NVM Review

By Warren Rojas

Stealing away for a meal at Le Refuge can leave you with the sensation of being the guest of honor at a heartfelt gathering at a cherished friend’s country cottage. Granted, a cottage overrun with party crashers beseeching the host for some attention of their own. But what’s wrong with a little competition, between friends?

This perennially popular French retreat holds less than two dozen, tightly-knit tables, yet crowds pour in nightly. A happy dilemma which keeps the Francois clan—including founder, Jean, his wife and partner, Francoise, and their daughter turned budding restaurateur, Anne Claire—busy as can be. The homey interior features serendipitous wall coverings ranging from a makeshift shrine to top notch Cognacs to vintage collections of French wine memorabilia.

Daily chalkboard specials (which include seasonal offerings like sautéed frog legs, coq au vin, or beef medallions prepared in béarnaise, bordelaise, and black pepper sauces (respectively) supplement a static menu stocked with French standards like salmon en crôute, baked escargot and beef Wellington.

A country pâté delivers a buttery mass of pressed liver paired with bright, mini pickles. Saucy crayfish tails are left swimming in bubbling garlic butter, a sinful broth that virtually begs to be sopped up with the crusty baguettes placed at every table. A savory cassoulet combining lamb, pork, duck and stewed white beans is a mammoth portion packed to the hilt with protein goodness. Roast pork medallions smothered in a homemade Roquefort sauce will have you praising the likes of penicillin-ridden cheese. The kitchen does just as well with seafood, offering up a deliciously light rainbow trout cooked in lemon and dressed with tender mushrooms and sliced almonds.