Le Petit Cafe of Dania Beach

Someone once said Florida was little more than strip malls and palm trees. On the outside, the strip malls seem remarkably similar. It is easy to forget where you are because everything looks the same.

The truth is that many of these generic-looking strip malls contain absolutely unique restaurants. My friend and I just discovered Le Petite Café of Dania Beach. Le Petite is a French restaurant with a menu that includes crepes and other French specialties. It is a bit pricey, but we thought it was well worth it.

Once inside Le Petite we forgot we were in a strip mall. Each table was decorated with fresh flowers. French music played in the background. Most of the other diners were speaking French.

Our meal included a choice of soup, salad or fresh fruit. My friend had the salad, which came with a special dressing that we both liked, but neither of us could identify. The dressing was creamy and tangy. It turns out it was a mustard vinaigrette that had been whipped to a creamy consistency.

I had a delicious potato and leek soup.

Our entrees arrived on large square plates. We were each served peas, carrots and potatoes. I enjoyed duckling with orange sauce, topped with peach slices. My friend chose the steak with pepper sauce.

For the more adventurous, or the more traditional, there were snails and frog legs on the menu.

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Although we weren't really still hungry we decided we would be remiss if we did not end the meal with a light, creamy chocolate mousse.

If you enjoy French food or want a change from the ordinary and don't mind spending a bit of money for a nice meal, Le Petit Café is a truly enjoyable experience.