Identity crisis Identity crisis (September 24, 2004)

French? Italian? Caribbean? La Cheminée still needs to clarify its cuisine

By Dale F. Bentson

"La Cheminée means the hearth, the heart and center of the home, where food begins and people gather," according to owner Duane Hooton.

This is the idea behind his Palo Alto restaurant, which occupies the airy, bright space of the late L'Amie Donia on Bryant Street. The menu is Provencal, according to Hooton, and while the fare bends toward French cooking, it incorporates elements of Mediterranean and Caribbean cuisine. It is an offbeat and slightly off-kilter presentation. La Cheminée suffers from not knowing exactly how to define itself.

Take for instance the pasta dishes, bruschetta, chutneys, citrus and mango sauces and panna cotta dessert -- not uncommon in the south of France but certainly not traditional Provencal fare. Even the wall color, which has been changed from a mustard yellow to canary yellow, reflects brighter hues more commonly found on Greek isles and other Mediterranean islands than in Provence.

While perusing the menu, diners are presented with an amuse bouche, a small, pre-dinner bite courtesy of chef Shivuo Yoshida. One evening, we were afforded rolled chicken with mango and raisin. On another occasion it was a morsel of duck. A gracious way to start any dinner.

In Italy, bruschetta is traditionally served with chopped ripe tomatoes atop toasted bread. In America, where many ethnic dishes rapidly evolve (or devolve), bruschetta is served with any number of derivations. At La Cheminée, roasted sweet red pepper and asparagus wrapped in prosciutto were layered atop garlic toast ($6). While the effort was enterprising, the dish would have benefited from ripe tomatoes instead of red pepper. The pepper texture was slippery and it was nearly impossible to keep the ingredients on the toast before they hit the mouth.

Seafood terrine ($9) consisted of bits of salmon, scallop, sole and prawn embedded in aspic (a clear savory gelatin). Too bad the red and white aioli sauces that accompanied were bland. The terrine only hinted at that European intense fishiness; I wanted more flavor.

Crab and citrus salad ($9) was a molded, shredded crab-and-cucumber assemblage held together with olive oil, sherry wine vinegar, lemon juice and Dijon mustard vinaigrette. The mound was surrounded with wedges of pink grapefruit. With nicely balanced flavors, it was a winning appetizer.

According to Hooton, if there is a signature dish at La Cheminée, it is the herbed pork ($18). Generous slices of roast pork tenderloin were presented with roasted potatoes and sprinkled with fennel and slightly pungent, house-made mango chutney. While the plate was appealing, it was not memorable. La Cheminée may still be searching for its most noteworthy presentation.

Steaks comprise two-thirds of the red-meat offering. I chose Steak Robert ($22), tender, pan-seared ribeye with tasty mustard sauce and french fries. It was a better cut of meat than the entrecote typically encountered in bistros in Provence. Nevertheless, this was bistro fare -- not interesting enough for a better restaurant with a limited meat selection.

The Halibut Lavande ($18) was the best dish on the menu. The fish's crust was sprinkled with lavender, then grilled. The Flageolet ragu (small kidney-shaped beans) that accompanied the halibut were tender and inviting. Unfortunately, the ragu had been tossed with bits of ham. This was neither disclosed on the menu nor by the waiter. One of my dining companions could not eat ham and a new dish had to be prepared. While the staff graciously replaced the entree it took more than 10 minutes and the remaining diners had to eat their dinners while they were still warm. It made for a disjointed dining experience.

Crevettes farcies ($24) was a complicated dish that, in the end, did not work. Prawns were wrapped with forcemeat (ground pork combined with ginger and herbs, seasoned and emulsified with fat). Pancetta (Italian bacon) was then wrapped around the prawns and forcemeat, which imbued the seafood with rich, juicy flavors. The prawns were next sauteed and served over a pool of mango sauce. So far so good, but in the center of the plate sat a mound of saffron-infused couscous. The combination of the saffron, ginger in the forcemeat and mango salsa was an unhappy collision of flavors.

Duck with raspberry sauce and wild rice ($18) was disappointing. The skin was rubbery and unappealing. This bird might have bounced had it fallen from my plate. The meat was fatty and gristly and was difficult to cut away from the bone. The attractive presentation was the dish's only redeeming quality.

Desserts were uniformly good and all priced at $7. Panna Cotta was wonderfully light and creamy, topped with just a few shavings of fennel to add interest. Cherry shortcakes and mint cream were delightful scone-like cakes in a creamy, lightly minted sauce. Mousse au chocolat was a light way to conclude the meal, with a hint of cocoa lingering on the palate. Pot de creme au cafe was richer and denser than the mousse, with traces of coffee residue on the bottom of the cup.

La Cheminée makes its own ice creams and sorbets. I ordered the assorted flavors of the day: lavender and chocolate ice creams and kiwi sorbet. The chocolate overwhelmed its milder companions. The kiwi had little flavor but rarely does. The lavender was delicate, creamy and flavorful; it would have been stellar atop a light pastry. Unfortunately, it was slain by its chocolate escort. My favorite dessert was the cold lemon souffle: citrus-y and light as a summertime breeze.

The wine list, inherited from L'Amie Donia, represents a broad spectrum of well-priced wines from the West Coast and France. Corkage fee is $15.

La Cheminée is trapped in restaurant purgatory. The food attempts to be more stylish and complex than bistro fare, yet some of the menu items offered are nothing more than what any good bistro would serve. The Mediterranean and Caribbean accents make it not quite a Provencal eatery either and some of the dishes just miss the mark.

Yoshida seems to be a talented and versatile chef and Hooton a conscientious and wanting-to-please owner. I hope the restaurant defines itself more clearly in the coming months as the menu segues from summer to autumn.

Dining Notes

La Cheminée
530 Bryant St., Palo Alto; 329-0695

Hours: Lunch Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.;
Dinner Monday-Saturday 6-10 p.m.; Sunday 5-9 p.m.; Brunch Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Reservations: yes
Web site: www.la-cheminee.com
Credit cards: yes
Parking: city lots
Alcohol: wine and beer
Children: yes
Outdoor dining: yes
Party and banquet facilities: no
Take out: yes
Catering: yes
Noise level: low
Bathroom cleanliness: excellent

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