As promised last week, Josephine Restaurant Parisien will open to the public in Kenmore Square tomorrow. Owner Samuel Gosselin said the restaurant will open for dinner at 5 p.m. and then be open for brunch on Sunday, which is Father's Day. It will always be closed on Mondays.
"Then it's the long stretch. We're very excited," he said.
Josephine replaces chef Jacky Robert's Petit Robert, which shuttered in March. The new bistro serves contemporary French cuisine from executive chef Stefano Quaresima, an alum of the South End location of Petit Robert. The food, such as mussels and clams in a coconut and lemongrass seashell broth, is French with an international twist. Josephine's wine list features Old World varieties with an emphasis on the motherland.
Josephine is actually named for Gosselin's Parisian mère, and he grew up both in France and the United States. The concept stems from his culinary experiences around the globe; Gosselin previously told Eater he envisions the laid-back vibe of San Francisco, combined with New York's edge and the chicness of Paris, "casual environments where people are really focusing on quality of food and bringing a nice, warm atmosphere around what they like — which is food and wine."
After tomorrow, say bonjour to Josephine Tuesday - Sunday from 5 - 10:30 p.m. and weekends for brunch at 11 a.m. and dinner from 5 - 10:30 p.m. On Mondays, they will "let the staff and the equipment rest," Gosselin said.