I have covered a good deal of eateries in Coronado but realized I was lacking in a distinct category. To correct this I decided to take a hiatus from cafes and casual lunch spots and shift into brand new territory: fine dining. I decided on Little Frenchie, a – you guessed it – little French restaurant.
I made a reservation at 7:30 p.m., (the French eat late, right?) excited to enjoy the warm summer night sitting outside on their dimly lit patio. Regrettably, I was seated at the other patio. Instead of a marquee lined in lights, I dined next to a bank and bathed in the fluorescent light pouring from its windows. A little less romantic than I had hoped.
I scanned the menu, impressed and relieved to see the very French fare. Frankly, I’m tired of American fusion. I ordered the burgundy escargot and steak tartare to start, along with the house pinot. My waiter, who was pragmatic and of an ambiguous age, explained the recommended pairings in great detail. I enjoyed the night and the sounds of ambient conversation drifting as it got later.
The table setting was simple but refined, with crisp linens and a small lamp that illuminated the table. The interior of the restaurant was modest, with bistro chairs and booths. There were countless bottles of wine on display, in every nook and cranny there was a bottle.
I am always excited with the addition of a new utensil into the monotony that is spoon, fork, knife. Naturally, I was overjoyed with snail tongs and the small, two-pronged fork. I used these to dig into the escargot, removing the fleshy interior from the amber shells. Butter, garlic and pesto worked together to create a dynamic bite. I poured the remnant juice over the baguette it came with, pleased. As a first-timer, I was unsure about escargot, but the pesto changed my mind. It felt like a great way to get introduced and comfortable with snails. An ideal starting point for someone curious about the dish.
The pinot paired marvelously, adding depth with its suede aroma and woody taste. The mouthfeel was nuanced and fell between light to medium-bodied, with a quick finish that left a faint trace behind.
I happily moved to my steak tartare, a perfect little pile of raw beef topped with quail egg yolk. The capers and dijon were strong notes, maybe overpowering, but they were muted when smeared atop the toasted levain bread. Overjoyed and bordering on euphoria, I ordered my entree, duck a l’orange.
The tender duck breast was laid over a bed of celery root puree with a small boat of orange duck jus. The jus, a homemade duck stock, was sweet and spicy, with notes of molasses and pumpkin. Very celery forward, the puree was the flavor that lingered the longest; I had hoped for a stronger citrus accent. Still it was wonderful. The side salad was kelpish in appearance and added a welcome light taste with the Thanksgiving-esque duck.
I was so immersed in the experience I didn’t notice when the bank lights shut off, solely motivated by the plates in front of me. Days later, I cannot get the escargot and steak tartar out of my mind, smearing the different elements on bread, combining them for a bite, dipping a baguette in the remnant oil and butter. While pricey, I left overjoyed and full, excited to visit again. I hear they do a great brunch…
Little Frenchie, located on Orange Avenue, is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on the weekends.
