On a recent Saturday when we lunched at St. Denis, I chose some rilletts for my first course. This pâté of pure pork and leaf lard is one of those simple French provincial dishes which needs a good deal of care in preparation. There is often a temptation to overseason rillettes, but the chef at St. Denis has resisted it, and his pâté has that desirable delicate pork flavor. To continue, there is a long list of other choices among their hors-d'oeuvre, such things as baked oysters, crêpes délices, oeuf à la russe, and jambon de Bayonne; or if you prefer, you may order an assortment. Imported foie gras is a dollar extra on the luncheon or dinner, which docs not raise the total price to astronomical proportions. even when that succulent bit of elegance is included in your menu.
My entree was as good a choucroute garnie as I have encompassed in a long time. The sauerkraut was well cooked, and the ham. the sausage, and the salt pork were all excellent. This is a dish which can be perfect or dull as dishwater. and this was on the plus side. definitely. My guest had kidneys sautéed with mushrooms and wine, and they were beautifully cooked, tender, and delicious. What more could two hungry wayfarers ask?
Other specialties of the house include a cassoulet (seldom found on menus any more, which is such an oversight); broiled pig's foot, sauce moutarde, another homely but delicious winter dish which is all too seldom found; tripe à la mode de Caen; and many of the more usual dishes, such as coq au vin, brook really sensible prices—luncheon running from about $1 to $1.75, dinner from $1.50 to $2.50. I had some delicious Virginia ham there on one occasion, and on another a really excellent lobster salad. Sound raw materials and sensible cooks may not produce masterpieces, but they produce few disappointments.
All the pastries and pies are baked right there, and from what we can ferret out, their pastry chef is a master of his croft,
Luncheon is served until three in the afternoon and dinner until nine-thirty in the evening, with but and à la carte menu offered after that. It seems certain that the Viceroy will catch on and be a most popular spot with the busy people who frequent that voisinage. Open every day. PL 3-2700.
I must confess to a long-time weakness for Edith Piaf. I first heard her in France in 1945 and since then have not only heard her frequently but have also been an avid collector of her records. Now that she has become more or less a fixture at the Versailles, 151 Hast 50th Street, she is available to her fans and fans-to-be for almost three months each year. Alas, in February she leaves to sing in other cities in the country—those of you who haven't heard her, run to the spot where she is advertised. Her spot in the limelight at Versailles will be taken by another favorite of mine who is a showwoman par excellence, Kay Thompson.
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