DON’T MISS DESSERT
LAWRENCEVILLE BISTRO POULET BLEU ENDS MEALS ON A SWEET NOTE
There’s a lot to like at Poulet Bleu, perched on Butler Street in Lawrenceville, but dessert is the star. The French neo-bistro that opened in February is the latest restaurant from chef Rick DeShantz and Tolga Sevdik, following a handful of crowdpleasers such as Downtown’s Pork & Beans and Meat & Potatoes — with more openings on the way.
A six-year alumnus of the Fairmont Pittsburgh hotel restaurant, the talented pastry chef James Wroblewski has assembled a menu of updated classics as well as straight-up retro desserts, from a matchadusted pavlova ($8), to throwback profiteroles, to an eggy clafoutis ($8) that shows off peak summer fruit.
The chocolate souffle for two ($16) steals the show, with a toquelike pouf that quivers above a sugared ramekin as it makes its way to the table, the scent of warm chocolate trailing behind. Even if the accoutrements on the side don’t clue you in that this is a souffle-banana split mash-up, the dessert commands attention.
Poulet Bleu has been a significant opening for Lawrenceville as the first foray beyond Downtown for the DeShantz Group. It’s also the next wave of the restaurant boom in Lawrenceville in a space that once held the popular Tamari, which opened there in 2009, followed by a brief residency from a restaurant called Pan.
It’s a softer restaurant than others in the DeShantz Group, with floral wallpaper and blue tile accents in a room bathed in candlelight. The kitchen seamlessly flows into the dining room designed by Mr. DeShantz and his brother Ron.
Especially with a look like this one, “a city can never have too many bistros,” author Jane Sigal writes in the cookbook “Bistronomy.” It’s a celebration of the evolution of bistros in Paris, in which Ms. Sigal notes they’re no longer evergreens with staid menus of by-the-book French classics.
Neo-bistros are simple, small and casual “reformers,” Ms. Sigal writes, “testing received notions not only about food but also about what dining can and should be.” They’re more focused on ingredients and new ways of sourcing, paired with a more instinctive style of cooking.
Mr. DeShantz and Mr. Sevdik have clearly studied up on them as shown by the outcome of Poulet Bleu: It’s more concept than reflective of the city’s culture, but very pleasing nonetheless.
At the bar adjacent to the entrance, there’s a good chance you’ll find consulting wine guru John Wabeck nearby, pouring Banyuls or Muscat, with the latter a nice pairing with the pavlova. He says the wine list — predominantly French, with some New World wines that seem to fit — has entirely changed since the opening day. The head chef has also changed, with David Racicot departing for a soon-to-open Downtown restaurant, while chef de cuisine Ryan Hart does an admirable job turning out satisfying fare.
Savory dishes with the strongest pull include the French onion soup ($15), a drum of Emmental and Compte melted across the bowl. Underneath rests a pound of oxtail and onions ladled with Cognac-laced veal stock. Speaking of onion, I’m also a fan of the market caviar and French onion dip served with housemade chips, for a market price that hasn’t been more than $30 on my visits. And now that it’s summer, the bistro salad with gem lettuce and radishes is quite nice, too. (I’m always happy when there are fewer salad ingredients than more.)
Whether it’s mussels, lobster spaghetti, escargot served in shells, or beef tartare, there are some generously portioned and often interesting starters. Sides, on the other hand — such as incredibly decadent aligot potatoes ($8) — are a must for a group, but maybe too much of a one note for a solo diner. Roasted carrots or asparagus are simple and elegant, and the pommes frites may be some of the best in town if, like me, you’re a fan of shoestrings.
The classic steak frites are a given for an entree — which has been hanger and wagyu when I’ve visited, and I do wish the cuts would swap out more often (because I’m not that into wagyu). A friend and I shared the chicken recently, the dark meat dressed with herbs and jus in an individual-sized copper pot. A dinner plate was anchored by the juicy breast served with an impressive rectangle of potato pave crisped just so.
By the time you’re halfway through that chicken dish, alert the waitstaff if you want the souffle — the dessert takes 20 minutes to make.
While the savory dishes are prepared in an open kitchen, Mr. Wroblewski’s work station resides in the basement, where he makes a chocolate pastry cream, whips egg whites into soft peaks and eventually folds them into the cream before he bakes the souffle.
No wonder this is the most popular dish at the restaurant: It’s a dramatic presentation and a dramatic dish. As one of the only souffles at a Pittsburgh restaurant, every bite is worth it.