No one cooks like Jeanne & Gaston

Rear Courtyard

I was invited to try Chef Claude Godard's relatively new restaurant Jeanne & Gaston. The restaurant is named for his grandparents who owned and operated a hotel and restaurant back in Burgundy, France. Chef Godard is a third generation restauranteur who has earned the title Maitre Cuisinier de France. With this prestigious background, I was surprised when I met Chef Claude who is genuinely gentle and charming.

When I arrived I was escorted through a contemporary-casual dining room to a back garden. This dining area is a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and it was easy to forget we were right off of 14th St.

I ordered a glass of rose champagne to celebrate the last fleeting days of summer and was served the first course, a Trio of Escargot. The escargot were served in three styles: Provencale (inside cherry tomatoes), with Pinot Noir sauce, and Bourguignonne (in puff pastry). They were all delightful, but obviously my favorite was the Bourguignonne because, hello, EVERYthing is better served in a puff pastry.

Escargot Trio

Next up was the Duck Foie-Gras served over a green pea mousse with just a few dots of raspberry sauce and a perfect proportion of pepper and sea salt. Enchanting.

Duck Foie-Gras

The following dish was the Quenelle, Pike Mousseline in Nantua Sauce. This is not yet on the menu, but will be appearing soon. I have never had quenelle before and I absolutely loved it. It was light, fluffy and had just a hint of fish flavor.

Quenelle

At this point, we were all starting to feel full and discussed how we would probably only have a bite or two of the next course. However, the Le Bourguignon braised short rib in Pinot Noir reduction appeared and fell apart with the slightest pressure from our forks. We all found it impossible to stop after the first bite and in short order the waiters arrived to remove our clean plates.

Le Bourguignon

Having over-indulged in our meat course, we anticipated not being able to finish dessert. The raspberry and chocolate napoleon and mini-mug of raspberry mousse were perfect. Were able to enjoy some decadence without feeling weighted down.

Napoleon & Souffle

Jeanne & Gaston is an absolute gem buried amidst all the bars on the bustling 14th street. Stop in to slow down and experience some fabulous French cuisine.


*My meal was provided by the restaurant as part of a Press Dinner.