Every time I walked by The Butler and the Chef, I always thought is just going to be an overpriced sandwich shop with a French theme. Who would have thought that under the vintage signs and new enamel tabletops promoting classic French brands lurked a real, traditional sandwich shop along the lines of what you find lining the streets near the Sorbonne.
The menu at The Butler and the Chef is simple - the sort of food you would take to go and eat while sitting outside, watching the hordes of students passing by if you were in Paris. There are four main categories of food here: cold sandwiches, hot sandwiches, crepes and what I'll call "other".
The cold sandwiches are made in the continental style - split baguettes simply dressed with butter instead of mayo. It might take a little getting used to your first time, but once you get through the initial shock of butter, cheese and a slice of french jambon (ham), you realise how decadent it is.
The Croque Monseiur, from the hot sandwiches menu, was an amazingly good version - topped with creme fraiche instead of gruyere cheese before placing under the salamander - it's creamy, a little sour and perfect with a slice of tomato and herbes de provence.
The crepes looked nice, and there are sweet and savory options available. Finally, in the other category are some salads, soup and the breakfast dishes such as belgian waffles and a fantastic looking pan perdu (french toast).
The interior was a little warm last Saturday - but a nice cold Fischer d'Alsace Amber took care of that. Overall, the food was exceptional for what it was. the prices were a little high to make it a weekly stop, but now that it's open weekends (which is amazing in this neighborhood), I'll certainly make a point to stop in for a baguette now and then.
more