Some business in Folsom caused me to pass a little gem of a restaurant. Roux 25 is hiding in plain sight on the right as you cross into Folsom. The entire town is missable with a blink, so pay attention if you are looking for it. I popped in to get some food and the place was hopping. Everyone knows each other, and the bar is filled with happy chatter. The rest of the tiny space is filled with tables of varying size, including a few two-tops, which make it a swell date night spot.
It is dark and intimate in there, and the food is so much better than it needs to be. There have been a string of chefs through there with impressive resumes. The food is so much better than you expect. This was not my first time there, but I don't go that way much. I'm going to make it a destination.
Roux 25 has one of those menus that make it hard to order. Not because it’s hard to find something you want to eat, but because it’s hard to weed anything out. I want it all. Fair warning: the menu online is a sample. They may not have what you want that day. Fear not, the menu item next up will please you.
Last night I was disappointed that a Pear and Gorgonzola (salad ?) baked in phyllo that piqued my interest mightily was not on for the evening. I had to get the Crawfish and Artichoke Dip with crostini, because I love all the ingredients I just mentioned. And I had some fried oysters with a jalapeño tartar sauce as another app. For an entree I got the Flat Iron Steak served with Cauliflower Gratin. And I knew they had great housecut fries so I had to check up on that, didn’t I?
This was a pick-up order so I worried about the heat wilting the crispiness of the oysters and fries. That was a valid concern for the oysters which were indeed wilted, but they were fine. That jalapeño tartar sauce made it all worth it. They were a decent size and had a nice flavor.
The fries were opened as soon as I got into the car, and remained crispy and perfect, just as I remembered them. They were actually better, because the garlic bits on them were more subdued in flavor than the last time. They were fried in duck fat, and they were nothing short of sublime.
On the menu. it listed the dip as served with a baguette. I pictured a toasted piece of bread, but I was delighted to see a gigantic pile of thin and terrific crostini.
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This dip was so rich it was enough for two people to feel that it was too rich. The little puddle of oil on top from the cream and cheese was a definite hint. There was plenty of crawfish, and lots of artichoke, and double that amount of cheese. Not for the faint of heart, but oh, so good.
The entree was a tad disappointing. It seemed a little expensive at $37, but there was plenty of steak. It was fine, but not especially flavorful. The Cauliflower Gratin had a nice crust on the top and was tender inside, with a Bechamel sauce that didn’t overpower it. Well done. The steak, the most expensive piece of this meal, was the least interesting.
But there is so much more to explore on this menu at this cute little place I almost hate to divulge the secret. That would be selfish, and defeat the reason for the existence of this newsletter, which is to turn others onto great food finds. Consider this your notice.