For l’amour of food

New York magazine’s Insatiable Critic Gael Greene, who courted New York City for more than 30 years through her burgeoning affair with all things food, once wrote: “To be tempted and indulged by the city’s most brilliant chefs. It’s the dream of every one of us in love with food.”

The city she spoke of was Paris, and the year was 1984, right around the time an American named Sarah would complete her culinary training in Vichy. Soon, she would meet a French poissonier named Bernard Bouissou during their tenure at Le Cirque in Manhattan.

More than 23 years after their Bastille Day wedding, the Bouissous now operate award-winning his and hers restaurants in Ridgefield. Bernard’s, downstairs, (just named Best French restaurant in the state by “Connecticut Magazine”), and Sarah’s Wine Bar, upstairs, present French fare in all its fineries with extra attention focused on amour this Valentine’s Day with a prix fix menu on Feb. 14 and dinner and dancing on Feb. 15.

Enter to smoked salmon and cauliflower panna cotta on shortbread with caviar and chive crème fraiche, then feast with your beloved (or hand-feed) Bernard’s famed lobster bisque, sautéed Nantucket Bay scallops, or veal duo with braised shank wrapped in pancetta and sautéed medallion with fricassee of winter vegetables and morel sauce. (View the entire menu at bernardsridgefield.com) And don’t forget superb wine selections to escort each amorous morsel.

Paris-loving Greene, I imagine, would consider the culinary interlude to the city of lovers a dream realized.

If that’s not enough to book your reservations (if still available), read my piece about Sarah and Bernard Bouissou in WAG’s February “Voluptuaries.”

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