Louette’s BYO
106 Bridge Street
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
(484) 924-9906
Louette’s BYO, which made its debut on January 18th of this year (2018), inhabits the Bridge Street space formerly occupied by the long-running Marly’s. A creation of chef/proprietor Steve Howells, Louette’s is a portmanteau (a word blending the sounds and combining the meaning of two others) of Howells’ children’s names: Louis and Charlotte.
Chef Howells, whose culinary training is classic French, serves up a variety of imaginative eclectic fare in his cozy bistro, his small plates menu awash with Asian, Middle Eastern, Italian and American influences. And the chef is adamant: He serves small plates, not tapas. To him, tapas connotes small, appetizer type food; whereas his presentations are complete dishes in smaller forms… And he does not serve entrées; he serves smaller portions of what a typical entrée would be, priced significantly less than a standard main course.
His tasting menu categories – Simple; Noodles; Conversation Starters; and More Like Mains – invite diners to put aside the conventional appetizer-entrée scenario for an evening and do a bit of spirited gastronomic grazing… And the best (and most economical) way to experience the chef’s handiwork is to build your own four-course tasting menu with one selection from each category, priced at $45.00 per person (you also have the option of substituting a dessert as one of your selections).
The Simple category includes several items that might be considered typical starters – soup and salad – as well as a number of more intriguing offerings (like the House Fermented Pickle Jar). The Greens Salad, for example, features mixed greenery backed by slices of radish, cucumber, and red onion – all rather pedestrian. What’s needed, of course, is a dynamite dressing to propel this dish out of the realm of the ordinary. The buttermilk dill dressing sounds good; unfortunately, it can’t quite pull it off. It’s on the weak & watery side and leaves the palate begging for more punch. Acceptable but far from exciting.
The Charred Broccolini spruced up with romesco sauce, on the other hand, is a standout. For starters, the broccolini is just the proper texture and color… firm to the bite while maintaining its verdant vibrancy. And the romesco – a rich nut and red pepper-based sauce that originated in Tarragona, Catalonia – adds a decidedly zesty note. The nuts in this instance are flavorful chunks of Marcona almonds, with dollops of goat cheese providing a soothing counterpoint to the slightly spicy romesco.
As you move on to the Noodles, matters pick up considerably. The Durum Wheat Cavatelli, for instance, is a first-rate presentation. Garnished with an intriguing shiitake mushroom Bolognese and wild green onions, this is a downright luscious vegetarian option… But it pales in comparison to the Sweet Potato Ravioli companioned by baby kale. The pièce de résistance, a zippy chorizo emulsion, succeeds in taking the taste buds by storm.
The Conversation Starters offer diners a number of intriguing possibilities… my favorite being the Caramelized Cauliflower Steak, which reaps the benefits of a rather eclectic assortment of ingredients. First and most prominently is a fairly spicy Madras curry sauce, which, though said to originate in the city of Madras in the south of India, was actually invented by restaurants in Britain. Then there’s a smattering of golden raisins; and, finally, a tiara of gremolata, a garnish made of minced parsley, lemon peel and garlic, which adds a fresh sprightly flavor to the dish. A rather odd combo, granted… but one that works remarkably well.
Not so the Foie Gras Torchon. This is a method for preparing foie gras in which it is formed into a disc, wrapped in a dishtowel (torchon in French) and poached in a flavored liquid usually containing sweet white wine. It is then cooled and left to steep in the liquid for several days. The result is an extraordinarily rich flavor and silky-smooth texture. Unfortunately, in this case, that marvelous flavor is all but eclipsed by an overly assertive amalgam of gingerbread crumbs and granola. A fabulous foie gras… “lost in the sauce.”
The More Like Mains category presents diners with a choice of beef, pork, chicken, and two inviting seafood selections. The rendition of Scottish Salmon is particularly pleasant, incorporating a diminutive parsnip cake, spring onion, mushroom confit, and artistic smattering of an enticingly flavorful black garlic sauce. The salmon filet itself is beautifully pan seared, proffering a golden crust that yields to a sumptuous, slightly translucent interior. A delicious new wrinkle on an all-too-common restaurant staple.
Chef Howells’ take on the Hand Torn Scallops is even more avant-garde. The bivalves are teamed with cauliflower, quinoa, and a beguiling bacon jam. This latter ingredient is most often utilized in conjunction with hamburgers, scrambled eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches and the like. Here, however, it fits in quite well with the meaty texture of the scallops, while adding a touch of pizzazz to the dish as a whole. Once again, like the aforementioned Caramelized Cauliflower Steak, this is another rather offbeat combination of ingredients that – seemingly against all odds – succeeds in hitting all the right notes.
Dessert-wise, the Flourless Chocolate Cake should be more than enough to assuage the cravings of any confirmed chocoholic… For something a bit different, however, you might want to give the Peanut Butter and Jelly a try. The peanut butter is whipped and as light as a feather, alive with that addictive peanut butter taste. The bottom layer is an irresistible take on strawberry jam. If you’re a PB&J fan, this is not to be missed.
There is absolutely no question in my mind that Louette’s is a most welcome addition to the every-growing Phoenixville dining scene. Notwithstanding one or two minor faux pas, Chef Howells’ innovative small plates menu is a wellspring of quality ingredients that are carefully prepared and artistically presented. The restaurant’s service is both friendly & knowledgeable and the price is right. In addition, while most restaurants are closed on Sundays and/or Mondays, the chef has elected to remain open on those days (closing on Tuesdays & Wednesdays) in order to give diners a solid dining option early in the week.
Chef Howells’ creative cuisine is obviously a big draw to the adventurous of palate. My only concern, however, is that it could very well prove to be a bit too creative to pull in sufficient numbers of gastronomically conservative diners. At the present moment, the Slow Cooked Hanger Steak is the only menu item that would appear to be even remotely appealing to the diehard grab and growl, meat and potatoes crowd.
Hopefully, my fears are misplaced… as Louette’s is a delightfully innovative and exciting dining experience.
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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