A cozy lunch retreat with pretty flagstone floors and an adjoining antique shop, The French Hen also boasts a regular celebrity diner who stands out among the well-dressed socialites and crisply attired businesspeople.
In fact, this celebrity diner might stand out among the Tampa Bay Bucs: All 6 feet, 6 inches, nearly 300 pounds and 26-inch biceps of him; a local boy made good, world wrestling star, actor, TV personality, frequent do-gooder at charity fundraisers: the instantly-recognizable "Hulk" Hogan.
His real name is Terry Bollea. He and his wife, Linda, live near The French Hen, which she operates.
"He's a health food guy," reports French Hen chef Greg Weidenkopf, who has been cooking a total of 24 years, three at The Hen, and quite often for The Hulk. "He likes egg white omelets; he doesn't eat carbs; no potatoes, no bread, but he does like the muffins — he eats the muffins."
We'll take a cue from The Hulk on the muffins, which are as outsized as he is. As for the rest of the restaurant's fare, it's perfectly respectable, but it's not completely authentic French; for instance, the crepes, which should be wispy-thin little pancakes, look more like their hefty American cousins. But I'm not one to stand on ceremony; it was still satisfying food served in a pleasant spot.
The restaurant, which is tucked adjacent to a row of antique shops in Belleair Bluffs, near Largo, specializes in "brunchy" foods and light lunches, and is a popular spot among locals. Its kitchen produces nice soups, light quiches and salads, along with baked goods and specialty coffees.
At the moment, the restaurant only serves breakfast and lunch, but Linda Bollea said that sometime in November The French Hen will again open at night with a full dinner menu. She said she began renovating the building to house an antique shop, which occupies the front half of the premises. While you wait for your table, you can amuse yourself by looking at the homey objects she has collected — old picture frames, antique baby carriages and dolls, big containers of dried flowers, glassware and even old garden implements worn at the handle, where the farmer's grasp left an indelible mark.
Front and center is a big bakery counter, loaded with muffins of various flavors, brownies, apples dipped in caramel, fancy cakes and cookies. To its left is a small bar where patrons can sip wine and beer.
Though it's decorated in "country French" style and features French favorites on the menu, there is also room for American-inspired dishes, like the cheeseburger platter ($10.95) and a tasty rendition of walnut-pineapple chicken salad flavored with curry on a croissant ($9.95). For serious breakfast eaters, there is the "Farm House Breakfast" ($7.95). It includes three eggs, potatoes, sausage or bacon, toast and a fruit garnish. You can order a variety of specialty coffees to wash it down.
One of my favorite French dishes is the paper-thin crepes you can buy on the street corners of Paris, filled with savory fruit jam or sprinkled with a snowy layer of powdered sugar. So, of course, that's what I ordered at The French Hen. And though what arrived was very good — a hot pancake encasing walnut-pineapple salad — the batter was too thick to produce a traditional French crepe.
The Hen's version, artfully garnished with fruit and fortified by a cup of excellent chicken vegetable soup, still was good ($10.95).
My dining partner this day was Wit Tuttell, Big PR Guy for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, with offices in Clearwater, 10 minutes from the restaurant.
It was Wit's idea to investigate what was listed on the dessert menu as "Chocolate Corruption" ($4.25). With a name like that, who could possibly resist? We didn't. Out came a huge slab of chocolate cake with thick chocolate icing. Though it had just come out of the fridge and was too cold, we ate every bite of it. Also listed on the dessert menu were homemade fruit cobbler of the day, gooey brownies, cheesecake, and cookies.
Fresh French Connection. Another French-style eatery I frequent is so well-hidden in the Lighthouse Crossings Shopping Center in St. Pete that, the first time I sought it out, it took me three tries to find it.
The cafe is practically obscured by a huge Wal-Mart, but it's worth persevering to sample the breads, croissants, muffins and cookies for sale here. Cafe Croissant is essentially a bakery counter, but there are a few little tables inside and out where people can stop for light meals.
Though you'll eat on Styrofoam plates and with plastic silver and cups, it's still a treat. My favorite dish is called "bouchee a la reine," which literally translates to something like "queen's mouthful" ($3.75). And fit for a queen it certainly is: flaky pastry crust topped with a creamy sauce, loaded with chicken and mushrooms. Just delicious. The cafe also offers light meals, like a slice of quiche and tossed salad ($5.75) or soup and a dinner roll ($2.50).
During the holidays, Cafe Croissant also produces gift baskets with assortments of bread, croissants, muffins and cookies, which can be special-ordered. It also offers holiday fare, like Buche de Noel, which means "yule log." It's a traditional French Christmas cake made with genoise and spread with mocha or chocolate buttercream, and shaped and decorated to resemble a log. The bakery also does Galette des Rois, the traditional cake served during Twelfth Night festivities, often with a bean or other token baked inside it, guaranteed to bring the recipient good luck during the New Year.
Yule logs (Buche de Noel) can be ordered in sizes ranging from one that serves eight ($20) to one that serves 26 ($64). The Galette des Rois can be ordered in sizes that serve 6-12 people, depending on the size and flavor ($8.50-$28).
This article appears in Oct 25-31, 2001.