Tucked away in Boston's South End is a little taste of France otherwise known as Le Gamin. This adorable creperie is so inconspicuous and unassuming from the outside that the careless restaurant seeker might easily pass it by. But those of us in the know have discovered an authentic taste of the Latin Quarter right in our own backyard. It's France without the jetlag, Paris without the Parisians- a taste of heaven.
Gamin
actually means "kid" in French, but this is a very adult restaurant. I'm sure the staff would be more than willing to add water to your wine, or cut your meal into pieces for you, but don't worry, this is no Chuck E. Cheese. Nestled among a block of brownstones, the petite restaurant couldn't be more inviting or cozy with its mosaic-tiled green sign offering "café" and "crepes" to the hungry theatergoer. Le Gamin is conveniently located directly across from the Boston Center for the Arts (which houses numerous theater companies) and is more than sufficient for a pre-theatre sandwich, quiche, or soup and a post-theater crepe.As you descend the stairs that lead into Le Gamin, you might feel as if you are entering another world. No longer are you in Boston - you must be in Paris, and this must be an authentic Parisian café. The tables (many decorated with colorful tile mosaics patterns) are mostly for two and are as close to each other as they might be on a European sidewalk. The nosy nibbler can munch on a meal while bending one ear towards his neighbors. Ask for a table by the window and you can watch the pedestrians on the street stroll by. Or at least their shoes - remember, we have descended the stairs.
The décor is a blend of café and coffee shop, creating a uniquely comfortable and international eating environment. Nostalgic French posters, banged up road signs, and pictures by local Boston photographer Tracy Price for decoration (and sale), offset a black and white-tile floor. The lighting is dim, and as the evening progresses, even dimmer, providing the perfect environment for a romantic rendezvous with your Cheri. Add to this the small tea lights on each table, and it's almost like falling in love. The music varies from jazz standards to soft techno (if such a thing exists), serving to create a relaxed and sophisticated mood. Before you leave, you'll want to check out the restrooms, with walls decorated by hundreds of labels from wine bottles.
Though the feel is French, our helpful waitress was not. She recommended certain dishes, offered to help with wine selection, and readily attended to our every need, answering even the most pedantic of questions with a friendly smile. In true French politesse, she allowed us to take our time with every course, never clearing a plate before being asked to do so and not even thinking to bring the check until it had been requested. The indulgence of lingering over a meal is something many American restaurants have yet to appreciate.
The kitchen staff, unlike our waitress, must have been French, to achieve dishes that are at once light and rich, balanced and complimentary. The menu is in French with English translations, also reminiscent of Parisian cafes. Le Gamin offers the standards, from savory dinner and dessert crepes, to quiches and soups, to jambon burre sandwiches, croque monsieur, and inventive salads. As with any authentic French restaurant, the portions are European. Translation: they're smaller than at Cheesecake Factory or Chili's. But the richness of the food and the elegant tastes fill the palate, leaving room for several luxurious courses.
We started out with the tomato basil soup, one of Le Gamin's daily specials. The soup was light and distinctively flavored - a pleasant way to start off the meal and a nice way to warm up on a cold evening. If tomato soup isn't your style, order the delicious authentic French onion soup instead.
For our entrées, we ordered the smoked salmon crepe and the Quiche special, each of which came with a mesculan salad on the side. The smoked salmon crepe ($10.50) was filled with grilled vegetables, fresh basil, and cream. It was light, fluffy, and full of rich flavor. Other interesting crepes to try are the standard but always delicious ham and cheese crepe or, for the more adventurous, the goat cheese and leek crepe. Another exciting crepe option is the house special, or the Crepe Gamin, which consists of cheese, ham, eggs, chicken, sausage, and ratatouille.
The Quiche Special ($8) was a culinary delight - a precise balance of potatoes, tomatoes, cheese, and ham. Though we expected to be presented with a slice of quiche from a round pie, we were pleasantly surprised by a thin rectangle of warm filling in a light, flaky crust. It was hearty and substantial, but amazingly light for a quiche and worth every sinful bite. The side salad was small, but tasty with various greens and a simple mustard dressing.
If you're feeling in the mood for a sandwich, there are plenty of options. For those not wanting to venture into crepe territory for their main meal, but are just as enthusiastic about French cuisine, try the classic croque monsieur sandwich (grilled ham and cheese). Traditional variations on this sandwich include the croque madame and the croque provencal - impress the waitress by ordering one of these, and allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. You can also try the more innovative merguez-moutarde sandwich, which is spicy lamb sausage with roasted red pepper and mustard (not for the faint of heart) or hard-boiled egg and basil sauce sandwich.
Looking for more than a morsel? Try the Mussels Gamon ($16.50), cooked in a creamy saffron sauce with white wine and shallot. They are delicious, cooked with tender flavor, and sure to melt in your mouth. You can also try more traditional French dishes like the coq au vin ($16.00) or steak de thon, a tuna steak in a white wine and shallot sauce. And like any good French restaurant, there is plentiful ratatouille, a rich vegetable dish of eggplant, zucchini, mushroom, and pepper.
For those of us with limited knowledge of pinots and vintages, the easy way out is to order the house wine. No such luck at Le Gamin, so unless you know what you want, allow the waitress to suggest something that will compliment your meal. The rosé we chose, without her advice, was delicious and fruity, not too tannic, but also not appropriate for our dishes. If you're going for the all-out experience, though, try the hard cider. Unlike any Cider Jack you've ever tried, this is the traditional drink served with crepes in the French countryside.
For those with a sweet tooth, you have come to the right place. Le Gamin doubles as a patisserie with an elegant dessert menu, sure to please even the most fussy desertophile. The requisite crepe nutella banane gets first billing here, and is one of many crepes sucré available. A delicious, unassuming crepe to try is the citron sucré ($3.50), a sugar crepe flavored with lemon juice. It will be hard to leave without trying one of the delicious fruit crepes. If you don't want to follow a crepe salé with a crepe sucré, there is scrumptious sorbet ($6) to clean your pallet.
Top it all off with a steaming bowl (that's right....bowl, not cup) of coffee, grog, or Valhrona hot chocolate spiked with a bit of Grand Marnier. Guaranteed, you'll walk out feeling content. And if you use the menu to your advantage, you'll be pleasantly full but not exhaustingly stuffed.
The best things about Le Gamin are the prices and the environment. It is a great place to go to feel rich, eat like you're rich, and pay relatively little. You can get an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for around 20 dollars... not such a bad deal in the pricey South End. And, considering the state of mind Le Gamin promotes and the mini-vacation you're taking, the price seems just right.
Turns out that Le Gamin is not solely a Boston institution, but is actually part of a small chain of similar restaurants. You'd never guess it from the feel of the place, but there are three Le Gamins in New York City. Congratulations to the owners of the franchise for effectively concealing its big business aspect. If the other branches of the restaurant are as well cared for as the South End one, then you're guaranteed a bit of French culture in the Big Apple and Beantown.
