Le Village

Note: I was invited as a guest of the establishment and received a complimentary meal. This was not in exchange for a positive review and opinions expressed are my own.

Why Come Here? Modern and classic French cuisine for both vegan & carnivores, BYOB

I remember trying to plan dinners with a vegetarian friend a few years back. He would always claim he could make a meal anywhere that wasn’t French. That was probably a bit of an exaggeration (come on steakhouses!?), but French cuisine has long been a bane for vegetarians or just those looking for a lighter meal. Enter Le Village. Chef/owner Didier Pawlicki (Taureau and La Sirène) has created a vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free friendly French menu while keeping enough carnivorous classics to ensure everyone can go home happy. And in case that’s not enough, it’s also BYOB!

The restaurant occupies a small space on restaurant stacked 7^th street that’s way too easy to miss. Find it and you’re greeted with something that combines East Village trendy with Paris café. Green butcher block tables are surrounded by exposed brick walls with photos of East Village life and a neon lit cutout of the Manhattan skyline. It’s a cool yet cozy place that entices you to linger for a while.

One thing I appreciated was that classic dishes were tweaked for lighter consumption. A rich cassoulet substitutes smoked portabello and beans for pork and bacon. The carpaccio is made of thinly sliced beets. While over half the menu is vegetarian and gluten free, you’ve still got your foie gras, Coq au Vin and burger when you want something heftier. Best of all, most entrees come in under $20. All this makes Le Village a perfect neighborhood spot for a casual date or group of friends with different tastes. I’m adding it to my Go To list and you should too.

I was here for a press dinner had the opportunity to taste a lot of the menu. Photos are actual portion sizes. My thoughts are below:

Soupe a l’Oignon I’m a sucker for a good French onion soup and this might be the best I’ve had. There’s minimal broth, allowing you to focus on the delicious Swiss croutons. I can’t imagine starting my meal without it.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts Brussels sprouts have been hot for a while now, but this is the first time I’ve seen them paired with berries. I was skeptical at first, but the sweetness turned out to be the perfect foil to the bitter brussels.

Beet Carpaccio Salad Beets are another vegetable that’s been popular in recent years and again Chef Didier manages to present it in a new way. The thin slicing allows the beets to be tender without getting mushy and I enjoyed the sweet-spicy pairing from the wine soaked rasins and horseradish.

Royan’s Ravioles a la Crème Truffles, little cheese stuffed ravioli and a “heavy” cream that’s not actually too heavy. This pasta comes as an appetizer and you’ll want to start with an order for the table.

Gnocci Parisian au Gratin Think of this as the French mac & cheese. Fluffy gnocci replaces the mac and it’s smothered in some strong French cheeses. If you’re looking for something rich in the French tradition, this is your dish.

Choux-Fleur Roti A massive head of roasted cauliflower over a bed of quinoa and a knockout red pepper coulis. This is a great light or vegan option.

Cassoulet Cassoulet is typically a rich a stew containing sausage or goose and pork skin. This is the vegan version but you don’t miss the meat thanks to smokey portabellos and a hearty mix of beans. It’s something I’d like to eat a lot of this winter.

Coq au Vin It’s not all vegan here. This stew pairs a chicken that’s marinated for over a week with bacon and some mushrooms for good measure. You’re sure to leave happy not hungry with this one.