French food is flaming at Ma Provence

Tucked away on Murray Avenue, past the pizza joints and the bars, sitting just a block away from… Tucked away on Murray Avenue, past the pizza joints and the bars, sitting just a block away from the Yeshiva school is a portal to Aix-en-Provence, France, on the Mediterranean.’ Step through the doors of the restaurant Ma Provence and transport yourself away from the dreary rain of Pittsburgh, to a seaside village, complete with romantic candle light, the subtle clinking of glasses and laughter filling the room.’ An accordion played in the background out of an iHome speaker system. French-speaking patrons lingered over espresso, laughing with the owner Eric Chabou, a native of Provence, France. Mr. Chabou called a waitress to our table, which was covered by a bright white table cloth, two candles and flowers juxtaposed next to cinnamon sticks. As my date, the menu and I plotted our culinary adventure, we heard sizzling next to us. There the owner was preparing a crepe suzette ($9), which is a delicious dessert crepe, served beneath a sauce of caramelized sugar, orange juice and Grand Marnier Liqueur, similar to triple sec. The entire dessert was impressively flambeed ‘mdash; flames leaping out of the frying pan in a show that captivated the entire restaurant. I looked down at the menu ‘mdash; a complex combination of French entrees explained in English. Each and every accent made the meal more special. I was not to be disappointed.’ For an appetizer, my date and I settled on a Plateau de Fromages ($9). Four cheeses were served with a choice of crispy olive bread, country French or whole wheat delivered from Allegro Hearth Bakery right next door. Served with homemade olive tapenade, anchovy butter and regular butter, the bread and cheese proved a fantastic beginning.’ The wine selection, although impressive, is a little bit pricey, so we opted to bring our own and swallow the $15 corking fee. As the waitress poured the merlot into long-stemmed wine glasses, I tried a bit of aged goat cheese on the olive bread.’ The cheese was creamy and complemented nicely by the olive tapenade. I don’t normally like bleu cheeses, but I tried the bleu d’Auvergne simply because of its name. I added a bit of grape and cheese to my palate and surprisingly found myself enjoying the explosion of taste in my mouth. The sweet juice from the grape, blended with the bitter, tart taste of the cheese, created a fireworks display around my mind similar to that in ‘Ratatouille.’ As I listened to the music, I looked around at the rich cardinal red walls, which lead up to a cobalt blue ceiling dotted with white clouds. It is a recreation of an outside patio, complete with wine and cheese. This is a ‘slow food’ experience.’ Patrons enjoy every piece of the meal while conversing and laughing. Ma Provence provides students with a chance to get away from school work, and go on the world’s least expensive trip to France. I was glad to be away from Pittsburgh for the evening. My date ordered the poisson du jour ($23), which was a red snapper served in a red pepper reduction sauce beneath a zucchini boat filled with carrot puree. The fish was perfectly cooked ‘mdash; every piece bursting with flavor. The wine, red pepper and butter sauce was fantastic. Not too overpowering or heavy, the sauce gave the fish its own needed space, adding flavorful spiced undertones. The puree was incredibly simple: butter, salt and other spices. We delighted in its straightforward elegance. It was beautifully arranged in the zucchini boat, sails spread for its belly destination. I enjoyed Magret de canard aux Framboises ($27): roast duck pan seared, served below a thick raspberry sauce with green beans and potatoes aligot on the side. The duck’s center was left pink, the juices secured beneath the skin. The raspberry sauce was heavenly because it highlighted the meat’s sweetness. The potatoes aligot were my favorite: garlic infused potatoes, with butter and Gruyere cheese. They were light, and packed with flavor.’ Delighted by our entrees we continued on to the crepe suzette. The sauce was sweet and infused with the perfect amount of citrus, although the actual crepe was a bit rubbery. We ended the evening with two espressos, perfectly pulled with the cream of the shot layered on top of the drink.’ The food was fantastic, but even more importantly, so was the atmosphere. Ma Provence brings a little bit of France to this cold, rainy steel city. We need every escape we can get.