108 replies to this topic

[EAH]

Taking a good friend to Chez Daniel for birthday dinner tomorrow night. Second time there and hope to have many more meals there.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Is is correct that Chez Daniel has no website?

[tsukiji]

Is is correct that Chez Daniel has no website?

I hope not -- it's hard enough to get a reservation already.

Does he need one? Seems like he and we are just doing fine w/out one

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

I hope not -- it's hard enough to get a reservation already.

Does he need one? Seems like he and we are just doing fine w/out one

My husband usually likes to see a sampling of a restaurant's offerings before we go, so it would be nice to see something. We'll likely go anyway.

[Thinkingoutloud]

I 2nd the need for a website. Doesn't he change his menu every month? How would I findout what he's serving? I am such a picky eater - don't want to go when he's serving stuff I won't eat...

[eVader]

We went on the 25th for our 21st anniversary and it was of course awesome.

Menu had:
vegetable soup
French onion soup
mixed greens salad

Mains
Braised Rabbit, Beef Tenderloin, Pork Tenderloin, Prawns and Scallops in the lobster sauce, a veal special (scallapini style), rack of lamb, NY or Rib Eye steak, and recall a salmon entree and a trout special.

May be similar today unless he changes the menu on the first of the month.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

We went on the 25th for our 21st anniversary and it was of course awesome.

Menu had:
vegetable soup
French onion soup
mixed greens salad

Mains
Braised Rabbit, Beef Tenderloin, Pork Tenderloin, Prawns and Scallops in the lobster sauce, a veal special (scallapini style), rack of lamb, NY or Rib Eye steak, and recall a salmon entree and a trout special.

May be similar today unless he changes the menu on the first of the month.

Thanks! That helps and it all sounds delicious.

My husband is not a red meat eater and prefers to have more than one or two choices for fish/seafood/fowl. I'll be sure to call ahead and find out what the entrees are.

[MrsTuffPaws]

Thanks! That helps and it all sounds delicious.

My husband is not a red meat eater and prefers to have more than one or two choices for fish/seafood/fowl. I'll be sure to call ahead and find out what the entrees are.

Here's a few professional reviews, might help to get a better idea of what he serves (plus pictures of the food).
http://www.stylemg.com/Style/March-2012/Chez-Daniel/
http://www.sacmag.com/Sacramento-Magazine/February-2012/Chez-Daniel/
http://www.sacmag.com/Eat-Drink/Eat-Drink-Blog/December-2011/First-Bite-Chez-Daniel/
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/01/4151784/first-impressions-chez-daniel.html
http://folsomtelegraph.com/detail/194451.html?content_source=&category_id=16&search_filter=&user_id=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&event_ts_to=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=1&sub_type=&town_id=

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Here's a few professional reviews, might help to get a better idea of what he serves (plus pictures of the food).
http://www.stylemg.com/Style/March-2012/Chez-Daniel/
http://www.sacmag.com/Sacramento-Magazine/February-2012/Chez-Daniel/
http://www.sacmag.com/Eat-Drink/Eat-Drink-Blog/December-2011/First-Bite-Chez-Daniel/
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/01/4151784/first-impressions-chez-daniel.html
http://folsomtelegraph.com/detail/194451.html?content_source=&category_id=16&search_filter=&user_id=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&event_ts_to=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=1&sub_type=&town_id=

Thanks!

[EAH]

I took a friend out for Birthday dinner. Our reservations were at 7:00. After the Maitre D'/ Waiter really played up the special of the evening and the Pork Loin we ordered one of each. He came back 30 minutes later to inform us they were out of both! This was my second visit to Chez Daniel. I remember the first time the service was a little slow but very attentive, and the food was delicious.
This time I made sure to inform them well in advance it was a birthday dinner. I thought making reservations on a Wednesday would insure faster service. Actually it was the opposite. The service was interminably slow, and sadly not very attentive. We did not have a choice of soup, as I did last time, nor dessert. The dinner from start to finish took 2 and a half hours. I had warned my friend earlier that service was a little slow, but we were both getting agitated by the time the entrees arrived- just under 1 and a half hours later. and while the entrees are very small ( I had the shrimp and scallops which consisted of 2 shrimp on top of 2 scallops.) they were very good. but my floating island suffered from extremely over whipped egg whites.
Overall I was really disappointed as I had really talked up Chez Daniel to my friend who is a foodie and hosts a lot of dinners out at fine restaurants for friends and family. I don't think Chez Daniel will make it into her regular restaurant repetoir sadly. I really think Chez Daniel suffers from Chef Pont not hiring any help in the kitchen. Just one more sous would make a huge difference.
I am really sad about this as I really want to LOVE this place.

