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Le Chardonnay still serves pizzas, which were popular when the restaurant was The Villa, as well as the former chef's chicken piccata.
Some things never change -- and some things do. But some things change, and then they change back.
Take Le Chardonnay, for example. A few years ago the Overton Square institution was forced to move from its original home on the south side of Madison when its lease expired. Owner Bill Baker moved it, and its sidekick Bayou Bar and Grill, across the road and resumed business as usual.
Last year, under the lead of chef Steven Robilio (now at Spindini), Baker changed the name to The Villa and introduced an Italian menu.
"The food was great, but that just didn't work for us," Baker said. "So we went back to Le Chardonnay."
Now the menu is a mix of old and new, and the wine list has grown back to pre-Villa days.
"We've got 40-plus wines by the glass and we're introducing new wines we like, as we find them."
Next week Stepping Stone wines by Cornerstone Cellars, founded and owned by Memphian Dr. Michael Dragutsky, will go on the by-the-glass list.
The pizzas, which were popular at The Villa, are still served at Le Chardonnay, as is Robilio's chicken piccata.
"We have a lot of appetizers," Baker said. "Most of them are under $10, and all our entrees are under $20."
You can even find a favorite from the real old days.
"The baked brie is back due to popular demand. You probably won't find a chef who wants to serve it; everyone says it's so seventies, but the customers love it," Baker said.
The Le Chardonnay wine tastings continue every other Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and are $20, but they're held at the Bayou. There's more room there, plus Le Chardonnay is a smoking establishment (and as such is 21 and older).
-- Jennifer Biggs: (901) 529-5223
Le Chardonnay, 2094 Madison Ave., is open from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. or later daily. Call (901) 725-1375 for more information.
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Comments » 1
Evelyn writes:
Thanks for the nice article. We've been going to Le Chardonnay for years. It's one of "Our spots."
When Rasberry/Lewis forced them to move, we worried about what would happen. Chardonnay survived. When it changed to The Villa we worried about what would happen. Although we liked the food, it didn't really work. It's now back to Chardonnay and all's right with the world.
It's not the best or finest but it is nice. The food's good, the atmosphere's pleasant, and the people are nice. Long live Chardonnay.
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