Phillipe Verpiand, chef/owner of Cavaillon, displays the ‘Steak Frites.’ (photo/alandeckerphoto.com)

It’s no secret that when I fall, I fall hard. I overdo it and then I slowly resume a normal, healthy relationship. By the way, we’re talking restaurants here. My latest fling is with Cavaillon, a charming, neighborhood bistro that opened a few months ago in the Santaluz area of San Diego.

For those not familiar with Santaluz, it is an area of new homes, some quite swanky, about five miles east of Interstate 5 off state Route 56. In the center of the development is an up-and-coming retail center with a smattering of small business pioneers. Chef/proprietor Phillipe Verpiand is one such trailblazer.

Verpiand, who grew up near Cavaillon, a small town in southern France famous for delicious golden melons and beautiful countryside, served as chef de cuisine at Tapenade in La Jolla for nearly eight years. It was at Tapenade that he acquired a loyal following that seems to have no problem with the commute to Verpiand’s new digs.

He and his wife Monica are responsible for every aspect of this casual eatery. The couple designed and built-out the space themselves. Monica can be found at the door daily; Phillipe heads up a small team of cooks in the kitchen.

The shoebox-sized eatery seats 40 (plus or minus) and has an outdoor dining area that will be quite fetching once the plants mature. The one-page menu is simply written and printed on both sides of ordinary copy paper. It offers small plates of traditional French bistro fare at very reasonable prices. While perusing the menu, a table can share a small plate of vegetable “Frito Misto” served with aioli for $6.

Start with the smoky “Wild Mushroom Ravioli” ($11) with Port wine sauce. The tender bundles are topped with shaved Parmesan, which cuts through the sweetness of the Port. Smoky, sweet and salty — you can’t go wrong.

The escargot is served “classique” style, meaning wine, butter, garlic and parsley. If you are an escargot lover, don’t miss it. This dish is a bargain at just $8 and the leftover sauce is great soaked up by the delicious white rolls presented after ordering.

Although the “Shrimp and Lobster Risotto” ($14) is listed under the appetizer selections, this dish is large enough and rich enough for an entrée, especially if you want to share a few of the well-priced appetizers to start.

For those in the mood to splurge, Verpiand does a velvety smooth, ultra creamy “Foie Gras Au Torchon” to die for. The process, which involves poaching the liver in cheesecloth, takes up to three days to complete and produces a luxurious dish for sure, which may explain the heftier price tag of $19. The dish is served with a dried apricot mousseline and toasted brioche for spreading.

I ate at Cavaillon three times in a period of four weeks and each time I made sure that I (or someone at my table) ordered the “Coq Au Vin” ($19). Meaty, tender legs and thighs are slow cooked and served in a dark, richly flavored, slightly sweet red wine sauce containing pearl onions and carrots. This “stew” is served over roughly smashed red-skinned potatoes. I am mad about this dish. On occasion, I ask Verpiand to substitute frites for the mashers because I just love to float a handful of those salty pommes with a dollop of aioli right in the center of my bowl and eat it all together. (No doubt the chef is grimacing right about now.)

Another favorite is the “Steak Frites”($28). An 8-ounce strip is perfectly cooked and served with a shallot red wine sauce, those wonderful frites and a small green salad.

The wine list is boutiquey and well priced. Glasses average $7-$8 and the servers are very knowledgeable about the selections. So comfortable am I with Serge (an alumnus of Bertrand at Mister A’s and a former Roy’s manager) that he does the selecting for me.

Service for the most part is excellent, although I was present on a Monday night (typically slow) when they got caught off guard and were understaffed. It wasn’t pretty.

The dessert list features a small selection of housemade items all priced at about $7. I’ve tried nearly every offering and they’re all tasty, but I find myself going back each time to the “Tarte Tatin.”

Like I said, when I fall, I fall hard.

— Terryl Gavre