When Keri Buhmann moved C’est la Víe crêperie to the Hazel Dell neighborhood of Vancouver, Washington, she fused two trendy culinary ideas under one roof—French bistro cuisine and long, wine-inspired dinners.
Soirée Supper Club and Catering has been well received since its Julia Child dinner debut last August. Using the bestselling cookbook that Child co-authored— Mastering the Art of French Cooking — as her syllabus, Buhmann deftly served a six-course meal that began with a light and creamy vichyssoise; followed by a garden fresh salade niçiose and tarte ratatouille; chicken coq au vin presented two ways to accommodate dietary requests; a selection of delectable cheeses; and ending with a light and seasonally-appropriate chocolate mousse with fresh berries. She also drew upon her extensive wine knowledge to offer a wine pairing option that proved a popular choice at her inaugural dinner.
Buhmann completed the Enology and Viticulture program at Walla Walla Community College and went on to earn the Diploma in Wine & Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) while living in New Zealand. She even spent time as a sommelier in the Maldives. Since its opening, Soirée has hosted sold out monthly wine-focused dinners for roughly 16 people per seating.
She carried the lease on two locations for a short time and quickly decided it made better sense to consolidate C’est la Víe and Soirée into the space that’s literally five minutes off the I-5. On a recent Monday afternoon that was filled with fans of her French café menu, it was easy to see that her move was well-played.
In her larger space Buhmann’s able to whip up Eggs in Cocotte with Kelsey Family Farm fresh eggs served with another local favorite—a Bleu Door bakery baguette and butter— or apple slices for the carb conscious. Another option for the carbophobe is her Tartines—a single-sliced sandwich that’s common in Parisian cafés. C’est la Víe’s is styled with Dijon crème, Black Forest ham and gruyere cheese or house-made pistou (French style pesto), mozzarella, Kalamata olives and tomatoes. Savory crêpes, fresh baked scones, a cheese platter and seasonally-inspired salads are also prominent on the breakfast/lunch menu.
During the daytime, wine makes its entrance in the form of sparkling—predominantly French crémants with smaller bubbles that last longer in the glass and hold up to juices and syrups due to undergoing a second fermentation process. At C’est la Vie elderflower, black currant and peach grace the menu although her most popular is the Provence flavored with lavender. The lavender hue is a beautiful presentation and the taste is elegant, lightly floral and just screams bridal shower or brunch on the coast with friends.
In addition to her Monday-Friday hours and monthly winecentric dinners, Buhmanns’s acquired her off premise license to sell wine to go and wants to promote what she calls ‘carpet picnics.’ Stocking a larger selection of wines, cheeses, Oregon Growers spreads and salami, C’est la Víe and Soirée are positioned conveniently to stock up on higher-end accoutrements for at-home happy hour or weekend entertaining.
The interior of C’est la Víe and Soirée is a cross between 1920’s Paris and French countryside with blue walls, wainscoting, dark wood floors, several smaller tables and two large alder farm tables hand-crafted by Buhmann’s husband, Justin—used to seat guests of her monthly Supper Club events.
Upcoming Supper Club dinners will feature Buhmann’s relationship with Walla Walla vintners from her time in viticulture school such as a SuLei Cellars spotlight set for April or May.
