French Friday, Vol 9: A Café in SoHo

French Friday is a series for Francophiles and/or anyone with an opinion and good taste by moi, a former almost-Parisienne for nine years, and other almost-or-actual-Frenchies that know their ‘oof’ from their ‘bof.’ The goal? To rate venues outside France on their Frenchness. Plus, an ‘en plus’ section with like-minded recommendations in France itself. On y va!

🥖 = Mais non. (No)

🥖🥖 = Pas mal. (Not bad)

🥖🥖🥖 = Bon. (Good)

🥖🥖🥖🥖 = Trés trés bon. (Very, very good)

🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 = Parfait. (Perfect)

53 Howard St., SoHo / Mon-Friday, 11:30-10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.

This week, we’re heading to SoHo, where French chef Marie-Aude Rose (wife of American chef Daniel Rose, who runs Le Coucou in New York and, for many years, ran Spring in Paris) helms ‘The Guild’ at Roman + Williams.

Depending on whether you enter on Howard or Canal Street, you’ll either be faced with gorgeous vessels for food that are empty and on display (that’d be the Roman + Williams part) or gorgeous vessels for food that are plated with actual food (that’d be the dining room part). Either way, this high-ceilinged, multi-room space definitely feels more like SoHo than its Parisian equivalent, le Marais, but the differences stop there.

First, the food. I went for lunch and had, quite possibly, the fluffiest, creamiest quiche I’ve ever had—almost soufflé-like—complete with a buttery crust that didn’t crumble obnoxiously. The dish was made even more French thanks to its side of lightly dressed simple greens. Beyond that, despite its $22 price tag—unheard of for a bowl of soup in Paris—the onion soup was also spectacular.

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