In a tropical city where words like "bistro", "brasserie" and "boulangerie" are widely used to add French flair to Thai-owned dining joints (which are often decked out to mimic Parisian sidewalk cafes), diners don't seem to care whether the establishment has anything else to offer than authentic decor.
But amid the flourishing number of wannabes is a small and humble French eatery that's actually French-owned and run.
Tucked in the serene neighbourhood of Yen Akat, the humble French bistro offers a warm and friendly vibe.
Chef and owner Thomas Dazard opened the 50-seat Le Petit Zinc a year ago, offering all-day French cuisine at affordable prices to diners in the serene Yen Akat neighbourhood. The simple setting of the restaurant, which gives off the warm and friendly vibe of a local joint and occupies the first floor of a lovely residential house, also goes with its name (zinc was such a popular material for bar surfaces in France in the early 1900s that the term is now commonly used to refer to small bistro bars in the country).
The restaurant's four-page menu, which is in English and French, features 60 options of comfort staples, such as eggs Benedict, potatoes au gratin, frog legs, escargot, salmon tartar, duck confit and beef stew.
First-timers don't want to miss the No. 1 best-selling onion soup with puff pastry (250 baht). The piping hot broth of caramelised onion came seethed with Emmental cheese underneath the flaky, buttery puff pastry, the quality of which didn't fail to represent the Frenchman as a great baker. The soup was served with a fresh egg yolk to be stirred together with the melting cheese into the broth, adding a creamy consistency and subtle mouthfeel to the savoury soup.
Another most-ordered starter was les galettes (French savoury crepes). Our party of three girls settled for the Paris ham, egg and Emmental topping (170 baht). The brown crepe was made with imported French buckwheat flour, giving a rustic culinary touch to the dish, enhanced with a pleasant bitter taste. It was enjoyed deliciously with the imported cheese, ham and slightly cooked egg filling — and with a glass of apple cider (500 baht per bottle).
For the main course, we had the double-cooked duck breast with foie gras, apricot purée and vegetables (690 baht). Two generously sized fillets of duck breast was sous-vided, then rolled with duck liver before being pan-fried, allowing the skin to develop a crispy golden-brown colour. The meat came perfectly cooked and exhibited a firm, juicy and deep flavour that was nicely complemented by the silky foie gras and chunky fruit sauce.
Avid fans of seafood may be delighted by the restaurant's salmon steak (490 baht). I personally found the dish, which was attractively presented with crab bisque, sautéed nori seaweed and a vegetable garnish (a lovely marriage of ocean harvest and garden crops), a bit too fishy.
Cheese-loving Francophiles won't feel incomplete dining here. There is a nice varieties of cheese available, including the imported selection and locally produced French Muenster and Camembert from an artisan cheesemaker in Thailand.
The restaurant also did a great job when it comes to sweet treats. Its dessert repertoire features a simple yet satisfactory list of sweet crepes and a few classic French desserts, including upside-down apple tarte tatin and chocolate lava cake.
We were happy with the classic creme brulee (210 baht). Served in a ramekin with a scoop of ice cream on the side, the aromatic and not-too-sweet vanilla custard with a crispy burned glaze topping was heavenly.
Last but not least, we couldn't afford to miss some of the bistro's much-loved sweet crepes that come with various choices of toppings, including chocolate sauce, Nutella, salted butter caramel and banana chocolate fondue.
The crepe suzette (210 baht) was superb. Yielding a moist texture, the freshly made crepe was flambéed and poached in orange juice and Grand Marnier. It was served with a hearty helping of rich, gooey, salted butter caramel sauce and a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.
Service by a team of English speaking staff was cordial and efficient.
The savoury buckwheat crepe with Paris ham, egg and Emmental topping.
The best-selling onion soup with puff pastry.
Crepe suzette with salted butter caramel sauce.
The double-cooked duck breast with foie gras, apricot purée and vegetables.
The salmon steak with crab bisque, sautéed nori seaweed and vegetables.
