Chez Pierre, although it bills itself as a French nouveau type of restaurant, is the closest thing I've found to southern comfort. When you walk up to the joint, it feels like you're going to visit a friend's house. You walk through a lovely outdoor garden area, and directly onto their sweeping deck surrounded by live oaks. I have to admit, I've only eaten inside Chez Pierre once, and the experience did not live up to all of the times I've eaten outside on the deck. I think it's just the fresh air, the views of the sunset and the live music that makes being outside on the deck an infinitely more special experience. The best thing about the deck is that it's climate controlled - they've got space heaters in the winter, mister fans in the summer and plastic roll-down screens that they use when it rains. So no matter the weather, you'll always be comfortable.
My favorite thing to do at Chez is order up a drink or two. They have a very nice wine list (which you would expect of a French restaurant), and their cocktails are always superb, while not being overpriced. In fact, I think they make one of the best Mojitos in town. On this night, I ordered up a glass of sweet Riesling and hubby ordered a Blue Moon. On a nice spring evening, there's nothing better than a few drinks enjoyed out on the back deck.
As we perused the menu this evening, we noticed that a lot of our favorite items were nowhere to be found. After asking the waiter, we were informed that they changed things up for spring and completely refreshed their menu. Perhaps a little too much for my taste - they used to offer a killer chip and dip appetizer with salsa and guac, a great BBQ burger with crispy onion straws and a delectable salad with candied pecans, blue cheese and a raspberry vinaigrette. But alas, they were all gone. After a bit of pouting on my part, we decided to make the best of the situation and try a few new things.
After some recommendations from our waiter, I ordered the Grouper Bienville. It was a deliciously grilled piece of grouper, served with a cajun cream sauce that included some sweet crab meat. And it came with a generous side of grilled asparagus, expertly seasoned. Now, before you get the wrong idea, the sauce was not really all that spicy at all. It was more of a light creme sauce. In my opinion, if you're going to call something "cajun" it should come with a slight kick. And although they could have pumped up the heat, I don't think the dish was any worse for the wear without it. The fish was moist and flaky, the crab added a nice sweet yet salty accompaniment, and the asparagus were crispy and savory. All in all, it was a very satisfying dish.
Hubby decided to go for the new burger creation on the menu, their Rustic Burger. And while all burgers are served with fries, hubby did the respectable thing and upgraded to the sweet potato fries. The burger was a nice hunk of angus beef, topped with fresh basil, brie, oven dried tomatoes and a white truffle oil. Mmm....fancy! I asked to try a bite and I must say that it was very mouthwatering. But in my book, you could put truffle oil on anything and it would be mouthwatering. There's just something about truffle oil that takes the taste of any dish to the next level. The brie was gushy and ooey-gooey good, and the oven dried tomatoes provided a nice tangy texture. While I still miss their BBQ burger, the Rustic Burger isn't a bad replacement. Not bad at all. Ooooh - and lest we not forget the sweet potato fries. In my book, these are the best sweet potato fries in town. Crispy, covered in thick flecks of sea salt (there's that sea salt again!) and served with a side of maple dijon that is so tart and tangy sweet that you won't be able to keep those fries out of it! Sometimes I even have to ask for ANOTHER side of the maple dijon, because.....yes.....that's right....I have no shame.
So the next beautiful evening you find yourself thinking about dinner and drinks, make a stop over at Chez Pierre. But make sure to sit outside on the deck. I promise you'll feel like you're visiting old friends.
Tally Foodie Rating:
Atmosphere - A
Taste - B+
Presentation - B
Service - B (can be hit or miss)
Price - $$
Restaurant Info:
Chez Pierre
1215 Thomasville Road
Tallahassee FL 32303
850-222-0936
