La Belle Helene
French Onion Soup at La Belle Helene
Diners rejoice, for the food at La Belle Helene is truly something special. Complex and layered flavors, different from the standard at many restaurants in Charlotte. We tried a bunch of amazing things tonight, and I cannot wait to go back and try more.
Perfectly French
The atmosphere here is simply incredible! So beautiful, and perfectly French; you feel like you are in a modern restaurant in Paris. Light. Bright. Airy. Gorgeous flowers, contrasted with hints of old Parisian architecture throughout. There’s only one other restaurant in Charlotte that could rival the atmosphere here.
Sweet priorities
First thing’s first: save room for dessert. Not only is it beautiful, it’s delicious!
La Citron - Lemongrass mousse and lemon confit covered in a thin white chocolate shell to make it look like a lemon. Beautiful, and not too sweet. Citrusy, but not overwhelming. Very, very good.
Paris Brest - Coffee cream, hazelnut praline, and a few chopped nuts that are sandwiched between two choux. It’s light, yet decadent. Super tasty.
Oh yeah, there was non-sweet stuff, too:
Now on to the stuff that comes before dessert...
Gougeres - Cheese popovers, essentially; these are given to all guests at the start.
Moules de PEI - While I very much enjoyed the mussels, you MUST like tarragon or don’t even bother ordering these. It’s the dominant flavor in the white wine and garlic broth they are cooked in. The mussels themselves are huge, fresh, and tender. These are served with a warm, crispy baguette. The bread had good flavor, but was a bit dense with a tight crumb. Regardless, I would order these again. (Update: it looks like the dish has changed and features saffron now).
French Onion Soup - Rich and flavorful. The onions were tender without being mush. The bread had the slightest crunch, which is the sure sign of a well-executed. It also wasn’t overly salty, which can be a huge challenge for chefs, especially after adding the compté cheese topping.
Escargot en Croute - Garlic Herb Butter, Pernod, Puff Pastry. This was fantastic! The puff pastry was light, flakey, and deliciously buttery. Beneath that were the snails, covered in a garlicky herb mixture, and an anise liqueur called Pernod (reminiscent of a fennel flavor in this dish). The escargot was also extremely tender, as far as escargot goes.
Steak Frites - Hanger Steak, Bearnaise. This INSTANTLY transported me back to Paris, like magic. We ordered the hanger steak version, medium-rare. It came lightly salted with a super creamy bearnaise sauce on the side. The fries had great flavor and texture; they weren’t overall crispy, rather had crispy bits here and there. So good.
Duck Confit - Melted Leeks, Mustard, Thyme, Banyuls Jus. It arrived and I confess: my first thought was “Uh oh. This looks dry”. But oh, how wrong I was. It had an EXTRA crispy exterior, while remaining beautifully tender inside. All the fat had caramelized and crisped up. True, it was a bit saltier than I like--I assume to help get it so crispy--but it was still very, very good.
Boeuf Bourguignon - Braised Short Ribs, Red Wine, Carrots, Pearl Onions, Mushrooms, Marble Potatoes. One of the best gravies I’ve ever had, and I am no stranger to gravy. The meat was tender on the inside and flaked with a fork while the outside had a nicely seared crust. Delicious.
Cappuccino - Comes with espresso macaron, and they were okay. A little bit underwhelming considering everything else going on.
Perfect rhythm, lovely service
One lovely moment: the chef came over to chat with us for a bit, and he is extremely nice. Very personable and approachable.
Along those lines, the service here was fantastic. There was consistent check-in to ensure you have everything you need and that the food was good, yet not in an annoying, hovering way. Everything was well timed; things came out pretty quickly, yet you didn’t feel rushed. This can be a tough balance to strike and they struck it beautifully.
Overall, I’d give La Belle Helene a solid 9/10. As you might have guessed from the way I started this review: dessert is a MUST. Now I can’t wait to go back and try the porchetta, the duck a l’orange for two, the salad royale, the seafood tower, and the remaining dessert. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!
Update
I’ve since got back to La Belle Helene 6 or so times - once more for dinner and the remaining for brunch. It’s become one of my favorite spots for brunch in Charlotte. The atmosphere is the same as dinner, but it feels slightly more casual. There’s also a very healthy mix of sweet and savory dishes. Here’s what I’ve tried:
Croissant Aux Amandes: House-made Croissant, Crème Frangipane, Sliced Almonds, Powdered Sugar. Having lived in France, the notion of paying $12 for a croissant blows my mind. With that said, I love almond croissants and needed to try it. This will likely be the most expensive croissant I’ll ever eat, and yet I order it every time I go. It’s perfection - crisp and flakey on the outside, while tender and chewy on the inside - and it’s LOADED with frangipane. If you order nothing else, order this (and maybe a coffee).
Grand Panier Du Boulanger: Croissant, Brioche à Tête, Whole Grain Bread, Pain au Chocolat, Pumpkin Cheese Danish, Buckwheat Cinnamon Swirl. I recommend you order this for the table and everyone share - eat with salted butter or jam. They switch up what is included from time to time, but it’s always excellent.
Gâteau Aux Crêpes: Citrus Crêpes, Spiced Chantilly, Orange Curd, House-made Orange Syrup, Grand Marnier. Delish! Both sweet and tart - just a bite is enough for me. I recommend ordering for the table at the end of the meal, like dessert.
Mixed Berry Crêpe: Mixed Berries, Cream, Orange Blossom. Nothing unique here, but a well executed and tasty berry crepe.
Omelet De La Mer: Lobster, Hackleback Caviar, Crème Fraiche. Very good, but more like a deconstructed omelet. All of the filling was on top for presentation, rather than being inside. The egg was delicate and fluffy. The lobster was a little tough, but well seasoned. With that said, the flavor combination of everything together made for a decadent and sinful breakfast - especially when combined with a mimosa. This was my favorite of the omelets.
Bacon And Onion Omelet: Farm Egg, Pomme Rosti, Toast. Very good, but more like a deconstructed omelet. All of the filling was on top for presentation, rather than being inside. With that said, the bacon was nice and crispy and onions had a lovely caramelization to them. The egg was delicate and fluffy. A solid omelet.
Omelet De Fromage: Cheese Fondue, Farm Eggs, Pomme Rosti, Toast. Very good, but very rich. The egg was delicate and fluffy.
Bacon And Leek Quiche: Cantal, Petite Salad, House Vinaigrette. A classic take on quiche, it’s definitely the best in Charlotte.
Petite Déjeuner: 2 Eggs, Bacon, Roasted Potatoes, Charred Tomato, Toast. A classic preparation of a Western breakfast.
Overall, I’ll give the restaurant an 8/10. The food has always been great. With that said, service has greatly varied between my experiences. Everyone has been incredibly friendly; however, there have definitely been days where the team was short staffed, and we experienced hiccups. On one occasion, everyone at the table received lukewarm food, as it sat waiting for a server to bring it over. On another occasion, we were charged the dinner price for a mimosa, rather than the brunch price (a different champagne is used, which creates a $10 difference per glass).
