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Le Bistro
The
most frequently asked question of me as Food Editor is which
restaurant is best in the North Tahoe area. I invariably run off
a top five to them with addendums of several others that are in
the same class;
Le Bistro
is always in my top five. It was to our collective benefit when
a young man decided to leave France and use his chef skills to
see the world and make his mark. After an international tour,
including working at a Michelin three-star restaurant, chef
Jean-Pierre Doignon
eventually settled in Tahoe and opened his own dining room with
classic cuisine and service.
Upon our arrival to the restaurant,
Jean-Pierre's charming wife,
Sylvia
Doignon,
showed us to our booth. A romantic atmosphere was evoked with
fresh flowers and crisp white linen at every table against
botanical wallpaper and lovely provincial décor touches. Sylvia
offered us glasses of ’04 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from
Marlborough, New Zealand. The wine was excellent with a bouquet
of flavors including peach and melon. Our server,
David
Blair,
was extremely
knowledgeable about both food and wine, which allowed us to
relax and enjoy our evening. The prix fixe meal is
the
way to sample the talents of the chef although á la carte is an
option. Guests at Le Bistro first enjoy hôrs d'oeuvres served on
a small doilied plate.
The soups arrived shortly after
the warm Acme sourdough wheat bread with butter was served. Our
first soup was a light and delicious tomato bisque, shrouded in
puff pastry and baked en croûte. The flavor of roast tomatoes
was predominant and the bit of acidity present was muted by the
golden puff pastry. Our other soup was a deliciously simple
onion, watercress and potato soup made creamy and rich with
stock instead of cream. The second course consisted of pâté,
salmon and oyster appetizers. Freshly shucked Malpeque oysters
on ice were delicious with a ginger dipping sauce. The
house-smoked king salmon was incredibly tender and
flavorful.
The very lightly smoked salmon was served between thin slices of
fried potato and topped with fresh dill. This salmon ~Napoleon~
was surrounded by slices of cucumber and a savory dill sauce. I
really enjoyed the Niman Ranch pheasant and pork pâté. Jean
Pierre was able to show-off his fine skills with this dish.
Flecked with pistachio nuts and truffles, the perfectly seasoned
and smooth pâté still had a meaty bite. The ’03 Bonny Doon Dry
Riesling from the Santa Cruz mountains was a nice wine to enjoy
with the appetizers and was a reflection of the extensive wine
list. The next appetizer was a surprise from the kitchen. Jean
Pierre's crepe aumôniére (pouch) was filled with fresh Morel and
shitake mushrooms that were sautéed with a hint of white truffle
oil. Each bite was heavenly and the sauce was truly a gourmet
delight.
For
our salad course, we had a classic asparagus salad and an
unusual salad of baked escargot with Romaine lettuce. The plate
was arranged with Romaine heart leaves in the center with a
roasted pepper garnish on one side and a ramekin of escargot on
the other. We ate the lemony, Parmesan dressed lettuce with the
buttery, herbed escargot and found it to be an explosion of
harmonious flavors. For contrast, the fresh white asparagus with
orange vinaigrette and toasted pine nuts was elegant. The white
asparagus tips radiated outward from a center of tender, chopped
stalks tossed in the orange vinaigrette. The chilled and
perfectly steamed asparagus spears were tender and fresh and a
tribute to how Jean Pierre celebrates each season and all it has
to offer.
Like
all courses, our squab and beef tournedo entrées arrived with
impeccable timing and were again beautiful arrangements that
dazzled our eyes. The moist and tender quenelle of squab was
topped with a rich, black truffle sauce and placed on a bed of
celery root purée. My companion was delighted with her order of
the beef tournedo. The filet was pan roasted to a perfect
medium-rare and paired with a Pinot Noir wine reduction sauce
and finished with a topping of Gorgonzola cheese. Potatoes au
gratin were served on the side. Both entrées were served with
fresh, sautéed vegetables, including green asparagus. A glass of
’01 Babcock Gran Cuvee Pinot Noir from Santa Ynez went nicely
with the squab and a glass of ’00 Chateau Larruau from Margaux,
France complemented the beef.
While sipping cappuccinos after
dinner, a gorgeous dessert-sampling platter was placed before
each of us. Although a gourmet cheese platter is also an option,
our "sweet" choice was a perfect finale to a remarkable evening.
The plate included a selection of four petit-sized desserts
included an orange crème brulée, a raspberry shortcake, an
apricot tartlette and finally a tiny chocolate and hazelnut
torte drizzled with chocolate ganache. We paired our dessert
with a ’99 Guiraud Premier Cru Sauterne from France. The
hospitality continued when a plate of dark chocolate truffles
was brought to the table to savor with our wines. I hope you
will have the chance to savor Le Bistro and develop a longing
for their fine cuisine as I have.
Le Bistro is tucked away at 120
Country Club Dr., # 29, across from the Hyatt. They're open
Tuesday through Saturday evenings and begin serving dinner at
6:00 p.m. A full bar is available and the restaurant can
accommodate up to 50 guests for private parties. Reservations
are recommended and may be secured by calling (775)831-0800.
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