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“The Food Speaks French.” That’s the motto of Café Provence in Prairie Village, Kansas.
“The food speaks French” . . . the music speaks French . . . the chef speaks French . . . the decor speaks French . . . the server speaks French . . . and sometimes, the guests even speak French.
My mother offered Vincent and I a “lunch date” to a local French restaurant. She hesitated, wondering if the eating establishment was authentic enough for a real, native Frenchman. Perhaps the dining experience would be extremely disappointing to him.
We decided to take the risk.
When we called to make a reservation, they were booked solid for four days but managed to sneak us in. A packed restaurant is always a good sign.
Are We Still in Kansas?
Upon arriving at the upscale “strip mall” in Prairie Village, we finally managed to locate Café Provence. It’s wood-stained porch entrance quite naturally displayed the pale-colored hues of the southern region of France, “La Provence.”
It felt French. It beckoned us in.
As we pushed through the front door and then through the thick, heavy velvet curtain that rebelled against the bitter cold drafts that were trying to creep beneath the door, we entered France—at least as close to we can get in Kansas.
We were immediately greeted by the traditional, French sign, “Défense de Fumer” (“Forbidden to Smoke”), displayed at the entrance, followed by a warm and welcoming petite blonde. She escorted us to our reserved booth table, offering to take our coats if desired.
The padded banquettes (“benches”) were covered with an antique blue and white French tapestry that recalled Renaissance times and the fine bedding fit only for the castles of French kings. Soft French music played in the background—the easily recognizable voice of Edith Piaf. Beautiful, original pieces of artwork graced the walls—all available for purchase.
We had entered France.
The server, dressed in a black apron, brought us stemmed glasses of still water to the table. It appeared to be “French water,” that is, without ice. It made us smile.
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Everything about Café Provence spoke French and breathed France.
We overheard another server, a tiny brunette, speaking with an adorable French accent to the guests at the adjacent table. She appeared French and sounded French. We asked our server to please send her our way to speak to some fellow Frenchmen.
Danielle, the sister of Chef Daniel, joined us at our table for a few minutes of conversation revolving around France, its regions, its people, and what brought the Quillec family to Kansas to open a French restaurant more than 15 years ago.
It was clear from our brief words of exchange that Danielle and her family loved their work—sharing their beloved French culture and succulent cuisine with the residents of America’s deep Midwest. They had since been honored by OpenTable as one of the Top 100 U.S. restaurants, as well as proclaimed by Zagat as the best overall restaurant in Kansas City. They also recently received the 2018 Diners’ Choice Award.
These are a Few of Our Favorite Things!
We were thrilled to recognize some of our favorite French cuisine items on the menu: “Soupe à l’Oignon” (French onion soup), “Salade de Chèvre Chaud” (salad with warm, breaded goat cheese), and “Coquille Saint-Jacques” (pan-seared scallops). Vincent loves scallops and couldn’t remember the last time he had an opportunity to savor them.
We anxiously and impatiently awaited, with mouths watering, for the parade of indulgences to arrive at our table. Thankfully, our server, also a member of Chef Daniel’s family, brought us a basket adorned with a small loaf of fresh French bread and a pad of butter.
With his first bite into the perfectly baked slice, Vincent exclaimed, “It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted bread like that!” This appetizer would definitely keep our taste buds happy while the master French chefs worked their magic in the “secret places” behind the closed curtain of Café Provence.
The Oozing Masterpiece
The Soupe à l’Oignon was the first welcomed guest at our table, and it was beautiful in the eye of the beholder . . . and to all of our other four senses!
Melted white, gruyère (Swiss) cheese grilled to perfection laid majestically on the top of the brown marbled French onion soup bowl. These traditional bowls are filled with the French onion soup broth before being placed in the oven to melt and grill the cheese—causing it to overflow and ooze onto the sides of the bowl.
The soup’s perfume filled our nostrils with delight, causing every fiber within us to dance with desire. We couldn’t wait to dip our spoons into the mound of melted cheese.
However, we also didn’t want to ruin the perfected display and work of art. It was truly a masterpiece!
We sat the bowl in the center of our table, and with two spoons, we dove in. It was pure bliss—heaven on earth—the sautéed onions and bacon simmered in a veal and beef stock broth. The cheese stretched on for eternity, requiring us to turn our utensils and wrap the melted yumminess around our spoons.
“We Don’t Want It to End”
When the server stopped by the table to ask us if we were enjoying the soup, I replied, “We don’t want it to end.”
Next came the Salade de Chèvre Chaud—one of my all-time favorite French food items. I carefully cut and equally divided my block of breaded goat cheese onto the simple, but elegant, bed of lettuce. I wanted to enjoy some of this dairy delicacy with every bite of salad. It melted in my mouth.
Then came the scallops in an ornate display of colorful vegetables and a mustard, mushroom cream sauce. We took miniature bites of this shellfish—desiring the heavenly experience to endure just a bit longer. We chewed slowly, wanting to relish every taste and every second.
Sauce it Up!
The server asked if we would like more bread. My husband said, “Yes, there is a delicious sauce here that needs to be ‘sauced up.’” The French verb, “saucer,” refers to the dipping of small torn-off pieces of bread into a dish to scoop up a savory sauce.
We would not let any of this delicacy go to waste.
When the server came back with another loaf of bread, my husband said, “This is a French restaurant, so this is acceptable here.” Yes, it was acceptable—we could dip away and “sauce up”!
It was also acceptable to lay our piece of bread directly on the tablecloth. The French don’t typically use bread plates. Rather, they sit their bread on the table right next to the plate, leaving hundreds of bread crumbs trailing behind.
The server came back to pick up the plate. I laughed and said, “No need to clean that one. It’s already been ‘bread-wiped’ clean.” He clearly understood and chuckled. He then brought a “bread crumb scraper” to wipe away the multitude of bread crumbs that now covered our tablecloth.
Saving the Best for Last
Finally, the dessert menu landed in our hands, and the choice was painful. After much deliberation, we landed on a united choice—Tarte Tatin—a traditional French upside-down caramelized apple pie.
We had made no mistake in our selection. The darkened caramel soaked into the finely-sliced, cooked apples; the delicious, homemade crust; the creamy, liquid of golden syrup; the small mound of French vanilla ice cream—all proudly on exhibit in the center of the plate. Pure delight!
Once again, we didn’t want the plate to empty with our last bite. We didn’t want our authentically French dining experience to end.
Little by little, the restaurant was slowly clearing out. The hours displayed closing time at 3 p.m. However, Chef Daniel and his family clearly didn’t rush us out the door. There was no pressure to quickly “turn over” our table.
We could linger, we could savor, we could converse, we could experience. We were in France—at the Café Provence—where “the food speaks French” . . . along with everything else!
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
If you are in Kansas, Café Provence is an absolute “must”! Don’t forget to make a reservation—online or at (913)384-5998. They also have a separate French Market where you can find all kinds of authentic French items (homemade soups, charcuterie, crèpes, other desserts, as well as cookbooks, home accessories, and other gift items).
3936 W. 69th Terrace
Prairie Village, Kansas
If you want to try making some of these French delicacies at home, here are some great recipe books to get you started: Just a French Guy Cooking, Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home, My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories, Let’s Eat France!
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—“THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
Let’s Weave Cultures!
Have you ever enjoyed an authentic cultural dining experience such as this, where you enter the country when you walk through the restaurant doors? If so, what was it like?
If not, why not experience it today? Find a cultural restaurant in your town. Go and experience a new country and culture through its cuisine. Then, tell us all about it!
