ham & cheese French in
New Village spot dedicates itself to classic croque monsieur
New York, meet the croque monsieur.
A new bi-level eatery on E. 13th St. has devoted its entire menu to the buttery French ham and cheese sandwich.
There are over a dozen different spins on the grilled cheese-like concoction at La Maison du Croque Monsieur, ranging from the classic (jambon de Paris and Gruyere) to the unexpected (smoked mozzarella and truffle oil).
Starting a croque-centric spot was a no-brainer for owners Yves Jadot and Alberto Benenati — the gooey pressed sandwich is one of the best sellers at their other collaboration, ion, Petite Abeille.
“We thought it was a right fit here since it’s very small and, with so many students in the neighborhood, a sandwich place would work,” explains Benenati.
What they’re serving is no ordinary grilled cheese, however. . Unlike its Amer- - ican counterpart, the croque monsieur is typically made with a layer of creamy white sauce called bechamel.
Sandwiches are separated into four categories — classic, new, breakfast and sweet — and come from a recipe that has been tweaked by chef and partner Jason Hicks, who works with Jadot and Benenati at their fooddriven English pub, Jones Wood Foundry. W hatever you order, just don’t expect something piled high with ingredients, say Jadot and Benenati, who source from nearby Murray’s Cheese. “A croque monsieur is more delicate,” says Jadot. “It’s not a half-pound sandwich. Adding more ham, adding more cheese, it becomes something completely different. We wanted to respect the authenticity of the croque monsieur.”
Though the sandwiches are thin, they pack a lot of flavor thanks to Hicks’ creative combinations.
An Italian-inspired croque uses portobello mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and Coach Farm goat cheese, while a sweet croque pairs Vache qui rit (popularly known as the Laughing Cow cheese) with strawberry jam.
One of the breakfast best sellers (they’re served all day) is packed with quintessential morning ingredients: sausage, bacon and egg.
“It was important that you can change the cheese,” says Jadot. “The classic one is made with Gruyere, but doing it with cheddar or Comté or Chimay can take it to another level.”
Hicks’ inventive croques are matched only by Jadot and Benenati’s literary naming system. Inspired by the building’s history — it was once home to Anaïs Nin — the duo decided to match the 12 variations to a man from the writer’s life: Mr. Henry (the classic croque) after Henry Miller and Mr. Gore (the Italian croque) after Gore Vidal.
Nin is honored as the croque madame, a croque monsieur served with a fried egg, and the menu’s only female name.
“All those people are related to her,” says Benenati. “She couldn’t get published so she [got] a manual-powered printing press and made her own books. That was the inspiration for our designer Delphine Mauroit, so the shop looks like a little printing plant and has a midcentury, industrial look. It’s a tribute to the history of this place.”