Marrying a casual neighborhood vibe with the authenticity of a French gastropub, this campus-area restaurant has a varied, interesting menu that belies its rather modest quarters. Order this to go: Our first shared starter was a winner: an individual tart of pureed butternut squash with tangy nuggets of goat feta and deeply roasted garlic cloves in a superbly flaky crust. By comparison the roasted-beet salad with bland farmer’s cheese was a little boring, despite Rio Star grapefruit bits and a pumpkin seed garnish. Pan-roasted and -seared cod, beautifully flaky, benefited from the rouille alongside but didn’t travel well (it ended up overcooked). But the accompanying beluga lentils and roasted sweet fennel were fantastic. Everyone loves the Pascal burger, a thick-juicy patty piled high with caramelized onions and creamy Camembert cheese on a toasted brioche bun, but the best entrée of our experience proved to be perfectly pink slices of lamb dusted with the Middle East herb mix za’atar on a bed of moist, flavorful couscous with golden raisins—a total triumph. Pro tip: There’s spaced-out informal seating in the rear at tables next to an alley; on a nice night, it’s quite fun.
Note: Review reflects COVID-19 protocols in place at the time of visit.