Mike F.
Yelp
Brilliant, absolutely bloody brilliant.
We had gone to Lancaster for the day to peer into the lives of the Amish for our personal enjoyment, as is customary amongst the English. The first thing on the menu was to find a menu, because it was lunch time and if Lancaster is known for anything, it has got to be its French cuisine.
Actually, our original plan had been to find something in the Central Market but man, what a mad house. Finding a seat in there is damn near impossible at peak times, which is basically open 'til close (6am - 3pm) on Saturday.
After escaping to the alley to regroup, we saw C'est La Vie across the way. Good news is it was 11am right on the nose, and they were about to open. Bad news is we didn't have a reservation and they are strongly encouraged. The hostess made it sound very exclusive and was about to apologize when she jury-rigged a last second solution - we could be seated immediately if we didn't mind sitting at a "hybrid" table. You see, sliding glass doors out front open up so that people can dine outside and enjoy the hustle an bustle of the nearby farmer's market. Our table straddled the inside and outside. This ended up being freakin' awesome. We got the peaceful calm of the inside mixed with the cool breeze of the outside. I guess most people like to either be one or the other completely - there's no middle ground with them. Table extremists, as they're known in the biz.
Lunch will be composed of handhelds for the most part with a wide array of sandwiches and brick oven pizzas. But don't get me wrong, if you want to indulge on a $49 filet at 11:30am on a Tuesday, then by all means.
Personally I went for some type of burger topped with caramelized onions and Swiss. Handhelds come with tots. The site says fries, but maybe they were out on this day. Tots were fine, and they came with a tiny single-use Heinz ketchup bottle. I am such a sucker for these miniature jars. Like, I freakin' adore them and want to take them home with me.
The flounder sandwich was nicely breaded and fried to to a deep brown. Maybe the panko crust was the fryer a bit too long. Either way, it still boasted tremendous flavor. There was a smattering of remoulade on the brioche bun (note: this was supposed to come on a toasted croissant) with a thin layer of coleslaw for a nice vinegary crunch.
When it comes to the short rib sandwich, it was just balls to the walls nuttiness. I'm talkin' a generous portion of braised beef, horseradish aioli, and tomato chutney. Perhaps the best part of this was the layer of provolone on top that looked as though it were hit with a blowtorch - super melty with the ends bubbly and crispy. You know when the cheese slightly burns and gets that delicious crispy texture? You get that here, all along the edges. Those first bites must have been heaven.
Ambiance is super classy and modern. The wiry lamps overheard look like traps from Saw. They have to be from some local artist. I'd have to describe the interior as.. Industrial Chic? This would absolutely be a prime date night destination.
If you get the opportunity, try a hybrid table (warmer months, obviously). You truly get the best of both worlds. I don't even think I'd want to be fully outside with all the people jetting by. You'd be right in the action, at least on Central Market days (Tuesday, Friday, Saturday).
Parking will need to be wherever you can find it. This place is tucked in the market square, so there's no dedicated parking lot. It's jungle law, man. Every man for himself out in the streets. But hey, that's life!