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Bistro 29 French Bistro
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I haven’t been to France (yet), but I know where I can go to feel like I’m there. Well, I might have to close my eyes and pretend everyone’s speaking French—but I’m thinking the flavors are right on the mark. Bistro 29’s chef, Brian Anderson (who worked at the much-missed Café Lolo, which occupied the same space years ago), has created a venue and menu styled after that of the Breton region in Northwest France, right down to the crêpes.
I haven’t been to France (yet), but I know where I can go to feel like I’m there. Well, I might have to close my eyes and pretend everyone’s speaking French—but I’m thinking the flavors are right on the mark. Bistro 29’s chef, Brian Anderson (who worked at the much-missed Café Lolo, which occupied the same space years ago), has created a venue and menu styled after that of the Breton region in Northwest France, right down to the crêpes.
The café interior has warm red walls and earth toned décor, with closely spaced tables and a small wine bar at the rear. Brennen and I sat by the window along the street and began our meal with a kir royale.
Our first course was a salad with seared goat cheese crottin, hearts of endive, grilled peach and halved-hazelnuts dressed with a tart vinaigrette. The earthy, dense cheese had a soft interior and crisp edges, and it took command of the dish, while the other items had more playful role. The salad as a whole was encircled with a drizzle of honey, which gave a wonderfully sweet edge to the cheese.
Next came the “forestiere” crêpe, a robust-flavored buckwheat crêpe filled with mushrooms, shallots and a dash of cream. Hmm. Pretty sure butter played a role in there, too. It was topped with some micro greens and crisp fried onions. Folded into a square, the goodies were nestled inside toward the middle, and the outer edges were on the verge of being crisp—just as they should be.
Our entrées included a luscious roasted Alaskan halibut, which was thick, moist and perfectly cooked. It sat atop three kinds of wild mushrooms, artichoke hearts and a rich Pinot Noir fumet. A small amount of watercress added a burst of green to the earthy flavors. I noticed a lot of people in the restaurant had ordered this dish, and began to wonder whether it’s because halibut is such a wonderful fish, or because they knew how well Anderson prepares it. I’m going to opt for my second choice there. We paired it with a crisp, fruity MacRostie Chardonnay.
We also had the herb de Provence marinated lamb top sirloin. Bright in flavor and served medium rare, the rich, tender cut came with yellow fingerling potatoes, carrots and pearl onions in a garlic jus, topped with Italian parsley. We enjoyed it with a glass of Michael Schlumberger Dry Creek Valley Syrah, which was young and bright itself (although very dark in color). Both wines were standouts.
For dessert we ordered the sample plate, which included a chocolate galette (think mini-cake); a profiterole with chocolate sauce (like a cream puff but with vanilla ice cream inside); and a buttery, crisp shortbread cookie with a tart, bright red raspberry sorbet. We also had a delicious apple compote dessert crêpe with housemade whipped cream (big enough to share).
