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Le Bistro: A Piece of France in Small Town America
By Jason Ku
The drive to Petaluma from Napa on Highway 116 was quiet and isolated. As street lamps dissipated, elegant vineyards melted away into darkness until headlights were all that we could see. Our destination was Le Bistro, a French restaurant in Petaluma, nestled between Marin and the wine country.
Le Bistro sits in a residential area of town, literally around the corner from blocks and blocks of suburban homes. The restaurant is tiny, with seating for no more than 20 guests. French posters covered the restaurant from wall to wall and the sounds of Spanish guitar and French pop alternated in the background. The kitchen extended into the dining room, and we could see the lone chef at work amid neatly stacked pots and pans. The hostess/waitress, the only other employee we encountered, waved us in and told us to pick any seat we wanted.
The menu was small, but offered a variety of dishes from pastas to meats (entrees are $16-$20). We tried ordering the tomato goat cheese salad, but were told that tomatoes were out of season. Instead, we had a mixed green salad with pecans and bleu cheese, which was nothing out of the ordinary, but a tasty starter nonetheless. For the main course, we had crusted Hawaiian Ono with beurre blanc and lamb tenderloin with port wine reduction. The lamb, thinly sliced and fanned out over half the dinner plate, was the most tender I have ever had. The meat melted like butter as I chewed it and the sauce was sweet and savory. To accompany the lamb were roasted potatoes, three shoots each of asparagus and string beans, and a few slivers of carrot. The crusted Ono had a crispy Dijon flavored crust and firm flesh that was wonderful with the rich buttery sauce. While presented without much flair, both dishes were delicious and made from quality ingredients.
For dessert, we had a chocolate mousse tort with raspberry sauce and a Kahlua gelato tort. Both were served with fresh raspberries and two slices of kiwi. The chocolate mousse was less creamy than I had hoped and contained so much cocoa powder that it was almost chalky. The Kahlua gelato had a thin cheesecake base and was topped with crushed toffee. Both were good, but not nearly as good as we expected given the quality of the main course.
The most striking feature of Le Bistro, besides its exceptional food, is its resemblance to a small mom-and-pop diner. An elderly couple brought a Christmas ornament for the waitress, who chatted with them about the difference between white and black Russians (the white variety has half-and-half in it). Upon hearing a coughing fit, the waitress slid beside our table and asked whether we had caught the nasty flu that was going around.
The combination of Le Bistro's hominess and their delicate and simple, yet sophisticated style of cooking is not easy to find these days. Friendly local diners that serve greasy comfort food are common, as are high-priced (and often times snooty) French restaurants. Le Bistro is a rarity that takes the best of both worlds. Take a detour through Petaluma after your next visit to wine country and enjoy this unique experience.
Le Bistro is located on 312 Petaluma Blvd S and open for dinner Wednesdays through Sundays.
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