Chez le Chef, Aug. 12, 2005

I'd been here once before, I guess pre-Big Apple Dining Guide, with my father. Mom was at NYU Medical on 1st Ave after a successful liver transplant, so Dad and I, during the waiting process the following morning had breakfast, or brunch or whatever, at Chez Le Chef. I ordered his "world famous" French Toast and Dad ordered the Farmer's Omelette. The French Toast resembled nothing that we here in the states know to be French Toast. No maple syrup and powdered sugar, this was a much more dry version of the dish. Although, in some weird way it wasn't terrible. Just odd. Dad didn't like his omelete, probably because you could barely see it. It was chock full of sausage, herbs, potatoes and the like, to the point at which it was bursting out at the seams. I loved this dish and would definitely order it again...especially during a snowy winter morning. Oh yes, I think, as I sit here in the heat of the summer, I shall certainly do that this winter.

Most recently, I went back for a quick bite before heading on down to the Shore for the weekend to visit friends and get some surfing in (which, because of a nasty south wind, never happened). This time I ordered a turkey and brie sandwich and an iced tea. Simple enough.

What arrived was much more than I had anticipated. The homemade (and I think I can say "home" cause I think he lives in the building) baguette was incredible - just like you'd get from someone's home, not a patisserie, but a home in France. The turkey was above average, the brie was brie, but the excessive-but-not-really use of herbs and cucumbers and tomatoes that could very well have been grown out back were really terrific. It was also drizzled with a little oil that kind of brought all of the flavors together.

Even the iced tea was very flavorful...but it should at the cost, $3.50, which was more than half of the cost of my sandwich.

In any event, if you are in Curry Hill and just want a sandwich and not Indian, give the curly mustached, mousey-like chef a shot. He is quite creepy, no doubt, the place looks like Liberace's Evil Twin's Bed and Breakfast and the busboys look remarkably nervous, but the food is pretty good, if not unique.

Apparently his cakes and other assorted desserts are excellent and have been written up quite a bit, but I can't attest to it.

Photo credit to www.newyork-cafe.com/