Intimate dining at Bon Voi in Chester

June 23, 2015 12:00 am • Last Updated: June 24, 2015 3:10 pm

By Alex Nunes

On first impression, Bon Voi, which opened earlier this year in Chester, feels as much like a hidden tree-house club from childhood as it does a restaurant.

Even the name Bon Voi, translatable to "Good Elephant" (Bon being French for good; Voi being Vietnamese for elephant), has the ring of a secret password: "Good Elephant," wink, wink. "Reservation for four."

The fact that you're likely to be turned away on a Saturday night if you don't call ahead only adds to the clandestine sense of exclusivity (the restaurant is also closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday).

You'd probably miss the entrance if you weren't looking for it: a yellow door winsomely framed by two ornamental candleholders, with a sign above the doorway modestly announcing the restaurant. (The space is located above Restaurant L&E - French 75 Bar, also owned by the restaurateurs behind the French-Vietnamese fusion venture.)

The dining space looks like a converted attic (slanted ceilings, exposed post-and-beam framing, a small kitchen in back and an even smaller bathroom). It's been minimally, though charmingly, decorated: the dining room is illuminated by two chandeliers and a pair of Parisian-esque carriage lanterns; carved sculptures of elephants and horses accent the front and rear of the restaurant; and postcards from Vietnam have been varnished down to simple black tables.

L&E is the place for elegant European fare — from Italian guanciale cured meat to thick vichyssoise French soup. Upstairs at Bon Voi, the vision is a "celebration," as the menu puts it, of the colonial era melding of French and Vietnamese cuisine. This means "vibrant Asian flavors, reliance on fresh vegetables and the ying and yang of the sauces" complemented by French culinary sensibilities.

This takes the form of vegetarian Vietnamese crepes with sesame spinach, dried shitake mushrooms, bok choy and cellophane noodles ($17), steamed butter clams in a rice wine and lemongrass broth ($12), and a Chinese cabbage salad served with daikon, gingered cashews, clementine and French breakfast radish ($10), to name a few examples.

The appetizers are wide-ranging in terms of approach and ingredients. I went with a sampling that reflected this.

The aforementioned steamed butter clams had a light broth and a refreshing flair. Rice wine and ginger chili butter provided a measured base, while a liberal dose of lemongrass and cilantro gave the dish energy and zest.

The crispy scallion and peekytoe crab rice cake ($14) was dense and satisfying. A thick patty with a shape more reminiscent of a Kobe burger than your average crab cake, it came topped with pickled cucumber and an inviting lemongrass aioli.

The vegetable spring rolls ($11) are a wise choice for vegetarians. The name and basic ingredients are familiar, but the taste is surprising and new. Sticky, steamed wrappers are filled with bok choy, Thai basil Chinese cabbage and lime radish. The accompanying dips were what most impressed me: the lemongrass aioli, and an earthy peanut, cashew and tahini sauce.

Entrees at Bon Voi are creative but not so obscure as to turn off the diner with a more traditional sensibility. Each meal starts with a recognizable foundation, then takes on a special twist.

Case in point: the Vietnamese BBQ spare ribs ($24). This was probably the heartiest meal I sampled: a generous slab of smoky and caramelized spare ribs prepared sweet with a hint of spice served on a wood board. A cup of ginger sweet potato chips with a tasty sprinkling of coarse salt came alongside a cabbage and beet salad.

The banh-mi sandwich was also filling: grandma-sized spicy pork meatballs, sesame paste, Asian slaw of bean sprouts, daikon and sweet dried papaya — all held inside a single French baguette. When brought to your table, this heaping layering of vegetable, meat and bread looks more like an architectural feat or marvel of civil engineering than your average sandwich.

For seafood aficionados, there are several quality offerings. I tried the charred yellowfin tuna served with shrimp crackers, BBQ eel and miso, with black radish and orange salad ($25). The tuna was moist and impressively cooked — with a nicely blackened outside and warm but still flesh tone interior. The BBQ eel was the most distinctive aspect of this meal, but the portion size left a little to be desired: just a small spoonful. (But, as envious American dieters are fond of saying, I guess this is how the French stay sooo skinny.)

Last was the Wild Alaskan King Salmon served over a papaya coulis (fancy word for thick sauce made from pureed fruit), shrimp, pineapple and avocado ($30). This dish, available as a special, was dynamic yet balanced. Anyone who usually balks at the idea of mixing sweet fruit into typically savory dishes might find an exception here.

Desserts at Bon Voi follow the same approach as the rest of the menu: they're noteworthy for a delicate synthesizing of flavors rather than an over-the-head wallop of decadence.

The milk shake of toasted coconut ice cream was smooth and palate cleansing ($7). It's prepared with a nightcap of spiced rum and coconut milk, served with delightful peanut cookies on the side. The kitchen staff is also willing to prepare this sans-rum upon request.

The lemongrass and ginger pot de crème ($7) had piquancy and a candied ginger brittle on top that fascinates the taste buds (and sticks to the molars). For anyone less familiar with a pot de crème, think of a crème brulee, just with a looser, soupier custard. It comes served on a special dish that props your pot de crème to a 75 degree angle so you can watch more closely as you chip away at your dessert (like twisty straws and heart swirls in your cappuccino, it's a little unnecessary but kind of fun).

As I mentioned earlier, Bon Voi charms with its intimate setting; during my visit, there were only eight tables set. That said, meals come out slowly from a small kitchen where chefs obviously prepare their dishes one by one and with care. I arrived at 5:30 and left at 8, the last hour spent banging my fist on the bar and regaling the clientele with my tales of open sea adventure (that last detail may or may not be true).

Bon Voi is probably not the best place for kids (although I brought my 4-year-old and no one seemed to mind). It's best suited to small groups looking to make a night of good conversation and good food in the company of good friends.

And if that's what you're after, I'd say you're likely to remember your trip to Bon Voi ... just like a good elephant never forgets.