April in Paris: An evening at Petit Louis Bistro

I've never been to Paris. I've never even been to Europe. The farthest I've traveled from the U.S. was on our belated honeymoon in Cancún.

So when HoCoBlogs decided to hold a happy hour at the new(ish) Petit Louis Bistro, I figured this would be a great opportunity to experience a taste of France right here in Howard County.

Ooh la la, I was right! From French wine tastings courtesy of Will the Sommelier, to passed hors d'oeuvres like game bird terrine or cheese pastry, I felt transported.

The restaurant invited us to help launch their outdoor patio area; simply bordered by potted flowers and greenery, I can imagine it as a lovely place to sip wine on a sunny Spring day while taking in the view of the Lake. Yes, you can drink wine outdoors on the Lake - you just have to make sure to stay within the confines of the lovely flower boxes.

The thing I love about these HoCoBlogs parties is that they're a perfect representation of Howard County - people from all backgrounds, walks of life, and opinions. They're not all bloggers. They're not even all blog readers. Some of them just really love Howard County and everything it has to offer and want to visit with like-minded people.

But back to Petit Louis.

I love what they've done with the space - Sous Chef and I have remarked that the previous occupants of that space have come and gone without much fanfare; just sort of withered away. But as Jessie pointed out, Petit Louis did themselves a favor by separating the space into two. To the left is Le Comptoir, a sort of "in and out" spot with baked goods, coffee, and sandwiches - very "stop in for a quick bite". The restaurant is to the right, and it's lush, classic, and romantic. Deep red fabric on the seats, dark wood, beautifully etched glass panels - it feels the way I imagine an old Parisian bistro would feel.

If anyone would like to send me to Paris to find out if I'm right, give me a call.

Will the Sommelier selected four wines for us to try, including a Bordeaux blanc that is bottled specifically for Petit Louis. They were all tasty; but I have to admit that I came back a few times for the Stephen Aviron Beaujolais.

I fought my instinct to steal a tray of cheese pastries from the servers - they were warm and light, with a perfect amount of cheese and just a hint of spiciness.

Once the dessert tray came out, everything else blurred (as usual). I honed in on the macarons (I'd heard they were killer, and they were) and the coconut macaroons. They had a surprise hit of citrus, I believe from lime. Sous Chef agreed that they were quite decadent. I look forward to having a real meal there one day soon!

Polaroids in front of the "Eiffel Tower". Fake moustaches. Laughter. Sunglasses. A warm breeze. A tiny box of macarons.

The things we do in the name of "networking". C'est la vie!