Chez Sophie

Category: Reviews
Published: November 2007

Chez Sophie
at the Saratoga Hotel
534 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY
518.583.3538

The Saratoga Hotel can definitely boast that they are the new home of Chez Sophie. On a daily basis, Chefs Paul Parker and Cheryl Clark prepare culinary masterpieces. Chef Paul inherited his love of French cuisine from his mother Sophie. Sophie grew up on a farm in northern France, and developed her passion for fine food from her grandmother. Chez Sophie has a simple and refined dcor. As you enter the restaurant, you'll notice the attractive bar area that is completely separate from the dining room. It looks like a great place to have cocktails while you enjoy the jazz pianist. Chez Sophie is understated elegance personified. The warm earth tones, dim lighting and centrally-located fireplace all work together to create a beautiful ambiance for a memorable dining experience.

Our evening of fine dining began with a wonderful basket of French peasant bread. The bread was served with a white bean paste. I often forego the bread when dining out, and sometimes take only a bite. This bread with white bean paste was so sensational that I could have been perfectly content to eat it as a meal. After I ate much too much bread and bean paste, I had an apple and crushed walnut salad with fresh farm greens tossed with apple cider vinaigrette, goat cheese and honey. The greens were as fresh as they could be, and the sweetness of the honey, with the pungent goat cheese, apples and walnuts made for a taste delight. I should tell you that Chefs Paul and Cheryl use local farmers who use sustainable and organic methods to purchase the highest quality vegetables and meats. My dinner companion and I then had a crab cake with lemon caper mayonnaise and hot sunchoke soup. The crab cake was outstanding... light and delicate. The lemon caper mayonnaise was an ideal complement. The sunchoke soup was savory and delicious. A sunchoke is an underground vegetable that is like a cross between a rutabaga and potato. It is more commonly known as Jerusalem artichoke.

For our entrees, I ordered veal birds braised in white wine with sage, and my dinner companion had the roasted New Zealand lamb with olives, lemon confit, toasted pine nuts and a creamy leek-potato puree. Both entrees were exemplary. My veal birds were medallions of veal that, after being braised in white wine, were wrapped around baby steamed asparagus and served with mashed potatoes and a heavenly brown gravy. Everything about this dish was fabulous. My dinner companion had New Zealand lamb that was equally as spectacular. We ended our evening of superb dining with chocolate mousse, "nearly" flourless chocolate cake, and decaffeinated cappuccino. The mousse was smooth, creamy and totally sinful. The "nearly" flourless chocolate cake was dense, rich and luscious. Our cappuccino was full-bodied and aromatic with a European taste.

We are so fortunate to have a restaurant the caliber of Chez Sophie in Saratoga Springs. It is little wonder that when Robert Redford was filming the Horse Whisperer here in 1997, he mentioned the two things he'd miss about Saratoga Springs: Saratoga Spa State Park and Chez Sophie. Chez Sophie would please the most discerning of palates. If you want to enjoy an evening of fine dining at its best, Chez Sophie is for you. The food, service and ambiance are all first-rate.