Bistrot La Minette

The cafe is in crisis in its French homeland, where an average of two are now closing each day. According to a recent article in the New York Times, changing tastes (less drinking and eating out), a new smoking ban, and the global financial meltdown are responsible for bringing that storied world of zinc bars, Beaujolais and pâté to its knees.

Philadelphia, thankfully, has taken on the mantle of keeping that old French joie de bistro alive. Or so it has seemed in the last year, as numerous variations on the Gallic theme mushroomed around town, ranging from an oyster bar (Coquette) to a BYO-remix (Cochon) to a star-chef, luxe-hotel version (10 Arts) to a trendy parkside mega-bistro from Stephen Starr (Parc).

It was no bandwagon impulse, though, when Peter Woolsey left Starr's company (he worked at both Striped Bass and Washington Square) to build his own intimate homage to vintage France in Queen Village, Bistrot La Minette. Woolsey came by his repertoire of authentic French cooking firsthand, studying pastry at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, working at the legendary Paris restaurant Lucas Carton. He even married a Frenchwoman, Peggy, whose parents own a bakery near Dijon.

Woolsey also began this project well before the others appeared. Who knew it would take 17 months to transform an abandoned building into the bistro(t) of his dreams? It certainly exudes the warmth of a handmade project, from the meticulously painted art nouveau exterior to antique furniture used as a bar and server's station to the assorted Burgundian flea market knickknacks and the big farm table - used for fixed-price "French family meals" in the back room - that was hewn from old wooden beams salvaged from the space.

Little details - ceramic pitchers of affordable house wine, chilled bottles of tap water, a hanging chalkboard still marked with Peggy's French lessons for the staff - give it a genuine personality.

But it is Woolsey's authentic French menu that had me most excited, including some rarely seen treats like mustard-braised rabbit, homemade blood sausage, red-wine-poached oeuf en meurette, and even fresh baguettes.