Cassis Bistro Francais

10/15/07

Absolutely Incredible - Fine French Cuisine

by gbarry at Citysearch

My wife and I went there and we were blown away. She has a gluten intolerance (flour, breadcrumbs, etc.) and the server consulted with the chef to prepare a wonderful, modified meal for her. The menu is kept simple with 5 or 6 starters and the same for the entrees plus a few specials. We had duck confit over greens and chicken liver pate with amazing dijon mustard and both were amazing in their depth and separation of flavors. The wine suggestion was terrific (white - muscadet) and when the entree came we knew we were in for a treat just by the presentation. Not crowded or gaudy, but they looked like they could have been on the cover of Gourmet Magazine. Chicken breast (from a specialty farm) and Salmon, both pan-seared. The chicken was served with sauce on the side as it was made from flour. I tried the chicken without the sauce and it was the most tasty piece of chicken breast I had ever eaten. With the sauce, it was even more amazing (brown pan sauce w/ bacon, pearl onions and mushrooms!) You could taste the homemade broth infused into the meat and it was perfectly seasoned and tender like butter. My Salmon was equally delicious with a simple burre-blanc sauce. It was moist and the flavor lingered in your mouth long after the wine. Service was incredible and the husband/wife team (host/chef) came out to chat and give this amatuer foodie the inside scoop on the ingredients and preparation. We finished with the most amazing creme brulee I ever had. I would return there any time I am in the area and highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates fine fining without pretention. I think the classification of 4 ($$$$) for cost is a little high. We had 2 glasses of wine, 2 bottles of muscadet, 2 apertif's, coffee and the meals for around $200.

• Pros: Quality ingredients, preparation and service
• Cons: None other than the size for some people - small and cozy