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Friday, September 04, 1998 Page:
At charming Bistro, save some room for dessert- if you can
It’s 7:30 on a Friday evening. The restaurant is packed, with only two
tables openNo, this is not an establishment that’s been open for umpteen
years. This has been open for only one month. It’s Bistro- a new eatery owned
by the same family that brought you The Overbrook in Dallas.
The charming European-style restaurant is decorated with trompe l’oeil
windows, fabric canopies and fresh flowers enhancing the muted blue stuccoed
walls. If you do have to wait for a table (reservations are taken only for
five or more people), do not fret. There is a large bar or several inviting
couches where you can leisurely sip on a most perfect martini.
Tiny lights suspended from the ceiling add to the ambiance.
The menu is the same for lunch and dinner, featuring appetizers, salads,
gourmet pizzas, sandwiches and pasta. They also offer a few specials for both
meals.
There is no list, but they do have a few wines by the bottles, when asked.
However, the Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, and Chardonnay by the glass were ones
we definitely would have chosen.
The specialty soup wonderfully combines Tuscan beans, sausage and escarole
in a rich chicken broth and can be served in a bread bowl for the heartier
appetite. A huge marinated portabella mushroom appetizer was grilled and
over-stuffed with goat cheese, spinach and fresh, diced plum tomatoes.
Entree salads are aptly named, because they can easily accommodate two or
more people. A classic Caesar salad had crisp romaine lettuce, garlic,
croutons and Parmesan cheese, tossed with a zesty dressing. A warm slice of
garlic bread complimented this lively dish.
But the salad that brought raves from the table was an Oriental melange
that brought together bok choy, fresh spinach leaves and crispy noodles
crowned with pan-seared fresh tenderloin tips marinated in ginger and soy. The
sesame peanut dressing was the ultimate topping.
It was difficult to choose a gourmet pizza from the eight tempting
selections, but we finally decided on the Montrachet. We were elated with our
choice. Ricotta and goat cheese with roasted peppers, red onion and fresh
basil- all drizzled with herb-infused virgin olive oil- rested atop a crispy
crust. It was sublime.
There are specialty pastas or ones you can create yourself. A Provencale
sauce on capellini was a perfect marriage of olive oil, fresh tomatoes, garlic
and basil capping firm noodles.
Two dinner specials were tested and they passed with flying colors. Osso
buco had the most tender veal shanks in a rosemary demi-glaze with sun-dried
tomatoes and portabella mushrooms over a mound of risotto.
A grilled Delmonico was married to fresh mozzarella and escorted by spinach
and baby red roasted potatoes. No steak knife was needed for this premium cut
of beef.
Desserts, though not made on premise, will almost make you wish you hadn’t
eaten that last piece of pizza. The cannoli had an almond cream encircled by a
crunchy vanilla crepe. Tortufo was a cherry shrouded in a chocolate cream, and
both were ensconced in a chocolate coating and drizzled with cherry sauce.
One evening we asked the waitress to bring the chef’s favorite dessert. A
chocolate banana cheesecake was the choice. Not being a lover of cheesecake, I
was skeptical. However a silky banana layer, covering a light chocolate cream,
accentuating a crunchy bottom to the point of ecstasy, quickly changed my
mind.
With the newness of the restaurant and minimal advertising, you can
conclude that word of mouth has made this place the popular eatery it has
become in such a short time. On the occasions we were there, we noticed the
owner, Tony Macri, sauntering about, checking details and making sure
everything is running smoothly. His restaurant is fine and clearly destined to
be one of the valley’s premier eateries.
The restaurant review is published in the Weekend section every Friday. The
reviewer is unidentified to avoid the possibility of preferential treatment.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Bistro Bistro.
WHERE: 174 United Penn Plaza, Kingston.
HOURS: Tuesday through Saturday, lunch 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., dinner 4:30
p.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.