From Hip To Traditional

The closure of Justine and its accompanying press caused me to remember chef/owner Justin DeVillier’s flagship restaurant La Petite Grocery. We were fans of the place from Day One. Its name tells part of the story. The restaurant took over a space on Magazine St. that was home to a long-running and beloved grocery store. Elements of the store and its era were kept in place, like the ceiling tiles popular in that day. There is a contrasting modern yet vintage vibe to the place, which I find interesting. And the food has always been great.

It’s been a really long time since I went to La Petite Grocery. The place has been around too long to generate the buzz that the new hip places get, so it is generally off my radar. I don’t live in the neighborhood, which I would guess is where most of their customers come from. But I decided to return recently for a visit to one of the “old guard” places, as I now call them.

Brunch is what they were serving when I went. I’m not usually a brunch fan but sometimes that is just all that is offered in a place like this on a Sunday midday. The menu was fairly limited, so I immediately adopted my new ordering process…of elimination. Since the arrival of this restaurant on the scene I have been a fan of their burger and housecut fries. But I’m trying to make myself get past my burger fixation to try other things. It’s a given that the burger is as great as ever because it’s kind of a “thing,” so I’m comfortable that it is as good as I left it.

If it’s brunch and there is a biscuit on the menu, I will get that. I love biscuits but am very particular about them. I ordered it as a first course, asking for a side of bacon too, which was not on the menu as a side. The waitress and kitchen happily accommodated the request.

Housecut fries are such a rarity, and I am so passionate about them, that ordering the fries was a given. For my entree I ordered an appetizer because it sounded so appealing. I got the Crispy Boudin Hash.

The biscuit was not among the good ones I’ve had. There are two types of biscuits, and while the ingredients are the same, the process and results are quite different. Drop biscuits are sort of a blob with fluffy insides, and cut biscuits are usually square, hopefully tall, crustier on the outside, and flakier rather than softer inside.

This biscuit was cut, round, flat, and dense. I was surprised at its inferiority in the biscuit world. It was fine, of course, but this place usually offers menu items well above “fine.” It still made for a perfectly adequate first course with some very good bacon.

I loved the boudin hash, though I don’t know that I would consider it breakfast hash. It was out of its skin and lay at the bottom of the dish. Beneath it was a layer of wilted greens, and on top was a fried egg. The egg was topped with a coarse mustard Hollandaise and some chopped scallions.

The components of this dish were elegant Cajin. It’s presentation in no way resembled what one expects with a dish featuring straight Cajun flavors. The boudin had a distinct quality Cajun flavor. With wilted greens and coarse mustard it could have been on a charcuterie platter. This was the deconstructed version, and a glamorous one. The egg and mustard Hollandaise tied it all together nicely. This was a great dish, and despite its size as an app, very filling.

I ate this entree with the housecut fries, which were every bit as good as they always were. It was a large portion, a “shareable” one, but I didn’t need to share them with anyone. They are the quintessential version of a housecut fry. Not fat nor shoestring, crispy, with traces of skin. A dipping aioli and ketchup came as supporting players in tiny ramekins.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable brunch, like visiting an old acquaintance you have not seen in too long. And finding that nothing has changed.