Once Upon A Time In France

If you’ve read anything about Once Upon a Time in France on Gallatin Pike (including my own article in our recent July/August issue) you’ll surely come across a phrase like “walking in transports you off the streets of East Nashville and into Paris,” or something like that. And there’s a reason. It’s because…well… that’s exactly what it feels like. And there’s no missing that fact as you snag a quaint little table and take in the atmosphere around you.

When the menu comes, you’ll notice it’s not very big. In true bistro fashion, it offers a small collection of simply, yet mindfully prepared dishes for an affordable price. After I swooned over the wine list and happily selected a non-alcoholic sparkling wine (a nice addition for those abstaining from alcohol or pregnant, like me), owner Laurent Champonnois joined our table. To my delight and surprise, he regaled us with information on each item on the menu, explaining that 70% of the recipes come directly from his family,

We started with the escargot, done in true French style (in a sauce of garlic and butter), after learning that most escargot one sees on menus are actually not French snails, but Chinese. Then we moved on to the pâté, Laurent’s grandmother’s recipe, typically served at Christmas, made with 80-90% duck. Delicious paired with the accompanying cornichon. The true star of the appetizers, however, is the silky onion soup. “It’s a recipe my father used to make when we were small with my sister. We would put an egg yolk in and a little bit of port wine. It gives an extra smoothness.” Though not typical in France, this preparation is very traditional in the region he was born and unlike any French onion soup I’ve had.

When it came time for entrees, the boeuf bourguignon was a no brainer, served once again in a manner I had never had before – over pasta. “My grandmother would teach me how [to make this dish] since I was very small, about 8 or 10,” Laurent laments. “I would go into her kitchen, and she would teach me how to do it. And she would use rabbit. It was fantastic.” Laurent uses beef, as the name explains, but lets us know that it is typical in France to not trim the meat the way we are used to here in America. “The French like to eat all of it,” he says. (If it’s not enough for you, try the steak frites – it’s almost a pound of meat!)

Next, the almond trout. Also a traditional dish, Laurent is insistent the proper way to roast almonds is in a frying pan, not the oven, so there is a proper difference in color from light brown to almost dark. It must land itself on one of the best fish dishes I’ve ever had, with supple, perfectly cooked flesh and tender, heavenly potatoes with crispy exteriors, all laid lovingly in a perfectly sublime, properly tangy beurre blanc sauce.

Recently, Laurent added ratatouille to his menu. I’m especially excited for this one, as it’s a dish I tried in as many versions as I could while in Paris. And Laurent’s secret recipe uses tomatoes grown in his own garden.

For dessert, do yourself a favor and order the crème brûlée AND the chocolate mousse. Each and every person who has tried the crème brûlée has said it is unequivocally the best they’ve every had, complete with the proper crack of the sugar on top. Alternate bites with the of the cool custard with bites of the fluffy mousse and bask in a moment of pure bliss.

What’s abundantly clear about this tiny place on Gallatin is that nothing about OUATIF is disingenuous. True intention and thought has been placed into every detail, every sip, and every bite. And that intention extends into their reservation policy. Which is – that they don’t take them. “Whether wrong or right, this is the way to do it,” he says. “We tried to do some reservations for large groups; we did this for one or two months, but we didn’t see the point – people didn’t show, we had to keep the table; it’s a waste of money for us. But even if we don’t take reservations, we always find a way to feed 100-150 people every night. I have to say no to 40-50 people, which is a shame, but there is a point where the list gets too long. And we want to stay a little business – very traditional. I’m already 64, I don’t want to have 200 people on the patio, 200 inside…. For me, personally, it’s perfect.”

Even more perfect? The recipes aren’t his only tie to family. “My ex-wife is the Front of House, my son is my partner, his girlfriend is the bartender… so it’s a really family-oriented business. And this is what we really like in Nashville. All the family restaurants are the best. For soul food or for Korean food- they’re family [run] and they know what they’re talking about! I think this is the future of Nashville. My son and I think there is a need in general for authenticity.”

The family dynamic of OUATIF spills out onto the customers as well. “What really pleases me the most is [when] I see people talking to each other from one table to another,” Laurent says as a large smile stretches across his face. “At the bar, everyone doesn’t know [each other] at the beginning, but by the end of the meal they are friends with everyone. For me, I really appreciate that. And before Covid, we saw people exchanging food from one table to another. It was incredible. Even in France, I’ve never seen that. This is what I like. I’m so happy to be in Nashville.”

Follow OUATIF @onceuponatimeinfrance and be sure to check out Laurent’s son and business partner Melvil Arnt’s new endeavors:
The Authentique Wine Bar, opening in August in East Nashville and Overlord, a European style bar clad with bohemian 1940s décor, set to open this summer. You can follow them on Instagram @the_authentique_wine_bar and @overlord_nashville.