French, seriously

Unpretentious Bonjour unstuffs Gallic sensibility

Comments (0) By Mary Brown Malouf Thursday, Jun 27 1996

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Lunch was actually better, busting more cliches. There are a number of sandwiches, on baguette or croissant, and a small selection of entrees ranging from $5 to $8. Poulet grand-mere broke the chicken rules again, the breast simmered in red wine with squares of bacon and mushrooms, the wine reduced to a vigorously salty sauce that leaked over into the nest of roasted and parsleyed new potatoes. Quiche Lorraine reminds you of what this dish was before the chain restaurants got hold of it, a wholesomely simple tart of egg and cream in a flaky crust. The Brie burger was a truly fabulous take on a hamburger--two big, thick patties of beef, with the clean, strong flavor of fresh-chopped steak cooked beautifully medium-rare, sat side by side on a section of mustard-spread baguette, blanketed with pale melted Brie. It was an indulgence, a two-fisted burger, far more than anyone could eat at one meal, but it took the American fast food to a different level. Was this what was intended by the word "hamburger" all along?

Bonjour, 3850 W. Northwest Hwy., Plaza on Bachman Creek, 350-3467. Open for lunch Monday, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m.

Paysanne $2.45
Brie Burger $6.85
Garlic Saucisson $3.55
Poulet Grand-mere $6.50
Filet Mignon Parisien $15.70