Le Petit Paris: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 22, 2000, Vol. 122, No. 113

If your heart's desire is a springtime trip to France, do not despair. Visitors to Le Petit Paris can experience Parisian cuisine and Old World charm without leaving St. Louis.

The cozy restaurant is housed in a turn-of-the century building on lively South Grand Boulevard, a culturally diverse area with Asian, Eastern European and Arabic stores and restaurants. Inside Le Petit Paris is a tribute to owner/chef Philippe Habassi's fondness for his native city. Black and white photographs depicting Parisian couples grace the walls, as well as prints of works by French Impressionists. Interwoven among the artwork are antique musical instruments and an old radio from the owner's collection. A curtained alcove offers romantic seating for two.

Habassi came to the United States in 1989 and worked in hotels across the country as a pastry chef. Before opening his restaurant two years ago, he owned three small crêpe cafes in St. Louis County.

He dreamed of opening a restaurant similar to the one his father owned in Paris. "I worked there from age 14 to 25, and this place is a copy of his," Habassi says. "I had to design and build it myself because I couldn't find anyone with the same image of Paris in mind."

The decor, including the dark rose and gold trim color scheme and decorative tin ceiling, are typical of Parisian design, he says. "The food is new French cuisine with a touch of Tunisia."

His wife, Aouatef, is from Tunisia. "She cooks and helps out at lunch, and everyone calls her Suzie." They have a 3 1/2 year-old daughter and a baby due in July.

The exotic flavors of Tunisia add spice and heat to the French menu. merguez is a spicy sausage. Lobster bisque is seasoned with cayenne, showing the Tunisian influence as well. Of the hot touches, Habassi says, "A little bite gives appetite."

"One of our best sellers is the royal couscous with lamb, seafood, merguez, chicken, olives and vegetables," he says.

Otherwise, French cuisine is predominant, starting with the appetizers. Moules des Champs Elysees are mussels simmered with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and cream. The croute Marseillaise offers shrimp, spinach and Swill cheese in a puff pastry.

Escargot, lobster crêpe and several vegetarian dishes are additional starters.

Soups include French onion, vegetable and lamb bisque. "I visit a lot of restaurants in town, and what I see on my menu, I don't see in many other places," Habassi says.

Four months ago, he opened Chez Philippe, in the Loop section of University City. Habassi calls it "the only French fast-food restaurant in the area."

Chez Philippe is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and features many of the soups, salads, crêpes and sandwiches found on the lunch menu at Le Petit Paris

Salads at both places include Caesar with a tangy anchovy-based dressing, and salad niçoise with fresh tuna. Crêpes include smoked seafood, ratatouille and chicken with spinach, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. The salmon sandwich and the vegetarian sandwich are served with the chef's spicy, homemade aioli mayonnaise. Other sandwiches include grilled lamb, yellowfin tuna and grilled sirloin.

At Le Petit Paris, specials and entrées are served with soup or salad, a vegetable and potato. Some of the favorites include duck flambé with cognac, a dinner combination of filet mignon with peppercorn sauce and lobster tail with a Chardonnay-shallot sauce, or a grilled veal chop with herbes de Provence and a portobello demiglace.

"We also serve a lot of fresh vegetable dishes, and all our desserts, breads, sauces and stocks are made from scratch, nothing ready-made," Habassi says, "All our sauces are butter free and low in fat. The stock is what makes the sauce rich in flavor without all that unhealthy fat."

What calories the diner saves at dinner can be splurged on the desserts, which include crêpes made with dark and white chocolate, bananas, raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Also tempting are the profiteroles, which are small cream puffs filled with ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce and almonds.

The desserts are created with a flourish, and some are flamed at the table, yet Habassi says, "They are no big deal to prepare."

He smiles, "First, I am a Pastry chef."

