As much as I adore the explosion of Fourth of July fireworks, as much as I oohed and aahed this year at the dazzling, majestic illuminations that burst above my friends and me in Fair Park and Fort Worth, my holiday has always been Bastille Day. I’d trade stars and stripes for the bloody rally of the Marseillaise, Congressional declarations for the storming of the Bastille. I’m French, and so when we turn the corner into summer, and freedom shimmers on the horizon, I start to think in terms of Lillet, Suze, and Pastis.
You needn’t love cherry clafoutis as much as I do to want to check out these Bastille Day nibbles and extend the red, white, and blue.
Where: Bullion
What: Three-course $75 menu for lunch on July 12 or dinner on July 13, including foie gras salad with summer beans, peaches, and hazelnut crumble; bouillabaisse; and cherry clafoutis. Plus, optional wine pairings. Reserve here.
Where: Grange Hall
What: Bastille Day specials for lunch and dinner July 13.
Where: Uchi
What: A celebration of French bubbles (a.k.a Ruinart champagne) with a six-course tasting menu on July 14. (Note: email [email protected] for reservations. Open Table reservations are not available.)
Where: Edith’s French Café
What: Copious amounts of Niçoise salad, Croque Madame and French dip sandwiches, a sweet and savory crêpe station, plus French music, a scenic slideshow, éclairs and such all day July 14.
Where: Legacy Hall Plano
What: An all-day extravaganza with French food demonstrations, fresh crêpes, French music, can-can dancers, accordion players, and roaming mimes. Register here.
Where: Mercat Bistro
What: Brunch that can end with something they’re calling a layered red velvet crêpe cake, cascading with mascarpone and berries. Red. White. Blue. Beautiful. Reserve here.
Where: Bishop Arts District
What: Bastille on Bishop, where you can wander with a glass of wine and pick your place to perch for food. Tickets here.
Editor’s note: here’s another one we missed
Where: The French Room
What: Three-course brunch (noon to 4pm, $80), with choices that run from melon soup to crepes Suzette. Musical accompaniment, too. Call 214-651-3615 or visit The French Room website for reservations.
