Delicious Gnocchi Parisian au Gratin
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It may be summer, but onion soup weather is coming! Whom You Know has always looked for lovely little French spots to visit, and we found one in Le Village. Owned by our friend Didier, who also owns La Sirene, a Peachy's Pick:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2015/02/peachy-picks-la-sirene-our-coverage.html#.Vd3ZXvlVikp
Le Village is located in the East Village and has been open since January 2014.
It is the extremely rare vegetarian/vegan venue you will see on Whom You Know! We nearly never go to no-meat places because Peachy is a proud carnivore (Deegan, not vegan) but we were open to this because we were impressed with La Sirene. Note that Le Village is BYOB.
Le Village was first featured in Terrific Takeout:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2014/10/terrific-takeout-le-village-our.html#.Vd3Wz_lViko
and we decided to go back for a formal review.
Served with Gluten-Free bread, Soup a l'Oignon absolutely hits the spot, especially when you consider the sumptuous Swiss au Gratin that teams up with it for terrific flavor and amazing gooey decadence!
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2015/02/peachy-picks-la-sirene-our-coverage.html#.Vd3ZXvlVikp
Le Village is located in the East Village and has been open since January 2014.
It is the extremely rare vegetarian/vegan venue you will see on Whom You Know! We nearly never go to no-meat places because Peachy is a proud carnivore (Deegan, not vegan) but we were open to this because we were impressed with La Sirene. Note that Le Village is BYOB.
Le Village was first featured in Terrific Takeout:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2014/10/terrific-takeout-le-village-our.html#.Vd3Wz_lViko
and we decided to go back for a formal review.
Served with Gluten-Free bread, Soup a l'Oignon absolutely hits the spot, especially when you consider the sumptuous Swiss au Gratin that teams up with it for terrific flavor and amazing gooey decadence!
And for someone that is not typically enamored of Gnocchi at all, Peachy Deegan really loves this Gnocchi Parisian au Gratin! It wins high marks for consistency as it was just as good as the first time we tried it. The star of the show without a doubt remains the truffles that accent it, and the entree lineup also includes mornay sauce and swiss cheese. The menu dictates: "The French Mac and Cheese!" and really, who does not love mac and cheese!
Previously, we had tried the pear tarte and can now verify that the Minute Baked Vegan Apple Seasonal Tart served with Coconut Sorbet is just as delicious!
Our esteemed panelist adds:
When you live in New York City, one of the neighborhoods you go to for food is the East Village. Fond memories of nights out and Indian food afterwards fill many a post-graduate mental scrapbook. Well, now there’s a super hip BYOB French bistro to fill the food gap. Le Village is convenient, with an up-to-date point of view towards their menu. They aim for gluten-free, and vegan entrees that will thrill the heart of many New Agers. And just in case duck breast is one of your favorites, it’s there, too. For appetizers, the variety is intriguing, and with a selection of vegetarian and gluten free plates, selection is hard. If you go with the seasonal soup, as we did, you’ll perhaps sample a yellow pea and mixed bean delight made with a stamp of fresh parsley, and just the right spices to balance the creaminess of the green and red lentils .
Not just a puree, but a really hearty soup, with your choice of gluten free or regular croutons, all made on the premises. The entrees are a feast of possibilities, so we went hard core and chose the magret. It’s perfectly cooked, medium rare, and please do take notice of the artful presentation. Often, magret is served with a fruit base sauce or chutney, but at Le Village, the brilliance of a rare food moment shines forth. There is a path of chocolate (unsweetened) sauce with a coulis of red bell pepper on the plate. Think of a Mexican mole sauce, if you can’t envision this possibility.
And then taste the duck, with a little bit of each for a taste sensation you’ll enjoy so much you won’t want to share. Delicious. Accompanying the magret is a square of two-toned polenta: half corn, half olive , and a serving of al dente green beans. This is so well thought out, and so complimentary in taste, that you’ll want to linger . If you’ve brought a full red wine with you, at this point, you’re in foodie heaven.
Students and teachers probably from the nearby NYU campus will fill this cozy little spot, so it’s a casual dining experience. Go with a best friend. It’s a rare treat, and a simple solution for the vegan, vegetarian or meat eater in your party.
Dessert was Cafe Liegeois, which is both coffee and dessert, if you’re familiar with the beverage. Frothy with whipped cream, and swimming with vanilla ice cream, it’s the grown-up version of a milkshake, and it was the perfect ending to our meal. Oh, yes, I’ll be back. There’s so much more to savor at Le Village.
Peachy Picks Le Village!
Le Village is Recommended by Whom You Know.