We just had lunch on the most beautiful patio this side of Provence. It’s at Petite Maison in downtown Scottsdale. The umbrellaed space is surrounded by a low terra cotta wall that’s topped with a colorful variety of potted plants and flowers. There was even a hummingbird flitting through the greenery. I wonder if he’s trained to do that. One wall is divided by an ivy covered trellis through which you enter the restaurant. The other contains a fireplace. The 8 patio tables are covered with white cloths. Sadly, the chairs are not the most comfortable. But the French never did want you to be completely happy. The menu is chock full of French goodies, the biggest concession to American taste being a hamburger, but that’s okay since it’s served with tomato confiture instead of ketchup. If not for the buildings across the street, you’d swear you were in southern France.
Could the food meet the high expectations created by the ambience? Yes and no. We started off sharing a cute tureen of Soupe a l’onion ($6). The stock was slightly over-salted and didn’t have the sweet undertones of the stock at Amy’s Baking Company. But the cheese was nice and nutty and a little more interesting than Amy’s. Overall, I gave Amy the win. Next we had Steak Tartare ($8). The mound of ground raw grass-fed beef had been mixed with lots of mustard, banyuls vinegar and something I could not identify, perhaps mayonnaise, which gave it, according to Ken, a kind of ham salad texture. It was topped by a lightly fried egg, with a nice runny yolk. This could be scooped up on the large pieces of thinly sliced and deep fried potato. I thought the potato planks were a great substitute for slices of baguette which is the usual accompaniment. Some black pepper would have been a good addition, but none was offered, nor was there any salt or pepper on the table. Next, and most disappointing, was the Crepes au Poulet ($8). The crepes themselves were nice enough, but the chicken, which was supposed to have been roasted, had no character. The braised mushrooms and the sauce soubise (which was almost nonexistent) were equally flavorless. I was leaning toward a negative verdict of Petite Maison, but I was still lulled by the wonderful patio and the lovely service.
Two desserts were offered, a chocolate creme brulee and a port poached pear served with creme fraiche and port syrup. Our waitress’s description of the pear ($6) struck our fancy. This was such a French dessert that it actually did make the buildings across the street disappear and we were sitting in the middle of a field of lavender as we savored it. I forgave the crepe au poulet and decided that I wanted to return and try some of the dinner offerings. The main courses range from $16 to $39 for bouillabaisee for two. Quite reasonable. I’ll write the other half of this entry after our next visit.
Petite Maison
7216 E. Shoeman Lane Scottsdale
480-991-6887
Brunch 10-2 Sat. & Sunday Lunch 11-2 Mon-Friday Dinner 5-10 daily
Staff meal 10PM-midnight Thu.-Sat.
www.PetiteMaisonAZ.com
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