Dining With Grace: Mon Petit Poulet

By Grace Hiney

Are you looking for organic, free-range chicken that is VERY tasty? You are in luck, as a Palisadian recommended this little place on Lincoln to my editor and asked if I could try it.

And I did, at lunch time, as the owner Godefroy Prenot, who also happens to be a Pacific Palisades resident, said dinner time is often very busy.

The restaurant is tucked away in a small shopping center on southbound Lincoln, about six blocks past Rose Avenue. As you enter the parking lot you will see the sign for Mon Petit Poulet straight ahead of you.

Don’t let the simple interior fool you, because the food is made from scratch the French way, giving it terrific tasty flavor.

We were served our food in an unique fashion: in a box. Mine contained a quarter of a roasted chicken with
mashed potatoes and string beans, while my friend had the chicken with carrots and ratatouille (eggplant, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, garlic and herbs).

Just to tell you, the organic chicken roasted the way it is in Paris is delicious. Our version was roasted a natural way with au jus. However, there are five other ways the chicken may be roasted: 1.) with figs, 2.) fresh thyme, 3.) fresh rosemary, 4.) “The Georges” with oranges and 5.) “The Louis” with green olives.

My serving with the delicious mashed potatoes and haricots vert, which are tasty fresh string beans, was delicious ($15.95). The mashed potatoes, made without milk but a bit of butter, were exceptionally flavorful.

My combo box was so generously portioned that I took half home.

My friend’s version was also superb with compelling slightly sweet carrots and the succulent ratatouille along with the chicken. She too took half home.

In addition to the vegetables I mentioned, a diner may also select organic roasted potatoes and lentils.

We were also treated to a couple of the roasted potatoes, again flavorful and good to the last bite. These potatoes are cooked beneath the roasting chicken so they are covered with the chicken drippings (a luscious treat).

Also available is a box with organic brown rice, ratatouille and shredded chicken ($14.95). Freshly made baguettes are $4.45. If you order food to take home (which many people do) you may buy a pound of chicken for $10.95, or one pound of two organic vegetables for $10.95.

And naturally, I had to sample a little of the desserts.

I tried the homemade chocolate cake and a madeleine.Small portions of each were quite perfect. The lush thin slice of the chocolate cake and a piece of small buttery sponge cake were enough to help us face the afternoon.

My friend was so entranced with the 16-ounce bottle of homemade bone beef broth that she bought one to take home. Actually, we had sampled this broth and thought it filled with superb flavor as it was made with carrots, onions, tumeric, leeks and apple-cider vinegar.

Mon Petit Poulet is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and offers catering as well as food to go home. I am happy that my fellow Palisadian put me in touch with this great find.

It is located at 705 Lincoln Blvd. For more information, visit its website.