Evangeline reviewed by Diane Hudson July/August 08 The Feast Primeval Evangeline on Longfellow Square lures with a poetic voyage into French cuisine. It’s a happy sign, Evangeline, gleaming in gold leaf across a broad window decorated with the image of a saturnine pig in profile. Happy indeed, as it signals the return of classic French cuisine to the Forest City. Just as Longfellow’s Evangline was expelled from Acadia, so too had the culinary talents of local chefs working in the cheerful preparation of frog legs, calf brains, roasted bone marrow, and other rustic delights all but vanished from our shores. But no more. Chef/owner Erik Desjarlais, with fiancée Krista Kern (former chef/owner of Bresca), have been whipping up some memorable creations here–even on Monday nights, where new prix fixe temptations are debuted weekly. Gastroeconomics, we call this bold foray into the rarely defended Monday phenomenon. For $28, you are offered an evening of three delectable courses (a fourth for $6 extra–take it!). Also, be sure to lend an ear to Joe Ricchio, their extremely knowledgeable ‘wine guy’ from the highly respected DaVine wine distributor in Bowdoinham–this jovial sommelier knows his stuff and shares it generously. Monday meals are accompanied by a half carafe ($15) selected from a staggering list of reds and whites, or you can do pairing for each course. A Washington State blend of merlot, cabernet, sangiovese, cabernet franc, and syrah, the Waterbrook Columbia Valley Melange (2005) we chose balanced the flavors well with each course for us. For an appetizer, we tried the terrine of nature-fed pork. This house-cured meat elicited the strange call to arms “Fat is flavor!” from my partner, who dove into the wonderfully textured paté. Crisp cornichon, arugula greens, and tangy mustard-mayo heightened the flavors of the charcuterie. Next, the delightful duck! We weren’t asked how we wished it cooked, yet it arrived perfectly rare. Sourced from Four Story Hill Farm, the flesh was as tender and flavorful as it gets, and there was plenty enough to savor along with a medley of golden lentils and melted leeks. The accompanying rich golden brown ‘duck jus’ is everything you’d ever want duck to taste like. Just one savory inhalation of this is worth the entire tab. But then, we’d have missed distinctive flavors in our next course, the cheese plate. The highly prized goats’ cheese from Lazy Lady Farm, a small organic goat dairy in Vermont, was nicely paired with flavorful pickled beets and a clump of frisky frisée–perfect! The tour de force, a fruit crumble with nectarines and raspberries topped with a dollop of silky créme frâiche, finished our romantic and leisurely stay here nicely. Evangeline, from the Greek euangelion, means ‘good news,’ which this surely is for food enthusiasts. This is a fabulous night out and more great buzz for the new bracelet of cafes sparkling out from Longfellow Square. Merci, Evangeline! Evangeline, 190 State Street, Portland, 791-2800. Monday-Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to close; closed Sunday.