Review: Cook'in Paris in Pembroke Pines
By Judith Stocks, Dining Correspondent
Important: This article was last updated on March 3, 2011. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.
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 20170 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines 954-374-8183 Cuisine: French Cost: moderate Hours: lunch, dinner Monday-Saturday Reservations: not necessary Credit cards: all major Bar: beer, wine Sound level: quiet Outside smoking: yes For kids: high chairs, menu Wheelchair accessible: yes  |
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First impression: The inviting Cook'in Paris is the kind of restaurant you think you might fall for, but delve a little further and the disappointments start to add up.Ambience: Stylishly understated with matching tablecloths and napkins, woven placemats and fresh flowers. But the chairs are so hard you'll wish you'd brought a pillow.
Starters: On two visits here, I was offered a lovely amuse-bouche — pork with an onion crown and foie gras with the same crown on another. Avocado and shrimp tartar ($9) served in a timbale isn't raw as the name implies, but a sweet-earthy tug between diced avocado, plump pieces of cooked shrimp and red onions. Classic escargots are awash in garlic, butter and parsley. The $11 portion is served in two ceramic escargot dishes filled with a total of 12 snails. French onion soup ($6) isn't served in the usual cheese-crusted tureen. Instead, this version is mildly flavored, but with plenty of onions, croutons and melting cheese floating on top of the stock.
Entrees: Slices of pork tenderloin ($16) are helped by the flavorful onion confit served alongside. Shrimp in curry sauce ($16) has a bit too much sherry and the accompanying risotto is pleasant enough. Mahi mahi in mango butter ($15) might sound appealing, but just doesn't work. The end result is a meaty but flavorless poached-like filet with a gloppy sauce not even remotely buttery. The most expensive entree at $32 ($6 more if you share), is something called Meat Lovers, featuring different meats with sides based on market availability and the chef's whim. The components — usually beef, lamb, veal and duck — are cleverly and attractively presented on a segregated platter. Our combo included thinly sliced beef tenderloin with a good béarnaise, moist rib lamb chops, breaded veal in mushroom sauce and breast of duck, served rare, with peaches. Vegetable accoutrements included flavorful veggie terrine and a tiny mason jar filled bland broccoli souffle. Or, you can opt for the same combo with four fish preparations for the same $32.
Sweet!: You can either meander over to the restaurant's attached bakery and pick your sweets or order from the menu. We chose a wonderful light lemon curd with strawberries, cookie crumbles and touch of basil ($8). Creme brulee ($5.50) is standard issue, and the shortbread with fresh fruit ($7) seems more like a sugar cookie topped with blackberries, strawberries and raspberries partnered with a sidecar of liqueur heavy sabayon.
Service: Service ranges from charming and informative to totally novice, which soured our experience on one visit.
Insider's tip: Scrutinize your check. The menu says an 18 percent gratuity is added for parties of six or more, but the check for our party of three included the gratuity.
judithstocksreviews@yahoo.com