2 stars for "uneven" French at La Gloutonnerie on South Beach

Victoria Pesce Elliott8/14/2012

La Gloutonnerie, the Mexican import of an ambitious French brasserie, definitely got the name right. This low-key replacement for the kitschy Au Pied de Cochon is a friendly South Beach addition for those craving enormous portions of pricey French fare with some Italian and Latin flavors thrown in for good measure.

Ambience: The redesigned space in a gorgeous Art Deco building is pretty in a stage-set kind of way. It’s luxurious but cozy with its backlit wine wall, finely upholstered banquettes and rustic wooden tables set cleanly with gray paper placemats. Large globe lights shed a flattering glow. Servers are friendly, though not particularly well-versed in French fare or language. Ours seemed unable to make out my Parisian friend’s order (or mine, for that matter), and busboys were either overeager or absent.

What Worked

• An irresistible basket of warm, crispy, butter-yellow baguettes, olive bread, chunky whole-grain peasant loaves and puffy, Gruyère-topped gougères
• Exquisitely velvety foie gras terrine gorgeously plated with a dab of fig chutney and a delicate but unnecessary embellishment of tiny edible flowerswarm
• Extra-flaky fennel biscuits
• A bronzed, tender and juicy roast chicken half
• A well-marbled, Fred Flintstone-sized entrecote cooked to a perfect medium-rare
• A gigantic Grande Marnier soufflé with a perfect crème anglais

What Didn't Work

• Overwrought, over-portioned offerings
• Fingerling potatoes that could have used more crispness in the skin and less sweetness in the sauce
• A beautiful looking gratinée Lyonnaise (classic onion soup) with a heavy-handed broth tasting of too much wine
  Bright and crunchy but drenched salade des cotes d’armor with lobster, asparagus and avocado 
• Clunky porto brandade served on polenta squares with a smack of truffle oil
• Thick & pasty cod balls
• Dry escargots by the dozen served with a bland, chunky paste of parsley butter
• A bordelaise sauce the color of molasses and twice as thick that detracted
• Overcooked shrimp and shallots flambé with cognac
• Tawny, stringy, salty and over-sauced duck confit 
• A mélange of sticky, roasted carrots and shiitake mushrooms
• Ggooey potato gratin
• A “traditional, vintage crème brûlée” - three shot glasses: A stiff & spongy citrusy rendition with a perfectly caramelized top, cold & rubbery plain & velvety smooth chocolate