So I’m traveling and working in Alabama and am told that I must go to this restaurant, Chez Fon Fon. What the heck does Fon Fon mean? Well, nothing. It’s a made up name that chef owner Frank Stitt apparently liked. But let me tell you. I went there twice and not only was the decor classique French bistro, the service fantastic, but the food, the food, the food.
I will freely admit that I am thoroughly enamoured with classique European cuisine. Clear and clean dishes that have been cooked for centuries and you can’t really go wrong if your end goal is to satisfy the stomach and in the process your soul. I asked for recommendations on the menu and followed the advice and had one of the most delicious Coq au Vin. The time before last I ate a feast fit for a person much larger than I, but I couldn’t help myself. Fresh hard boiled eggs greet you from the bar, so snuggle up and grab a glass of rose and crack an egg to whet your appetite. Then ask for a classic escargot dish or brandade, you won’t be disappointed. When I order steak frites I am expecting not only a delicious piece of meat, but excellent execution on french fries. These are perfect, crispy, thinly cut and salted with fine grain sel de mer.
And when I asked about a cheese plate not only did we have a discussion on regional French cheeses but the bartendar handed me the cheese bible so I could have an encyclopedic expalantion that satisfied ever curiosity. Wonderful.
So next time family or business takes you to the South, take my advice and stop in at Fon Fon.
