Welcome to my newest feature, SnackTime With Jen. This midweek morsel is a small taste of something fun. Topics range from food (of course) to fashion, amusing little discoveries both locally and abroad, and a variety of interesting intel too tempting not to share. So let’s get snacking…
When I was in high school, my favorite restaurant in NYC was La Fondue on West 55th Street. It was a cramped space with a fun menu. I loved to dip toasty bread bites into the pungent cheese mixture and my beef cooked quickly in the sizzling oil when I ordered the meat fondue. But the dessert was truly the reason I went. The chocolate fondue took my breath away! They served it with perfectly ripe fruit chunks and squares of pound cake. When we ran out of things to dip, I boldly went in armed with just a spoon, leaving not a smear of velvety chocolate behind. I actually had four friends join me in the City for my 15th birthday and my restaurant of choice was none other than La Fondue.
Fast forward mumblemumble years later and I was transported back in time by the most heavenly fondue in Paris at Pain Vin Fromages which translated directly means “Bread, Wine, Cheese.”
On the ground floor the space is super cramped and loud. But when we arrived for our reservation, they took us down a narrow staircase to a cave-like basement with a vaulted ceiling that was incredible.
Our plan was to share a cheese fondue. But we went a little rogue and instead of sticking with the traditional emmental, Beaufort, comté, kirsch, white wine, nutmeg, garlic, salt, pepper situation, we took a chance and opted into their Méridionale Cheese Fondue that had not just Savoyarde cheese, but the added zip of herb and tomato. The result was savory, cheesy, and wonderful.
This is so unFrench of me to say, but I swear it was like eating hot individual pizza bites on fresh baguette chunks! The tomato and herb were perfectly blended into the cheese and the overall taste was mild and familiar, but elevated. The fondue was delicious.
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