Chez Yasu (Topeka, Kansas): Good, Overpriced French Cuisine With A Japanese Flare
2701 SW 17th St
Topeka, KS 66604
785-357-1003
Prices: $$$$$
A
French restaurant in Topeka, Kansas with a Japanese chef? Seems a bit odd, but
hey, it works!
We
arrived exactly on time for our 7:30pm reservation, but had to wait 15 minutes
for our table ... STRIKE 1! While we waited, we had a view of the prep area where
a server was taking cherry tarts out of a box that looked like something from
Sam's Club ... STRIKE 2! The prices on the menu were significantly higher than
the menu on their website ... STRIKE 3! Normally an "out", I have to
admit that we enjoyed our dinner and may very well return to try Chez Yasu again ... MAYBE.
Escargots |
I
love escargots (snails - $7.95 online, $8.95 in reality) and their
buttery, garlicly goodness, rarely having the opportunity to order them in culturally challenged eastern Kansas,
so I did (as an antipasto). Sans shells, they came six on a plate accompanied
by a couple sliced mushrooms and doused with a savory garlic, parsley, and
butter sauce. They were good, but nowhere near the best I have had and
definitely some of the priciest at $1.50 a pop.
My wife had the potato and leek soup (potage - $3.95/$4.95) which apparently comes either hot or cold because when it arrived, it was ice-cold! We asked the server to please bring her the warm version. The soup was decent, moderately flavorful, but a little too watery for my taste. It could have been thicker with a bit more seasoning, but the bread made up for it. The server brought more freshly baked bread as needed and was actually one of the highlights of the night
Poulet Saute |
Boeuf Borguignon |
Boeuf
Borguignon ($21.95/$24.95), braised boneless beef short ribs, onions, and
mushrooms in a red (burgundy, hence the name) wine reduction. Accompanied by the same mashed potatoes and fresh green beans, the plate was pleasing to the eye and
very good. The burgundy sauce was perfect, but for such a small and inexpensive
cut of meat, a couple mushrooms, potatoes, and beans, the price we paid was
easily six times the food cost and again not a great value in my eyes. I believe the
advertised $21.95 would be more appropriate and $19.95 would be a much better value,
earning an extra bomb, maybe two in my book (or blog in this case).
The house wine (Root: 1), a deep red, full bodies Chilean cabernet with intense fruity tones was the perfect accompaniment to the boeuf borguignon, but at $28 it was the least expensive option on a small wine menu with most bottles coming in at $40 or more.
Now do
not get me wrong, I have no trouble paying top dollar (or Euro) for a top-shelf
meal worthy of a Michelin Star or two, but Chez Yasu will not be getting that
star any time soon. I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world
... Brussels, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Tokyo, Seoul, Budapest, you name it ... and
although decent, this small French restaurant in Topeka, Kansas is overpriced
in my opinion. By comparison, one of my favorite French restaurants, Le
Central in Denver (Colorado) has a much more extensive and affordable wine
list, a menu offering a comparable number of options (plus an elaborate
offering of mussel dishes, with unlimited French fries by the way,
for under $10) all under or close to $20, and superb cuisine prepared by
real French chefs. In that comparison, Chez Yasu does not even come close,
hence my rating of "value" ....
The house wine (Root: 1), a deep red, full bodies Chilean cabernet with intense fruity tones was the perfect accompaniment to the boeuf borguignon, but at $28 it was the least expensive option on a small wine menu with most bottles coming in at $40 or more.
House Wine - Root 1 (Chile - $28) |
CombatCritic Gives Chez Yasu 6 Bombs Out of 10 ... Les Bombes Sont Bon!
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Potato-Leek Soup |
Fresh, French Bread Baguette |
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Key Words: 66604, beef, burgundy, chez, Chez Yasu, CombatCritic, eat, food, France, French, Kansas, restaurant, Topeka, travel, TravelValue, value, yasu
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