INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Gaetano Ascione, Owner and Executive Chef,
Jean Louis Parisian Bistro & Cocktail Bar
Jean Louis Parisian Bistro & Cocktail Bar
3271 West Liberty Ave., Dormont;
412.207.9724, jeanlouispgh.com
On the Menu:
The curated menu of authentic French
bistro cuisine begins with an assortment
of gluten-free or vegan hors d’oeuvres,
such as charcuterie specialties with
condiments, mustard and dried fruits; a
country side paté of Amish chicken liver
and pork lardons, cornichons and mustard
with a toasted baguette; king salmon
and Granny Smith apple terrine; wild
burgundy snails in garlic butter; onion
soup served with Gruyere cheese and
baguette toast; steamed mussels with
white wine, garlic and fries; and garnished
prime beef steak tartare seared rare. Four
distinctive salads include a Bibb lettuce
with a mustard vinaigrette called Salade
de Laitue; the Salade Nicoise is served
with olives, tuna, potatoes, jidori egg,
green beans and anchovies; the Salade de
Betteraves comes with three kinds of beet
root, saffron-peach puree, glazed pecan,
apple cider vinegar, honey dressing and
ricotta; and Salade de Tomates is a toss of
heirloom tomatoes, micro lettuce and bal-
samic dressing. The Principal, or Main, dish
menu is an extensive variety including
Dos de Saumon Grille, a grilled Scottish
salmon, fried black kale with Meyer lemon
butter; Coq au Vin, a slow-cooked Amish
chicken in abordelaise sauce, Cipollini on-
ion, mushrooms and lardons; and Magret
de Caneton à L’Orange, a boneless, ethi-
cally raised duck breast in a blood orange
sauce on a wild mushroom risotto; home-
made pasta in a wild boar ragout called
Pappardelle “Cinghiale”; and a grilled New
York sirloin steak served with Kennebec
French fries. Side pairings include garlic
baby spinach, creamed baby spinach,
French green beans, Brussels sprouts, Ken-
nebec French fries, mac and cheese, and
old-fashioned mashed potatoes. There is
an extensive dessert menu that includes
chocolate bread pudding, a flour-less bit-
tersweet chocolate mousse and a Tahitian
vanilla-infused crème brulee—to name a
few. Also an abundant selection of coffee,
Brandy, port wine, cocktails (historic and
contemporary) and liqueur.
Q A
Describe Jean Louis.
It’s simple and rustic. What you
see is what you get.
As the former executive
chef at the inaugural
banquet of South African President
Mandela and the former Chef de Cuisine
at the Georgetown Club in Washington,
D.C., where you served Presidents Jimmy
Carter and Ronald Reagan (to name a
few distinguished career highlights),
what was the most memorable
menu request?
I had the honor to cook for President Mandela
and his family the evening of the banquet.
He explained that he prefers things plain and
simple, and humbly asked, “Can you give me
a strawberry—just a few?” I told him I would
give him anything he wanted. We don’t have
many men like him anymore.
With previously owned restaurants
in Singapore, what led you to open
Jean Louis?
I had nothing else to do. So I thought to myself,
Gaetano Ascione, Owner and Executive Chef at Jean
Louis Parisian Bistro & Cocktail Bar.
I might as well go to Dormont and open a
French restaurant.
How do you decide on the menu?
I create all the classic bistro dishes. I didn’t
reinvent the wheel; I’m doing what everyone
has done for hundreds of years.
Who has influenced your
cooking the most?
I wanted to make a good living, and I found
out the restaurant business is my biggest
motivation.
What is your favorite dish offered at
Jean Louis?
I like them all. My dishes are like my children
and they are all loved the same.
What is your favorite quick meal to
prepare at home?
I like simple, boiled eggs and turning them
around. Once it’s cooked for 8 minutes, you
twist the shell and it makes a wonderful sound.
What is your favorite go-to ingredient?
I like za’atar spice [a blend of thyme, sesame
seeds, marjoram, oregano, sumac and salt].
What advice can you share
with a novice?
You should know the definition of fine dining.
If you don’t, I’ll share it with you. Fine dining is
a group of friends together sharing each other’s
good company over a roasted Amish chicken.
What’s the next big food or dining trend?
Nowadays everyone is a chef. People will visit
a restaurant, prepare their own meals and go
home. n
The Salade Nicoise served with olives, tuna, potatoes, jidori egg, green beans and anchovies.
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—Reese Randall