La Petite Framboise Of Port Washington Named LI's Best French Restaurant

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — La Petite Framboise has won three awards in the 2024 Bethpage Best of Long Island Awards: best French restaurant for a second straight year; best French toast; and best martini.

"Oh my God, I feel totally blessed," owner Alessandra Choucair Vaz told Patch. "Totally grateful, because the Port Washington community, they've hugged us like angels. During the pandemic, people come to us and say, 'You need anything?' 'Please let me know if you need any kind of support!' 'You guys cannot close.' We could not believe what was happening."

Choucair Vaz said winning the award for Best French Restaurant on Long Island two years in a row is "unbelievable."

She and her partner, Farid Choucair Vaz, who Alessandra has been with since she was 16, complement each other well in the restaurant. She focuses on the food and menu creation, social media, and hiring, while Farid manages the restaurant.

"It’s really crazy," she said. "We put so much love in this place and our job. When the results come back, we always think, 'Why? How?' It is very important. Especially for us. We restarted our life here from zero. My husband is an engineer. I am a psychologist. Today, this time is a dream for us. It makes us stronger."

Alessandra, an Italian citizen born in Brazil, used to own an Italian restaurant. She was eventually asked to help turn around the struggling La Petite Framboise, a French restaurant. She said she put "so much love and so much strength" into it.

"I have a big faith. I’m sure God is with me all the time," Choucair Vaz said. "This is the most important thing in my life. I am sure when we started this fight, he was in front of us. At this moment, my English was zero. I did not understand one word in English."

She and Farid took over La Petite Framboise a few years before the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. She created social media pages, as the restaurant had no Facebook or Instagram. She used Google Translate and took an online course about social media.

Nobody made online purchases from the restaurant before the pandemic. No one ordered off of DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub, Choucair Vaz said. She began posting to social media every day when the shutdown began. The restaurant began to sell "crazily," she said.

"When the pandemic finished, we had two businesses," Choucair Vaz said. "We have the regular restaurant, and we have the new online sales. New pickup, orders, business. We come back very strong, thank God again."

Alessandra said her and Farid's hearts are full of thanks and love for their customers. She said she misses her family a lot, but her customers feel like family.

"They never once got mad with me about my English," she said. "They are super patient. They are always super grateful. They recognize each detail. We are a family restaurant, and the people, I think they like it. They make us feel like family. From the bottom of my heart, I always feel every night, we have a family dinner."

Alessandra said it feels like La Petite Framboise hosts a "big family party" every night. Customers all know each other, which she said is "so cute." She said she loves all of her customers.

"We wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support and warm welcome you have continuously extended to us," she said. "From the very beginning, you have embraced us with love and affection, recognizing and valuing the work we do. Your support fills us with strength and a deep desire to continually strive for excellence. It is a privilege to be a part of such a vibrant and caring community. Your encouragement motivates us to always do more and to do better. We are committed to serving you with dedication and passion, ensuring that we continue to earn your trust and support. Thank you once again for welcoming us so warmly. We look forward to many more years of serving you and being a part of this wonderful community."

La Petite Framboise uses the best ingredients it can buy. While costs are important, quality is the restaurant's biggest priority, Choucair Vaz said. Many goods are imported from France, such as croissants, ingredients for some sauces, escargot and other ingredients. The vast majority of ingredients the restaurant purchases in the United States are local. No ingredients are ever "ready-to-eat," she said.

"Everything is handmade. All sauces. All burgers. Everything is handmade. Our ice cream, we don’t make it, but it’s handmade. We buy it. It’s not industrial. We don’t buy industrial stuff."

Choucair Vaz said she is making changes to the menu, which she is hoping to introduce to her customers in April.

"We study profoundly and make so many tests," she said. "I am super excited. The results make us very happy and very strong. I think we can do our best."

Many customers have complimented the Choucair Vazes on the changes they've made at La Petite Framboise since taking over the restaurant a few years ago, Alessandra said.

"Every day when I open the door, I ask the Holy Spirit, come with me, God. Please, stay with us. Stay between us. I am sure it is the most important part of Framboise."