[MrsTuffPaws]

I took a friend out for Birthday dinner. Our reservations were at 7:00. After the Maitre D'/ Waiter really played up the special of the evening and the Pork Loin we ordered one of each. He came back 30 minutes later to inform us they were out of both! This was my second visit to Chez Daniel. I remember the first time the service was a little slow but very attentive, and the food was delicious.
This time I made sure to inform them well in advance it was a birthday dinner. I thought making reservations on a Wednesday would insure faster service. Actually it was the opposite. The service was interminably slow, and sadly not very attentive. We did not have a choice of soup, as I did last time, nor dessert. The dinner from start to finish took 2 and a half hours. I had warned my friend earlier that service was a little slow, but we were both getting agitated by the time the entrees arrived- just under 1 and a half hours later. and while the entrees are very small ( I had the shrimp and scallops which consisted of 2 shrimp on top of 2 scallops.) they were very good. but my floating island suffered from extremely over whipped egg whites.
Overall I was really disappointed as I had really talked up Chez Daniel to my friend who is a foodie and hosts a lot of dinners out at fine restaurants for friends and family. I don't think Chez Daniel will make it into her regular restaurant repetoir sadly. I really think Chez Daniel suffers from Chef Pont not hiring any help in the kitchen. Just one more sous would make a huge difference.
I am really sad about this as I really want to LOVE this place.

I'm sad the hear this. I have reservations for a Thursday night at the end of the month, also at 7pm. (Though I better confirm, we made them a month ago, and Chef Pont seemed a little annoyed about taking a reservation so far out in advance) I'd be very sad if I couldn't get the entree I want. It's for our 20th anniversary. But I didn't tell them that. Why would they care? They should treat all their customers the same regardless of the situation, right?

Just curious why you made a point to tell them it was a birthday dinner, and if you expected something *extra* because of it. I'm always fascinated by people that think differently than me.

[EAH]

I didn't expect anything different or extra, what I forgot to say in my previous post was on my first visit, they LOST our reservation, although we called 1 week in advance. I didn't want to risk that this time and I thought that if I mentioned it was a birthday they might be more careful to write it in their book or at least on the right day.
You are correct, they should treat ALL customers the same. We were waiting to be offered coffee service after /with dessert as we saw other tables being offered it, but our waiter never came by to offer it to us. Only much later did we see him when he brought the bill. Again a disappointing experience.
If you are dead set on a certain entree I HIGHLY recommend the earliest seating they offer which I believe is 5 or 5:30 pm. Now that I think about it, adding another waiter would go along way towards improving service as well.

[tsukiji]

Think of Chez Daniel not only as an enjoyable dining experience, but also as an opportunity to practice your conversational skills

Be interesting and engaging

As basically a 1 man shop, Chez Daniel will have off days. Just as we all probably do at work. I'm planning to just enjoy it as much as possible for as long as chef Pont is there.

[EAH]

As one who made several pilgrimages to Le Bonne Soup, I was probably more excited than anyone to hear that we would be lucky enough to have Chef Pont here. Truly. Thrilled. However there is a bit of hypocrasy when people lambaste a brand new BBQ restaurant that opens Memorial day weekend for slow service, and yet excuse a fine dining establishment that has been around for long enough to iron out the kinks. Again, this was my second time visiting Chez Daniel, the first time they lost our reservations and while the service was sloooow, the attentiveness and the food itself made it worth the wait. This time-not so much. I do understand that restaurants have off days. I have worked in enough to know. I have also had meals at some excellent restaurants ( Mostly Napa and San Francisco) that lasted 2 and 1/2 hours. However they were 6 courses with an amuse bouche to start.
I like to think I am both interesting and engaging
I just really think Chef Pont needs to rethink the one man show, it's akin to cutting off ones nose to spite his face.

[tsukiji]

I don't know. I don't know if it's hypocrisy so much as it is different expectations. One could expect faster, expedient service at a franchise type restaurant where one stands in line to order food that is largely pre-prepared in advance. However, one should expect / forgive reasonable missed expectations for new openings.

Contrast that to a decently prepared <French> cooked meal. The name is in fact suggestive of slow, somewhat casual dining. Anyone who has patronized Le Bonne and waited 30+ minutes for a bowl of soup and a sandwich should probably not be surprised with a 1-2 hour dinner.

I don't fault chef Pont; I haven't had an unreasonable experience there -- at least not too contrary to my expectations. Perfect, no. But I look for the silver lining - I'd rather have Chez Daniel here, warts and all, than not. I assume he has reasons for keeping the staff very minimalist - target margins, small space, turnover costs/avoidance, whatever. He's more chef than restaurateur. I'd prefer him over a chef Ramsey any day and twice on Sunday. There is a certain non-sterile, comforting, uniqueness of experience there not really available anywhere else in Folsom. If I wanted something a little more professional, I'd probably make the drive to Ella's or something.

I can satisfactorily cook a meal in various cuisines. Except French despite watching Pepin on a regular basis. My silver lining -- easily accessible French cuisine. I learn something each time I go. It may take 2 hours for dinner (that I actually find relaxing over a bottle of wine shared with friends / family). But I'll take this diamond in the rough, inclusions and all.

I refer to what I think is a decent philosophy taught to me: enjoy what you have; focus not on what you don't.