Eric Goldner

“It was my dream to follow in my uncle’s footsteps and have my own restaurant,” he said.

He said he considers French techniques to be the foundation of how to cook. When he teaches others how to cook, he teaches them French techniques, not just the recipes.

“I like teaching technique, so they can execute whatever type of cuisines they want,” he said. “French culinary technique is considered the apex of the culinary world.”

French techniques include braising, sauteing and terrine—chopping meat into tiny pieces and serving it in a special dish—he said. In addition, soups and sauces are an integral part of French cuisine.

“French cuisine is considered the foundation for every sauce in the world,” he said.

Goldner recognized that French restaurants typically fall into two categories: mid- to high-price bistro type dining and low-end pastry shops that serve salads.

“There wasn’t a concept that was really good food in a casual setting in a family-oriented environment where everybody feels comfortable,” he said.

All of the recipes on the menu at Allô are Goldner’s inventions, from the chicken liver pate to rotisserie chicken to the mussels. He said he uses a lot of garlic and parsley in his dishes as well as caramelized leeks in the butter. Everything is prepared in-house.

Goldner relies on herbes de Provence, a mixture of dried herbs typical of southeast France, and spices he calls “warming,” such as cinnamon and nutmeg, to add complementary flavors to his dishes.

Goldner said he has garnered loyal guests in the third year Allô French Rotisserie has been open. He said French food has a reputation of being heavy and pretentious, but he does not want guests to be intimidated by the French menu.

“It’s one of my greatest joys to see little kids enjoying French food,” he said.

He said hospitality as well as the menu at his restaurant provides a concept that is welcoming to guests.

“There’s a concept in the French culinary world—mise en place [or] everything in its place,” Goldner said. “That goes from the preparation to why every ingredient is in the dish.”