Giving Thanks

After a wonderful brunch today, we just wanted to take a moment to express our thanks.

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate their Thanksgiving with us. It was a wonderful time of seeing old faces, greeting new faces, and delighting everyone's expectations. We hope that you enjoyed your experience.

Also, thank you to all of our dedicated employees who spent their holiday with us. We appreciate your hard work and contributions each and every day. Without you, today could not have been nearly as spectacular for our guests and their families.

We're also thankful for both our wonderful patrons of Chez Daniel and our catering clients. We hope that you had much to be thankful for today.

Finally, we hope to see everyone again soon. And if you missed brunch today, stop in this Sunday. It won't be as extravagant as today's Thanksgiving Brunch, but we're pretty sure you'll be delighted.

Joyeux Thanksgiving!

French Thanksgiving Favorites

Once again, we're sharing some French-inspired and French favorite dishes for you to incorporate into your Thanksgiving menu.  We've come across some fabulous ideas that will have everyone at your table saying, "Ooh la la!"

Starters

Cheese Puffs

We suggest going with Comte or Gruyere. Yum!

Baked Brie with Cranberries

A classic holiday favorite

Pate, Smoked Salmon, Assorted Cheeses, Grapes Platter

Salads

Roasted Pears with Candied Pecans and Roquefort Cheese

We'll be serving this one at our Thanksgiving Day Brunch

Warm Green Bean Salad with Toasted Walnuts

Many French salads are actually served warm

Side Dishes

Herbed Zucchini and tomato Tian

Actually quite healthy

Pear & Red Onion Gratin 

Would make a fantastic substitute for stuffing

Butternut Squash Gratin with Onion & Sage 

Again, would make a fantastic substitute for stuffing

Alternative Main Courses

Duck with Apple & Cherry Sauce

Great if you're not big on turkey or wanted a second meat to serve

Classic Pot au Feu

Slow Roasted Beef served with Potatoes and Vegetables

The Finale! 

Apple Brioche Cake

Pumpkin Maple Créme Brûlée

A harvest twist on a classic favorite

Profiteroles

Serve filled with ice cream a la Chez Daniel or your own pastry cream preference!

Basque Custard Torte

White Chocolate Lemon Mousse

This Thanksgiving, spice up your spread with some French themed cuisine, and make sure you have plenty of your favorite French wines available to pair with your menu choices!

~ Bon Appetit & Joyeux Thanksgiving ~

Thanksgiving Brunch at Chez Daniel - 2013

Our bountiful Thanksgiving Champagne Brunch is right around the corner! Join us from 10:30am to 2pm on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 28, 2012) for a feast like no other. We'll have all of your traditional Thanksgiving favorites featured alongside our staple award-winning brunch offerings.

We sincerely hope that you'll join us this Thanksgiving and leave the cooking and cleaning to us, so that you can spend more time with your loved ones. Thanksgiving Brunch is priced as follows:

Adults: $28.95, Kids 5 to 12: $12.95, Kids 4 & under: Free.

To make your party's reservation, please visit Open Table online or call Chez Daniel at 952-888-4447. 

Joyeux Thanksgiving!

Cirque du Soleil's Return to Bloomington with Amaluna

As only an authentic French restaurant could be, we were terribly excited for Cirque du Soleil's return to Bloomington. We've been hearing all of the buzz surrounding their latest show, Amaluna, and hopefully you were able to catch the show under the Grand Chapiteau in the Mall of America's North Parking Lot. If not, this is your last chance as the circus wraps up its final performances for the Minneapolis leg of their tour this weekend.

Don't miss this opportunity to see a fabulous Cirque show and top the whole evening off with dinner at Chez Daniel.

We can't think of a better way to spend the weekend than by enjoying Cirque du Soleil and an authentic French meal at Chez Daniel! 

"Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon." This mythical fantasy is played out in a series of acts that engage even the wildest of imaginations in a child friendly show that is sure to delight and engage your whole family.

Make sure you have your tickets for Amaluna and your reservations for Chez Daniel for one enchanting and exciting evening you won't soon to forget!


For more information on Amaluna, we invite you to visit Cirque du Soleil's website: CLICK HERE.

A Crêpe a Day

When you say crêpes, most people think pancakes, but true French crêpes aren't just a vehicle for sweet toppings. Crêpes are also a savory option when filled with more substantial, dinner-worthy fare. While we certainly believe that fruit and cream sweet crêpes are worthy of their own meal, we also wanted to show the beauty of the crêpe's versatility!

Whether strawberries and cream, apples and caramel, fresh blueberries, Nutella/chocolate or even Crêpes Suzette, sweet crepes can be filled with pretty much any sweet topping or filling you dream up. But did you know that savory crêpes also lend themselves just as equally to the same variety of options? From bacon and mushroom or turkey and tarragon to spinach, tomatoes, ham, and cheese or the even spicier olive and chicken curry, you can certainly fill your crêpes with any substantial, dinner-worthy fare you dream up.

The best part of crêpes is the ease at which they can make the journey from ingredients to enjoyment! They are pretty simple to prepare, but if you're serious about crêpe making, do yourself a favor and invest in a crêpe pan and crêpe spreader. No matter your technique, the recipe is generally six ingredients: flour, salt, eggs, oil (or butter), milk, and water. Whether sweet or savory crêpes, you'll be following the same recipe; however, as with Crêpes Suzette, you'll also add orange zest.

If you're interested in giving crêpes a whirl, but don't feel like making your own, it's a good thing there are plenty of places to check out this French staple. From crêperies who offer both sweet and savory options to breakfast restaurants that offer the sweet variety on their morning menus, there's even a Crêpes Stand in the Mall of America!

Do you have a favorite crêpes restaurant, recipe or topping/filling? Let us know in the comments. We'd love to hear from you!

Bring Your French Class to Chez Daniel!

With all of the kids back to school, now is the perfect time to schedule a field trip to Chez Daniel for your French class!

Chez Daniel provides an unforgettable learning opportunity for students taking a French language course in middle or high school. Instructors of French language classes are welcome to contact us to schedule a field trip to Chez Daniel, where students will be served an authentic Parisian feast by French-speaking servers.

During their visit, students will be encouraged to use their knowledge of the French language to communicate with their waiters and each other. French class trips to Chez Daniel allow students to experience the French language and culture in an unforgettable way.

Our executive chef, Pierre Jean, was actually born in France and works diligently to present a menu of traditional French favorites. From Croissant, Crepes and Quiche Lorraine to French Onion Soup, Boeuf Bourguingnon, and Bouillabaisse, Coq au Vin and Croque Monsieur, students and chaperones alike will be delighted with the variety, choices, and utmost quality of the dishes presented.

Make sure you finish your meal with our signature dessert, Profiteroles (cream puffs filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with hot fudge and raspberry coulis)!  

For more information or to book this much loved and remembered field trip for your students, please contact our Catering Manager, Sheri DeGeorge, at 952-967-8704 or sdegeorge@embassybloomington.com.

Venez Chez Daniel avec votre classe et régalez vos èleves avec ma cuisine Française!

- Pierre Jean