Froggy’s is back after a 12-year sabbatical with owner/Chef Michel Malecot taking a leap of faith recently reopening the doors on Turquoise Street, just a hop, skip and a jump from his long-standing French Gourmet restaurant and catering hub.
His Froggy’s partner in slime, hospitality consultant and restaurant manager, William “Billy-O” Orilio, were the original founders of the eatery that changed hands, names and menus over the past three decades.
Malecot, a gustatory tour de force is aiming to create, “a small, casual neighborhood restaurant serving healthy, comforting and reasonable bar food with a little more elegance than deep-fried stuff,” Malecot said.
“Froggy’s is the perfect late-night spot that’s warm and welcoming when everything else is closed,” he added.
As for the kitschy name, Malecot (a French native) embraces the pejorative term coined by British soldiers during World War I poking fun at their French allies who indulged in frog’s legs.
This whimsical gathering place is filled with amphibian-esque décor, such as a vintage stained-glass frog depiction and a handful of flat screen TV’s. It offers football, fun food and cocktails, and a lively twilight vibe.
Some favorite Froggy’s small plates crafted by The French Gourmet’s Chef Adrian Talavera, include crispy wings “more refined, fashioned like a lollipop so they’re less messy to eat” (battered with gluten-free flour) and paired with Cajun rub, sweet Thai chili sauce, Buffalo or pineapple teriyaki, sheet pan nachos and Parmesan truffle fries.
There’s also a variety of flatbreads (Froggy’s cheese and marinara, Buffalo chicken, Martinique with Jamaican BBQ grilled jerk chicken), classic salads (Wedge, Caesar, Cobb), sandwiches and burgers (Froggy beef burger on brioche bun, turkey cheddar burger, the Whaler sandwich with blackened, wild-caught mahi mahi slathered with remoulade on a baguette, a Cajun fried shrimp po’boy, and a swine BLT) paired with small fries or side salad.
Sweet tooths can indulge in such delights as The French Gourmet’s famous almond berry tart, key lime pie, or crispy churros amped up with a duo of warm Mexican chocolate and salted dulce de leche sauces.
Early risers can revv-up their mojos on weekends with breakfast burritos, sandwiches and French toast sticks.
In keeping on par with the quality of dishes offered by its sister eatery, at Froggy’s everything is made in-house from dressings, rubs, seasoning blends, vinaigrettes and marinades to the Kennebec potatoes for the French fries that are hand-cut.
Now, up the lips and over the gums … the bar menu, which is bourbon- and tequila-centric, serves a wide selection of craft beers, (many locally brewed along with Froggy’s own brew), premium wines and spirits, and signature cocktails. Check out weekday happy hour specials from 3 to 6 p.m. including $4 Jameson, and weekend Champagne bucket specials ($19).
Also, watch for Froggy’s “The more you leap the more you reap” customer loyalty/frequent dining program coming at the end of January.
The cartoonish crouching frog logo over the arched crimson doorway pulls you inside to a cozy watering hole packed with laughter, locals, long-standing loyal customers, tourists, sports fans and private party-goers. The bar is clubby and warm with a stone mosaic backdrop, cherry wood panels and hardwood floors, while the sea mist green walls are spotted with an assortment of frog-themed ornaments and art work, many provided by customer contributions.
Froggy’s is a hopping place where hungry creatures of the night can pop in, hang out, grab a bite and stay late. Vive la Froggy’s!
Recipe from Froggy’s
Froggy’s Shrimp Po’ Boy
Serves 4
Ingredients for shrimp portion
Fried Shrimp – 2 lbs. shrimp, medium, peeled and tail off
Cajun Seasoning
1⁄2 C. buttermilk
2 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
4 C. canola oil
Instructions:
1 – Season shrimp in Cajun seasoning and buttermilk, reserve for later.
2 – Add salt and pepper to the flour and mix well.
3 – Heat oil in a deep pan until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
4 – Dredge shrimp in flour mixture and fry for about 3 minutes.
5 – Strain the shrimp from the oil and let it rest on a paper towel-lined plate.
Ingredients for Remoulade
1 C. mayonnaise
2 T. Dijon
2 T. whole grain mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. paprika
1 T. lemon juice
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
Dash of Tabasco
2 tsp. parsley, chopped
Instructions:
1 – In a mixing bowl, blend ingredients well.
Ingredients to build the Po’ Boy
2 French baguettes, cut into 10-inch segments
Half head of Iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 tomatoes, sliced
Remoulade sauce
Fried shrimp
Instructions:
1 – Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2 – Slice baguette on one side only and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes until toasty and crunchy.
3 – Spread the remoulade sauce, begin layering with the shredded lettuce, then the sliced tomato. Finally pile the shrimp onto each sandwich.
Bon appetit!
Courtesy, Froggy’s by The French Gourmet
Originally Published: January 3, 2024 at 1:18 PM PST