Brasserie St. Germain Opens In Ridgefield From Sucre Sale Team

Brasserie St. Germain opened quietly though to much fanfare this past week. Named after St Germain des Pres, the quaint Parisian neighborhood, in the 6th arrondissement. Owners Frank Bonnaudet and Virginie Kharouby are no strangers to the Ridgefield restaurant scene. After nearly 10 years, the owners of the former Sucre Sale decided to shut down the smaller, casual eatery to make way for this newer, slightly more formal concept with its larger menu and more expansive dining areas.

Brasserie St. Germain is an ode to Paris, from the décor – with hand-painted murals in the main dining and bar area that are bright and lively, to the more formal, high end dining area in the back. The restaurant seats between 75-80 people, and judging by what we saw, the space will fill very quickly. Former Sucre Sale diners have been eagerly anticipating this opening. The cozy ambiance suggests a relaxed dining experience, diners will not be rushed.

We had the privilege of checking out the restaurant and menu, and we sat down to talk with General Manager Olivier Bermond. At 4:30 PM, upon our arrival Frank and Virginie were working hard, adding final touches. Olivier, a veteran of the wine and beverage industry and was the former beverage director for Artisan’s Southport and Hartford locations. He met Frank while working at Slocum & Sons as he handled their beverage account, and a new partnership was born. Olivier’s own background is quite fascinating in and of itself, having grown up in the South of France to a father who was a pâtissier to some of the most prestigious restaurants and hotels in France. At the age of 16 he began a two-year intensive internship at a Michelin restaurant where he would learn the ins and outs of the restaurant industry – from service to food knowledge and understanding, to flower arranging to knife skills. Upon moving to Connecticut 16 years ago, he had the opportunity to work at the highly esteemed and now shuttered, La Coline Verte in Fairfield’s Greenfield Hill section. 

Frank Bonnaudet, a trained Chef from Brittany in France, has been a culinary artist since he graduated from the prestigious cooking school, Ecole Hoteliere de Pornic at the age of 17. After working in various establishments in France, Frank opened his first restaurant, La Guingette du Lac, in Savenay , France. His passion brought him to the States in 2003, where he opened a French eatery, the Guerande, in Tribeca.  In 2012 he moved to Ridgefield with his family and opened the acclaimed French Bistro, Sucre Sale which won the award for Best French Restaurant in 2018 and 2019. Frank very much looking forward to this newest endeavor.

The vibe at St. Germain is distinctly and unmistakably French, as is the menu with offerings like Soupe de Poisson, Soupe a l’oignon, Tartine Provençale, Escargots a la Bourguignone, Salade d’Endives aux noix et au Bleu, Frisee au Lardons, Moules Marinieres Frites, Steak Tartare, and Cotes de Boeuf to name but a few things. We had the privilege (and I do mean privilege) to try a few of their traditional dishes.

We began with the Soupe a L’Oignon, its silky broth is decadent, oniony, and buttery smooth. We savored each and every sip. This isn’t a soup to slurp – it is meant to linger on the tongue, to be sipped and savored. This is French onion soup done the French way with just enough cheese to hint and tantalize. I assure you that this will be one of the best you have tasted this side of the Atlantique!

The Boeuf Bourguignone is served in individual ceramic pots and the presentation is as wonderful as the dish itself. This traditional beef stew originating from the Burgundy region so noted for the wine in which the meat slowly simmers for a beautifully rounded, rich flavor. Fall apart tender meat with an incredible depth of flavor that lingers on the tongue in a most pleasing way is accompanied by generously sized bits of tender and equally aromatic carottes and champignons. What could possibly make this better? A generous side of pommes frites of course! 

If you’re a fan of Steak Tartare you mustn’t pass this one up. Depth of flavor seems to be a theme here at Brasserie St. Germain. I remember my first tartare… The restaurant was the Blue Bar in Cannes where we dined often and it was there I had my very first tartare – It was my father’s and he encouraged me to try some I remember how the bright yolk glistened on top of the vibrant-colored meat with its velvet-like texture and salty, mustardy flavors. It was pure magic. (I was a gourmande from a very young age.) I have high tartare standards and this one is nothing short of sublime. Peppered with cornichons, onion, capers and Dijon topped with a yolk the color of sunshine and accompanied by house-made waffle chips, this holds up even to my high standards. Do yourselves a favor here, and order this dish. You won’t be disappointed. Pro tip – leave the chips to the side and enjoy them separately so that you can focus your attention solely on the flavors… they deserve it! 

To sip we enjoyed a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a Rosé. The wine list simple but well curated, with a focus on French and American selections.

We ended on a sweet note with a simple Strawberry Melba.

There will be additions to the menu over the next weeks and months. Guests can expect to see some of their favorite Sucre et Sale crepes on the menu shortly.

Brasserie St. Germain is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Lunch service begins at 11:30 AM and runs through 3:00 PM. The restaurant re-opens at 4:30 and the kitchen closes at 9:00 PM but the bar won’t close until the last guest has left.

Brasserie St. Germain
470 Main Street, Ridgefield CT