ORO VALLEY — Calling its cheese platter a "fromage plate" is about as stuffy as it gets at The French Twist Cafe, and chef/owner Christopher Belanger would have it no other way.
His goal when he opened the eatery on tax day last April 15 was to put a little pedestrian in the French dining experience without dumbing down the French-influenced food.
He succeeds on both points, dishing up tried-and-true classics like chicken cordon bleu alongside innovative twists like a rustic artisan bread salad in an atmosphere that invites children to dig into a new twist on an old classic: Pigs in Paris. (Think pigs in a blanket with breakfast sausage links wrapped in chewy crepes.)
Here the emphasis is on invention without pretension, which is evident in the artichoke salmon filet ($15.95). An unpretentious fillet of tender, sweet salmon is butterflied, then crowned with an innovative creamy sauce that marries tangy artichoke chunks sautéed in fresh garlic with a whisper of fresh dill. It's served with a fluffy rice pilaf kissed by lemon and with crispy fresh veggies that included, on a recent Friday night, baby carrots and green beans.
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Tender beef flank steak serves as the basis for the stuffed steak roulade ($16.95). Wilted fresh spinach and sweet and tart sun-dried tomatoes made up the filling; tangy aged Parmesan gave it a subtle kick alongside a rich balsamic vinegar reduction.
For the most part, French Twist is a breakfast and lunch spot; they serve dinner on Friday and Saturday nights only. On a recent Friday soon after they added dinner service, the intimate space in the unremarkable strip mall was jumping.
Almost all of the restaurant's 13 tables inside were occupied, and several of the handful on the patio were filled with folks nibbling on the selection of cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Parmesan, Roquefort and aged Cheddar) in the fromage plate ($10.95) or biting into the Dijon chicken brochettes appetizer ($7.95). The chunks of juicy chicken were marinated in a Dijon mustard sauce tickled with honey and fresh tarragon.
The fromage plate is on the Sunday brunch menu, along with those Pigs in Paris ($4.25), listed on the kids menu.
The French accents are more pronounced at brunch, from cheese-filled blintzes ($8.95) to Parisian french toast made with fresh-baked baguette ($7.95). (The french toast also comes stuffed with raspberry and cream cheese in the decadent stuffed french toast framboise, $8.95.)
Baked quiche ($8.95) is ever-changing. On a recent Sunday, earthy wilted fresh spinach and sun-dried tomatoes were whipped into the fluffy egg custard and baked in a flaky, buttery crust.
The French croissant breakfast sandwich ($7.95) had similarly fluffy eggs dotted with aged white Cheddar and ordered with the crisp, thick bacon. (You can also get it with apple-wood-smoked ham or sage sausage.)
Of course, every French-inspired meal should end with a French-inspired dessert, and the French Twist Cafe has enough sweets to sate any tooth. The caramelized crème brûlée was a tad gritty on that recent Friday, but the rich triple chocolate mousse tower, with layers of dark, milk and white chocolate mousse, made up for it. Other desserts ($6.99) included a cappuccino mousse column and a paradiso cake with a mango and passion fruit mousse at its core.
The cafe also features dozens of pastries, from gooey bear claws ($2.25) to rich fruit and cheese danishes ($1.95-$3.95) and signature apricot and ginger scones ($2.50), all made fresh; and more than 20 hot and cold coffees and teas, including the house iced green tea ($1.75) with lemon, mint and vanilla.
Check, please
● The French Twist Cafe 10110 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley; 797-1127
l Hours: 6:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 5-9 pm. dinner Fridays and Saturdays; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. brunch Sundays; closed Mondays
l Wine list: None
l Family call: There's a children's menu that includes pasta and sandwiches.
l Noise level: Tolerable
l Vegetarian choices: Salads and pastas
l Dress: Casual
l Reservations: Accepted
l Price range: Dinner entrees go from $12.95 for chicken cordon bleu to $16.95 for stuffed steak roulade; lunch entrees range from a $7.95 croque monsieur smoked ham sandwich to $10.95 for a seared ahi tuna steak sandwich.