The French way of cooking and eating is to slow down. To peruse local markets, instead of buying groceries for the week en masse. To enjoy an extended lunch — perhaps with a couple glasses of wine — just for the sake of it. To simmer sauces on the stovetop all day until they’re thick and rich. It’s all part of that European lifestyle, the idea of organizing your day in a way that prioritizes feeling good and eating well over being hyper-productive. Here in Canada, we may not have access to as many fresh ingredients as people do in France, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get a taste of authentic French food.
At Le Tambour Tavern in Hamilton, chef Teo Paul aims to bring a slice of Paris to diners. Here, you’ll find some of the best steak tartare in the city, bavette frites with peppercorn sauce and escargot.
“I was inspired by those old French taverns on a busy street,” says Teo. “The ones with red and white tablecloths, round wooden tables and a big fireplace at the back for cooking steaks.” According to Teo, the menu is “approachable French food” — it’s not meant to be strict, fussy or intimidating in the slightest. Fusion dishes like polenta gratin (inspired by both his time cooking in Italy as well as in France), and crowd pleasers like the burger and frites, bring a playful lightness to the tavern.
Over at The French Lunch, a cafe and bakery in Oakville, a similar sentiment drives owner Nina Zaitseva. Nina keeps things as authentic as possible, and without unnecessary frills. Her most popular plates are the mushroom and brie crepes, vegetable quiches and the croque monsieur. “We do everything like they do it in France; our croque monsieur, for example, is made with butter, ham and cheese,” says Nina. “I have a few French customers that tell me it’s just like the real thing.”
The classics are cool again, according to Teo. While some cuisines shine for their constant reinvention, French food is best when it tastes and feels like it came from a grandmother’s kitchen. The chef has seen this shift happening in Paris, and it’s finally trickling over here.
“There are new roots coming up, and young cooks are drawing from their own impressions and memories,” says Teo. As opposed to a technical recipe with a handful of different purees, reductions and garnishes, diners are craving authenticity and simplicity. Le Tambor keeps things comforting and cozy. We want to make food that people crave and want to eat again and again.”
The French Lunch’s prepared meals also do exactly that: satisfy peoples’ cravings. Beef bourguignon, coq a vin — a chicken stew cooked in red wine — and Tartiflette, a dish that originated in the French alps which Nina considers the “grandfather of poutine,” are all available at the eatery. “We also have a very good gluten free offering, which is not typical in most French restaurants.” Nina draws much of her culinary inspiration from the south of France, where meals are hearty and paired back.
Pay a visit to Le Tambour for the moody ambience and fire-roasted proteins, and stock up on meals for the week from French Lunch. And, if you want to bring a little French into your own cooking, look to Teo’s new cookbook, Done Right, featuring over 70 recipes from the chef’s several French restaurants. Lead with confidence, and don’t get distracted by tackling the most challenging technique; French food is best when it comes from the soul.
LOCAL LINKS
French Lunch
349 Kerr Street, Oakville
frenchlunch.ca
Le Tambour Tavern
345 James Street North, Hamilton
letambourtavern.com
By Lauren Medeiros
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