3782 Bohemian Hwy.
Occidental
(707) 874-2436
www.bistrodescopains.com
French Cuisine
Dinner nightly
Entrées: $12.50-$23
Good wine list
It’s situated in a historic building that owners Michel Augsburger and Cluney Stagg (longtime friends and business partners) redesigned to emulate Southern France, with mustard-colored walls, dark wood furniture and family photographs. There’s a small outdoor patio, an open kitchen with brick ovens, a cozy dining room and bar seating in two areas. The service is absolutely excellent, and Chef de Cuisine Thomas Halligan is at the top of his game (or does it get even better from here?).
We went for two selections of sparkling wine by the glass along with our first bites—an amuse bouche of a fresh-picked garden tomato sandwich (slider-style) on house made bread, accompanied by a salt-dipped baby radish. Next were fresh oysters with a tart champagne mignonette, and a bowl of plump black mussels in a buttery broth with tomatoes, onions and chives.
The traditional French onion soup was dark and rich, packed with sweet onions and topped with a crouton and melted cheese; the soup du jour was a rich tomato cream with a drizzle of truffle oil—both were outstanding. The butter lettuce salad was served whole-leaf with a creamy fresh herb dressing; the roasted beet salad had sweet red, gold and pink beets with fresh greens, walnuts and Pt. Reyes blue cheese that gave the mix of flavors a lift.
Two stellar wines accompanied our next courses: a 2007 Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir and a 2006 Dehlinger Chardonnay. Along with those, we had the Massachusetts day boat scallops (perfectly seared golden), served atop a risotto made with preserved Meyer lemons and some crisp, hot asparagus. Next was the wild mushroom and Bellwether Farms ricotta ravioli in truffle cream sauce, served with chard and sprinkled with shaved black truffles (this luscious dish was a real stand out for me).
The Liberty duck breast was pan roasted and served medium rare with crisp skin and a light, savory cherry sauce that let the natural flavors shine through. The thick filet of Scottish salmon was served skin-on (crisp) with a moist interior, dressed with sorrel sauce, fresh artichoke barigoule and thin-sliced creamer potatoes that had soaked up the dish’s flavors well.
A trio of desserts included a peach and strawberry gallette with a flaky, buttery crust, house made vanilla ice cream and drizzled caramel; a very light lemon pudding cake with whipped cream and fresh berries; and a chocolate almond torte accented with fresh strawberries and almonds. Everything we had was beautifully presented with flavor, color and texture taken into account. If you haven’t been to Occidental lately, here’s a great reason to go.
