Last winter brought a rumor that Wellfleet would have its own French restaurant and bakery. The old clam shack on LeCount Hollow Road stood vacant for months although the Selectman did approve the project in February. Every once and a while a car would park there, but locals started scratching their heads. Would a restaurant really materialize on the site? It turns out the answer is yes. Now that the financing has finally come through, classically trained chef Philippe Rispoli and his wife Valeria do plan to convert the building into a bistro and boulangerie, with the assistance of Boris Villatte, formerly executive baker at Wynn Resort in Las Vegas. This news is so extraordinary, for someone who lived in France for 25 years, that I would never have even dreamed our little town could manage such a feat: not only a real French chef, but a real French baker! Amazing! On Friday, Philippe and Boris rolled up their sleeves and got to work, literally, with axes and shovels, removing old tiles, knocking down walls, juiced up with the excitement of a new adventure. I stopped in to say hello and welcome. The bakery should be selling fresh bread by September. The restaurant will open shortly after that. What great news!
