Mon Petit Cafe -- Mussels!!!

Two weeks ago a cousin of mine came in from Florida. My mother and I decided to meet with her and two other family friends for drinks around 8 pm. We had already eaten a roast chicken dinner and didn't expect to eat anything. Oh, how wrong we were.

Their apartment is on the Upper East Side and they wanted to try Mon Petite Cafe for dinner.

My mom and I were willing to order an appetizer instead of a dessert, but I ended up sampling and taking pictures of everyone's food. I felt like a moocher, but people offered and I couldn't resist.

I opted for the escargot, cutely tucked in porcelain cubbyholes, immersed in pools of butter and oil.

Salt overpowered the nutty, garlic flavor, but each morsel was tender. An oil absorbed piece of baguette with a snail on top was delightful. Just be careful, because these were unbearably hot!!

Our friend's first taste seared her tongue and she started sputtering and emitting a stream of steam. I recommend waiting a good five minutes before consuming these.

As an entree our cousin ordered an enormous portion of mussels (Moules Frites, Marinière) 19.95, served in a buttery, creamy broth and with a side of fries.

A bite of mussel bursts with a subtle taste of the ocean, not briny, but smooth and refreshing. I continually dipped baguette in the creamy sauce and sucked the juice from the bread. I didn't eat the bread, but slurped the salt of mussels, and silky white wine broth.

I greedily reached across the table into my cousin's bowl to dip bread, which soon became a perfect lil base to top with a mussel. A chomp on crisp, not too greasy, but oozing fries was a heavenly combo with the aftertaste of the sea and butter. Ahh the nectar of fried food with cream, yumm!

Our cousin's husband ordered the Filet de Sole Meunière (24.95) and offered me a little taste. This is a horrible picture but at least the flash didn't drown out everything.

The sole was served in a butter sauce with a slight tate of lemon, which was not heavy. The lemon countered the prominent fish taste of the sole but I didn't enjoy it.

I was also given a nibble of a La Salade Niçoise (19.95) served with medium rare tuna.

Served on a bed of lettuce, the tuna was a pink eye slice among string beans, peppers, eggs and red onion tossed in a light vinagrette.

The Les Ravioli aux Champignons des Bois (17.95) was nothing special but tasty enough. The ravioli was not chewy, cutable with the side of a fork and smooth in the cream. Mixed assortments of wild mushrooms added an earthy flavor to the cream sauce and was not that bad.

For not being hungry, I had at least half of the bowl of mussels, a good four pieces of bread, along with what remained of the salad, a ravioli, a little bite of the sole and also dessert.

Dessert was disappointing. I think I wanted chocolate but went with an apple tartin.

I should have went with my initial craving. I am ashamed to post this picture, because it looks like an orange blob and blood drizzled snowball, but it's the only one I have. The crust to the tartin was dissapointingly soggy. There was an unneeded side of whipped cream and the small snowball was actually ice cream. The apples themselves were ordinary.

(bite shot)

My fork and the rubbery crust entered a battle royale, and after pieces of apples and berries were scattered on the plate in a mess, I gave up and just ate the ice cream.

The staff was very attentive, lovely and French! Pastel curtains enclose the room from dreary Lexington Ave. and overall we enjoyed the meal, romantic lighting and company until 11 pm. My mother's bracelet fell apart and pearls scattered on the floor; the staff was so kind, moved our table, looked on the floor, and brightened the room in an attempt to find my mother's pearls. They were so helpful and thank god all of them were found.

I would easily order the mussels for almost every meal. I can't get that taste out of my mind. I would love to go back and sample other entrees, like their duck and/or steak. I hear that they are better for lunch, so I will definitely need to go back. But overall delicious and satisfying night.

Mon Petit Cafe

801 Lexington Avenue,

New York City, NY10021

(212) 355-2233