie Board • Girl Walks Into A Bar |
And I know this firsthand.
Chez Nous was the first restaurant where I dined on my first visit to Austin -- in 1982. I was utterly charmed by the small bistro, and it has never failed me.
With the same unpretentious attitude that I love in the small, simple cafes of Paris, Chez Nous beckons -- to couples for romance, to friends for conversation, to gourmands for good food.
The escargots de Bourgogne are a prime example of that alluring, basic, unfrivolous stance. The snails ($8.50 for six, $12.50 for a dozen) were sautéed with mushrooms in butter with garlic and parsley. The escargots were tender, the mushrooms firm, both coated with pungent garlic butter that had just a hint of the herb. It was the perfect two-stage dish: Savor the snails and mushrooms, then sop up the butter with slices of baguette.
The pâté maison ($7.50) on a recent night was a delicious duck liver mousse, a smooth, creamy version (in contrast to the more firm country-style pâté the restaurant also makes each day).
The salade verte ($6.50), the simplest of five salads offered by Chez Nous, featured hearts of romaine lettuce with bell peppers, tomatoes and green onions in a house vinaigrette that had a perfect balance of vinegar, flavorings and oil. (Chez Nous continues to make some of the best salad dressings in town.)
For the main course, the brochette de Saint Jacques ($22.50) delivered six beautifully seared sea scallops that were divided between two skewers and served with a tomato and brandy cream sauce.
In the confits de canard ($22.50), two marinated duck legs were grilled until they were crisp. They were accompanied by a tasty red onion marmalade that was flavored with allspice, blueberries and orange zest, providing a sweet-spicy accent to the earthy duck.
Both entrees were served with sides of potatoes, sauteed vegetables and a broiled tomato half. To complete the meal, two classic French desserts vied for our attention.
Two light pillows of pastry filled with vanilla ice cream, the profiteroles ($8) were topped with a rich, warm, dark chocolate sauce that intensified the pleasure.
The crêpe à la Normande ($7.50), resting on a bed of crème anglaise and caramel sauce, filled the thin, folded pancake with caramelized apples that had been flamed with Calvados, imparting a slightly bitter edge that enhanced the sweet fruit.
The long, narrow bistro, unobtrusively tucked between Fifth and Sixth streets, has an intimate ambience that is also reminiscent of Paris cafes, with a long bar, small tables and subdued lighting. The crowd on a recent weeknight ranged from employees of one of the city's top hotels to a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian.
The restaurant's service was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable, an asset that has been as consistent as the food through the years.
Over the past two decades, Chez Nous could have grown stale; instead, it has remained vibrant and fresh. It's an approach that continues to charm me.
drice@statesman.com; 445-3859
