This is my first review of a restaurant ever, but I wanted to share my experience eating at Chez…read moreMademoiselle for the first time last night with a group of eleven friends. Having been to Kazakhstan before for a work trip, I first approached the owners, Joe and Laurent, to see if they could make a traditional Kazakh meal, beshbarmak, even though it is not on the restaurant's regular menu. (Beshbarmak is a noodle dish with lamb and a Kazakh horse sausage). They readily agreed, but as it involves extra work, I promised to round up some people.
Joe and Laurent were fantastic hosts. They prepared different menus for us because some wanted to try the beshbarmak, while others wanted the regular Russian/Central Asian menu, or a vegetarian option. Ultimately six people tried the beshbarmak, three went with the regular menu, and two chose a vegetarian option (which, by the way, is also on the regular menu).
Everyone enjoyed the food, whether they ordered Kazakh or Russian dishes. For the starter, a contingent (including me) had the eggplant, tomato, and garlic appetizer, which was garlicky and delicious. One person enjoyed the restaurant's variation on a Russian favorite --herring under a fur coat--here made with salmon. The most popular choice for our group was the pirozhki (apparently the French transliteration is pirojki), which are beef and onion pastries. They quickly disappeared, along with the enticing potato and vegetable salad that accompanied them.
For the main attraction, the beshbarmak eaters were all pleased. Two of us had eaten the dish while in Kazakhstan, and the rest were eager to try it. The chef, Joe, told us that the dish was homemade, including the noodles, and we had to eat everything fast before it became cold. We did! Although the portions are big, we just managed to finish our plates (although some needed a little help from their friends). The people who ordered from the regular menu were also happy with their choices, especially the manti. They looked delicious - juicy beef dumplings covered in red bell peppers. Finally, the vegetarians were also well treated, with hearty, flavorful potato dumplings with mushrooms. (After eating the beshbarmak, I finished my wife's dumplings, as she was full).
As a group, we were unfortunately too full to order many desserts, but my wife and I split the napoléon, a mille feuille cake. As Joe and Laurent had learned over the course of the meal that the Kazakh-inspired gathering was also connected with my birthday, they kindly turned our dessert into a mini-birthday cake with a candle and also gave me a box of chocolates from Kazakhstan along with a book of beautiful pictures of the country.
I should also say that Joe and Laurent have a fondness for Russian speakers. Fortunately, one of us actually speaks Russian and was able to charm them with a flawlessly recited poem, which Joe also knew by heart. As we had closed down the restaurant, they gave us a shot of vodka, turned on some Russian music, and even sang with us a bit before we left.
All in all, everyone in the group had a wonderful evening, and we agreed that we would gladly go again. You should too!
