La Petite Folie

The food is french in flair and inspiration.  The portions are normal for a french restaurant.  I def left full and the prix fix menu was a great deal.  Our server David was amazingly patient and kind.  The other gentleman was quite short and rude.  For a white table cloth locale I expect a happy cohesive staff.  I would return for the the food as it is generous in portion and tasty.  However the menu does need some review to make it more french!

I have never left  a negative review on Yelp, or anywhere else, for a restaurant;  I have worked in the food service industry for going on 8 years and I understand that sometimes things are just a bit off, and everyone has a bad night. But my first and only experience at La Petit Folie on NYE this year was so appalling bad, I felt compelled to write. To put it bluntly, this was quite possibly my worst experience in a restaurant. It had nothing to do with the food, but, rather, the service. More specifically: the waiter, who was one of the rudest people I have ever met, and openly mocked my family for their lack of knowledge about French food and terms.

For example, my mother asked about the differences between the cheeses and the waiter looked at her as if she were completely ignorant, before sneering, "They're all made of milk." At first I thought maybe he had a really strange sense of humor, but he ultimately ignored her question, and made similar condescending remarks throughout the evening. He even openly mocked my grandmother when she mispronounced "frisee." In all my years of service at various places of employment, at no time and in no place would that have been appropriate behavior.

Luckily for our waiter, we had a table of 7 so he was able to add the automatic 18% gratuity, which, on NYE, was a hefty sum around $150. It infuriated me that he felt that he could so blatantly disregard us as customers--or even just as people!--because he knew he didn't have to work to earn a good tip. I passed him talking to a 3-top on my way back from the bathroom, and he was smiling and shmoozing and generally coming across as a pleasant human being. Maybe this is the cynic in me, but I'd bet his Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde act had something to do with the fact that he couldn't charge this table automatic gratuity.

Admittedly, this was just one server on one evening, but it was just so disappointing to have such an awful dining experience on New Years Eve, after what had been a very difficult year for my family. It was supposed to be celebratory, and ended up mostly uncomfortable and embarrassing. If this is the type of person that La Petite Folie typically employs, it does not reflect well on management's hiring or training processes. Needless to say, I will not be returning to find out whether this was a fluke, or the norm. The food was absolutely delicious and the proprietor/chef seems wonderful, but, frankly, it costs way too much to feel patronized and mocked throughout the entire meal.

If you do end up going to La Petite Folie, you might want to steer clear of the waiter with dark brown hair and a short-cropped dark brown beard and mustache. Dude's got a huge chip on his shoulder about something!!

I've always been scared of restaurants like this where they provide 2 forks. I am so out of my element. I'd walk past the french sounding name. I was sure it would be too expensive, the portions sizes small, the Garcon rude!  But i still wanted to experience what people who don't buy their clothes at thrift stores experience!

Yesterday I did. It was a Christmas gift so I could not pass it up. And I realized that one should not judge a restaurant by it giving you two forks.

I had the magret de canard (aka duck breast). I half expected a tiny piece of meat and a pretty lil garnish. WRONG. It was plated beautifully but it was meaty enough for a linebacker of the Chicago Bears...I had to take half of it home with me! (and I wasn't stuffed by the bread basket since I barely touched it!)

I finished my meal with the Belgian Chocolate Torte. YUMMY. I licked my plate clean.

ALOT of food. Prices aren't that bad either. Granted I didn't pay but I did take a peek at the prices and they have a prix fixe menu for only $32! I definately will be back to take advantage of that!

The only part of my very special Christmas gift I did not like was it did take the waiter a good 10 minutes to bring us the dessert menu and he seemed rushed and not too friendly. Other than that, I had a great time and will definately be back. I'm not coming back to be the waiter's friend. I am coming back to put on my best  attire from my favorite thrift store which is also close by(Encore in Hyde Park!) and partaking in fine  yet hearty cuisine.

A must if one is in Hyde Park and even elsewhere. Prices are a  STEAL!