Dining Review

Stephen Santacroce

I have to admit it’s been years since I’d visited the Pleasant

Peasant, but after having lunch there a few times for this review, I’m

hard pressed to explain why.

Located near the airport, on Martingale Way, the quaint French bistro

has been a longtime favorite with the office park lunch crowd since it

opened more than 12 years ago.

Owners Laurent and Lisa Ferre share the responsibilities of running

the restaurant in classic French fashion -- Laurent deftly runs the

kitchen while Lisa charms her guests while taking charge of the dining

room.

The restaurant itself is bright and airy, with the rustic charm of a

country farm somewhere in Laurent’s native Brittany. Blond-pine walls are

accented with whitewashed trim and are adorned with copper cooking

utensils and hanging plants. Lattice trims along the ceiling and

multipaned windows with stained-glass inlays add to the cozy appeal.

The menu at Pleasant Peasant isn’t complex or trendy; it focuses on

traditional bistro fare that features large portions at reasonable

prices. You won’t leave the Pleasant Peasant hungry or broke. The lunch

menu features most of the same items as at dinner time, but at slightly

lower prices. The prices and comments in this column are based on the

lunch menu.

Once seated, you’ll be served a basket of warm crust rolls with some

creamy, sweet butter. They’re the perfect accompaniment to Laurent’s

signature appetizer, a pate ($4.75) of duck, chicken and pork. The pate

can also be ordered as part of the Peasant Lunch ($6.50), where it’s

served on a baguette with a tangy Dijon mustard.

Other starters offered for lunch are a house salad ($3.25), tossed

greens topped with julienne vegetables and several soups. Onion soup

($3.95), a bistro favorite, is served in a large crock topped with a

large crouton and a bubbling layer of Gruyere cheese. The beef broth is

well-stocked with onion chunks, but I found it surprisingly bland, as if

someone had forgotten the salt.

The gazpacho ($2.95), on the other hand, is right on the mark. It’s a

zesty cold tomato soup with minced fresh vegetables that leaves a nice

tingle on your tongue and is a perfect first course on a hot summer

afternoon.

Laurent always prepares a soup du jour ($2.95 or an extra $1.50 with

an entree salad or sandwich), such as a creamy potato and leek puree that

we tried on a recent visit. The soup was light and satisfying, with just

a hint of nutmeg offsetting the earthiness of the potatoes.

The lunch menu at Pleasant Peasant features several entree salads and

sandwich choices not found on the evening menu. A classic nicoise salad

($7.95) is offered with a slight twist. The bistro favorite features

greens mixed with hard-boiled egg, green beans and chunks of tomato and

tiny green picholine olives.

Traditionally, canned tuna fish is also added to the salad. Here, they

upgrade the dish slightly by topping it with a slice of grilled ahi. The

house vinaigrette that accompanies the dish teases the palate with the

subtle but distinctive flavor of fresh tarragon, creating a pleasing

rendition of a longtime country French staple.

Other salads include a warm goat cheese salad ($7.50) that tops a

mixture of greens, apples and walnuts with croutons of baguette slices

coated with warm goat cheese and tomatoes. Or try the smoked salmon

($7.95), mesquite-smoked on the premises and marinated with the house

vinaigrette.

Several sandwiches also are offered, all served with a side of mixed

steamed vegetables. I like the chicken salad ($6.75), which is homemade

with a rich herb mayonnaise and bits of chopped tomato and crunchy

cornichons. Another good choice is the smoked turkey ($7.25, $8 with

Swiss cheese). The turkey is smoked in-house and is served here on a

crusty baguette with lettuce, tomato and homemade mayonnaise.

As you’d expect of any good French Bistro, the Pleasant Peasant offers

a nice selection of reasonably prices wines by the glass or by the

bottle. Now if you’re like me and can’t drink wine with lunch without

risking being asleep at your desk by 2, stick with iced tea or lemonade.

Otherwise, enjoy one of the nice selections with your meal and what the

heck? Don’t go back to work.

Entrees at the Pleasant Peasant show off Laurent’s skill with classic

bistro cooking. The Wellington ($9.50), for example, is a country take on

an elegant classic. Typically a filet mignon is coated with pate and a

mushroom sauce and then roasted in a puff pastry crust. Here the puff

pastry surrounds a savory but definitely more down-to-earth slice of

meatloaf, accompanied by a rich bordelaise sauce and fresh mushrooms.

Another timeless French dish is crepes ($8.95), and the ones served

here don’t disappoint. Thin pancakes are filled with a savory mixture of

chicken and mushrooms, all topped with a classic bechamel, or white sauce

and Swiss cheese. Despite the rich ingredients, the dish is surprisingly

light and is one of my favorites.

I was somewhat disappointed with the duck farcie ($11.50), a boneless

duck leg stuffed with a mousse of chicken and vegetable and then roasted.

The mousse had a nice, course texture and went well with the rich duck

meat, but the duck leg itself had surprisingly little meat on it.

The lamb shank ($12.95), arguably the restaurant’s signature dish,

fares better. The lamb is braised in a rich tomato wine mixture until

it’s ready to fall off the bone. The moist meat is tender and flavorful,

and the portion served is guaranteed to leave you with no room for more.

It’s easy to overlook the Pleasant Peasant when trying to decide on a

spot for a reasonable business lunch or light supper. But I’m never

disappointed when I go there, and I’m impressed to this day at the

excellent quality and large portions the Ferres are able to offer at such

reasonable prices in such a charming setting.

STEPHEN SANTACROCE’S dining reviews appear every other Thursday. He

can be reached via e-mail at food_critic@hotmail.com.

WHAT: The Pleasant Peasant

WHERE: 4251 Martingale Way, Newport Beach

WHEN: Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday; dinner: 5:30

p.m. to closing Monday through Saturday

HOW MUCH: Moderate

PHONE: (949) 955-2755