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	Enjoy April in Paris right here in St. Louis
Where Magazine "Most Romantic Table 2001" Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Missouri "2001 Smoke Free Dining Award" The St. Louis Jewish Light "Restaurant of the Month" July 2000	If your heart's desire is a springtime trip to France, do not despair. Visitors to Le Petit Paris can experience Parisian cuisine and Old World charm without leaving St. Louis. The cozy restaurant is housed in a turn-of-the century building on lively South Grand Boulevard, a culturally diverse area with Asian, Eastern European and Arabic stores and restaurants. Inside Le Petit Paris is a tribute to owner/chef Philippe Habassi's fondness for his native city. Black and white photographs depicting Parisian couples grace the walls, as well as prints of works by French Impressionists. Interwoven among the artwork are antique musical instruments and an old radio from the owner's collection. A curtained alcove offers romantic seating for two. Habassi came to the United States in 1989 and worked in hotels across the country as a pastry chef. Before opening his restaurant two years ago, he owned three small crêpe cafes in St. Louis County. He dreamed of opening a restaurant similar to the one his father owned in Paris. "I worked there from age 14 to 25, and this place is a copy of his," Habassi says. "I had to design and build it myself because I couldn't find anyone with the same image of Paris in mind." The decor, including the dark rose and gold trim color scheme and decorative tin ceiling, are typical of Parisian design, he says. "The food is new French cuisine with a touch of Tunisia." His wife, Aouatef, is from Tunisia. "She cooks and helps out at lunch, and everyone calls her Suzie." They have a 3 1/2 year-old daughter and a baby due in July. The exotic flavors of Tunisia add spice and heat to the French menu. merguez is a spicy sausage. Lobster bisque is seasoned with cayenne, showing the Tunisian influence as well. Of the hot touches, Habassi says, "A little bite gives appetite." "One of our best sellers is the royal couscous with lamb, seafood, merguez, chicken, olives and vegetables," he says. Otherwise, French cuisine is predominant, starting with the appetizers. Moules des Champs Elysees are mussels simmered with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and cream. The croute Marseillaise offers shrimp, spinach and Swill cheese in a puff pastry. Escargot, lobster crêpe and several vegetarian dishes are additional starters. Soups include French onion, vegetable and lamb bisque. "I visit a lot of restaurants in town, and what I see on my menu, I don't see in many other places," Habassi says. Four months ago, he opened Chez Philippe, in the Loop section of University City. Habassi calls it "the only French fast-food restaurant in the area." Chez Philippe is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and features many of the soups, salads, crêpes and sandwiches found on the lunch menu at Le Petit Paris Salads at both places include Caesar with a tangy anchovy-based dressing, and salad niçoise with fresh tuna. Crêpes include smoked seafood, ratatouille and chicken with spinach, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. The salmon sandwich and the vegetarian sandwich are served with the chef's spicy, homemade aioli mayonnaise. Other sandwiches include grilled lamb, yellowfin tuna and grilled sirloin. At Le Petit Paris, specials and entrées are served with soup or salad, a vegetable and potato. Some of the favorites include duck flambé with cognac, a dinner combination of filet mignon with peppercorn sauce and lobster tail with a Chardonnay-shallot sauce, or a grilled veal chop with herbes de Provence and a portobello demiglace. "We also serve a lot of fresh vegetable dishes, and all our desserts, breads, sauces and stocks are made from scratch, nothing ready-made," Habassi says, "All our sauces are butter free and low in fat. The stock is what makes the sauce rich in flavor without all that unhealthy fat." What calories the diner saves at dinner can be splurged on the desserts, which include crêpes made with dark and white chocolate, bananas, raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Also tempting are the profiteroles, which are small cream puffs filled with ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce and almonds. The desserts are created with a flourish, and some are flamed at the table, yet Habassi says, "They are no big deal to prepare." He smiles, "First, I am a Pastry chef." Return to Previous Reprinted with permission from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and is ©2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Susan Mowris, Special to the Post-Dispatch.	Would you like to learn some of Chef Philippe's secret recipes? Click on the following to learn how to make: Vegetarian Sandwich Philippe's Fresh Fruit Flambé Langouste Stuffed Crêpe Salade du Chef

Enjoy April in Paris right here in St. Louis

Enjoy April in Paris
right here in St. Louis