By Chéye Roberson
Sentinel Correspondent
Last Sunday night Bistro V, also known as Versailles, helped lovers celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving a one-of-a-kind original painting to each couple having dinner together.
“The goal was to have a relaxing evening with your Valentine—with no stress in a romantic ambiance—with great food and love in the air,” said Marc Penvenne, the owner of Bistro V, at 339 Greenwich Ave.
The paintings were a part of a series called “Celebrating Life” created by Dollka Morico, a local artist whose paintings hang on the brick walls inside Bistro V. One of the paintings is an image of Coco Chanel in a flowing white gown, gazing out from a balcony at the French landscape. Morico said that when she paints images associated with brands, she looks to convey the person or emotion behind the brand. Every month the restaurant features a different artist on the wall.
On Valentine’s Day, each 9-by-12-inch painting had an imprint in the center of the famous Veuve Clicquot champagne label.
In the early 1800’s, “The Widow Clicquot” inherited her husband’s wine business and reinvented the way wine was transported and stored, creating the bubbly drink we know today.
“She was the one who invented this thing where it turns in the bottle and ferments, and the longer it ferments the better it gets,” said Morico. “She was also the first woman who had champagne shipped from France.”
Morico said she’s inspired by pioneers with persistence who defy hardship and focus on loving life—and attitude she chooses to reflect in her work. Morico wanted to remind people to reflect on the simple things in life that bring joy. Her paintings are meant to express those everyday treasures.
“Amongst all the chaos that’s happened, we should celebrate life—walking by the water, a hug, walking a dog—the simple things in life you can celebrate,” she said, adding, “We might not be famous or where we want to be, but we should believe in ourselves.”
Penvenne felt Morico’s idea to give away one-of-a-kind paintings was a “great touch for a so-special evening.”
Penvenne, who is also the owner of Meli-Melo, also on Greenwich Avenue, is a big supporter of the arts and places paintings, usually from artists in the area, inside both restaurants.
“Without art there is no life,” said Penvenne. “Art creates positive energy. And it is an opening into the world.”
Morico wanted the guests to experience what is was like to have an original work of art that no one else has.
Penvenne said one reason Morico was chosen to be a featured artist in the restaurant was her use of fiery colors like orange, gold, and pink.
“Pink is for light cheer, sensitivity, and love,” said Morico. “Gold—lively champagne, life, death, and beauty.”
Bistro V’s special Valentine’s Day menu reflected the vibrancy of the art.
“The Valentine’s menu was combination of the best-sellers we have on the regular basis. We added few festive items on top of that,” said Penvenne. “Homemade foie gras was one of them, made by our executive chef, Cedric.”
Chef Cedric Lamouille also created a special dessert of champagne pastry in the shape of a heart with raspberry Bavarois next to crunchy almond nougatine with a dash of Valrhona chocolate coulis, complemented with fresh red berries and scoop of homemade raspberry sorbet.
Most restaurant owners will charge the artist a fee up to 30 percent of the sale price if a painting displayed on their wall is sold. But Penvenne takes no commission and only requires that the greater community benefit from the sale.
“The only thing we request from the artist,” Penvenne said, “is giving a percentage of the sale to a charity organization in town.”
