FAIRHOPE — Oui Oui Paris is serving fresh, homemade dishes from pasta to cake in Fairhope.

Located at 924 Plantation Blvd. within the Homestead Village community, Oui Oui moved to Fairhope in May 2021 after a stint in Foley until the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything is cooked and operated by owner Diane Cartmell, a Foley resident of 30 years who comes from a French household.

French was her first language, and she learned how to make French dishes from her relatives. She recalls when the family used to eat pork roast on Sundays and her grandmother would take the grease and cook it on low heat until the water evaporated, resulting in graisee de rôti, which her grandfather would put on his toast in the morning.

Her family also married Italian people, giving her a mixed culinary expertise.
Cartmell said her goal is to give people healthy and delicious food, opting not to use vegetable or seed oils in her cooking. She also avoids using flour ,as she says people are trying to get away from things like starches and thickeners.

"I could use cheaper ingredients and probably nobody would even know or nobody would even care, but for me, if I'm not putting it in my stomach, I'm not putting it in your stomach," Cartmell said.

Along with the ingredients, affordability is also a huge factor for Cartmell. She said she believes there is no one in the area who should be charging excessive prices for a meal.

"Everything I do is with conscience and it's with care, and I would be embarrassed to charge $98 a plate," Cartmell said. "Everybody works hard for their money, and at the end of the day, a steak is still a steak."

Despite the name, Oui Oui Paris doesn't only serve French food. She also draws from a wide range of global influences with dishes including fish and chips, roast pork, meatloaf, wiener schnitzel, cacio e pepe and sandwiches such as the jambon-beurre, a French sandwich with ham, Gruyere and lots of butter, along with cheesesteaks, meatball subs and ruebens. She also makes a variety of desserts every week, including coconut cream cake, pistachio cream cake, pastries and créme brûlée.

Despite the challenges that come with running a small business, Cartmell said that what keeps her going is that she knows when she opens the doors, somebody will be standing outside ready to eat. When people return from work or vacation, Cartmell said Oui Oui is the first place they come to.

"I've had customers come in here and tell me this is the only restaurant in Fairhope," Cartmell said, "the only real restaurant that deserves really good food, and I've had other people who were chefs come in here and eat and they said the same thing, and people who came from Europe and were cooking in Europe come here to eat and they say the food here is phenomenal compared to anywhere else that they've been."

Oui Oui Paris is open from Tuesday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m. and on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch. Cartmell said she is open to expanding her hours for dinner as the business grows.