“The inspiration was the cuisine of Francine, the mother of the founder of the restaurant,” says Laurent Halasz, founder and owner of FRANCINE, which opened recently at Scottsdale Fashion Square. “She cooks in the style of the French Riviera, with local and seasonal ingredients.”
This new restaurant, which offers French Mediterranean cuisine—"light on butter and cream, with an emphasis on olive oil and fresh herbs,” Halasz says—is helmed by Valley native and classically French trained Executive Chef Brian Archibald.
“FRANCINE’s flavor profile is Mediterranean, or as we like to say the ‘food of the sun.’ Everything you will find on the menu at FRANCINE will be similar to the flavor profiles and coastal cuisine that you might find right now in the French Riviera,” Archibald explains.
Additionally, Archibald’s longstanding relationships with farms and purveyors allows FRANCINE to showcase some extraordinary dishes that are sourced from around the word.
Some of those extraordinary dishes?
The dinner menu features items such as Striped Bass, Steak Tartare, Bouillabaisse, Grilled Octopus, Zucchini Carpaccio, Salad Nicoise, Ratatouille Tart, Poulet Roti, Mushroom & Taleggio Pizza, Bone Marrow, and Seared Duck a la Provencal. For lunch and afternoon hours, the menu showcases a selection of salads, carpaccio, pizza, and informal and shareable dishes.
There will also be seasonal flavors incorporated into menu.
The décor at FRANCINE is elegant and homey, created with beige, gray, and blue, with South of France design elements.
“[The] cuisine is modern and vibrant, and the décor welcoming, making FRANCINE a perfect destination for many dining occasions,” Halasz says.