Deux Bistro is spelled Deux Bistrots in French. Colonial French exterior & Gallic blue, white, red theme festooning of the tricolors create the stereotypical American vision of France. Interior is tastefully subdued.
I got here at 6pm on a Tuesday before customers trickled in & wished there were Piaf or French Chanson music to set the mood, but 1970's American R&B was playing which was pleasant enough.
I coincided my first visit with DineLA which was the only way that I found out about this charming bistrot & also got a good deal.
0) I first ate grilled Merguez sausages in the Quatrième Arrondissement visiting France decades ago. It's a medium ground lamb mixed with a heady blend of paprika, cumin, garlic, coriander, fennel.
It's a huge sandwich using a very light, touch crispy, and airy baguette w/ dairy fragrant, sweet, house made butter & gamey, meaty Merguez split in half length wise, tomato, butter lettuce and a smear of potent Harissa purée.
Made of roasted red peppers, chile peppers, garlic, olive oil, and a blend of spices like cumin, coriander, and caraway, etc. Highly recommend if you like bold flavours.
Pommes Frites are standard French fries. Twice fried Belgian style may be tastier.
1) Goat Cheese Salad: Little ball of funky, creamy Chevre/goat cheese was unusual being covered w/ a chiffonade of dried herbs like French thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary on toasted slice of baguette.
Mixed greens, slice of sweet cara cara orange, raisins, roasted, crunchy hazel nut, cherry tomatoes for sweet, acidic Umami napped with very mild Aceto Balsamico Vinaigrette.
2) Boeuf Bourguignon: Rich, thick, dark Sauce Demi-Glace that had a pronounced fruity, sweet, satisfying Umami not associated w/ this dish which enhanced the other ingredients to another level. Undertone of what may be smoky black pepper & earthy, herbal thyme.
Cubes of meaty, plush, fibrous short rib beef were slow simmered for 24 hours to create a soft, well rounded, fat rich, voluptuous mouthfeel.
Snap peas, string beans, carrots, pearl onions, button mushrooms. Yukon Gold Pommes Purées/mashed potatoes w/ butter infusion rounded out this formidable variation.
3) Gazpacho ideal for hot summers, ultra smooth, puréed tomato & possibly cucumber, acidic, w/ Estragon/tarragon thickened with Ciabatta bread. Drizzling of rich, yellow golden evoo and pinch of chives.
To lighten the strong flavour of the fruity red wine vinegar, perhaps finely chopped tomato as a garnish would freshen & add counter texture to this mostly suave dish.
4) Tuesday Fried Chicken Special: Huge breast, thigh, drumstick brined w/Herbes de Provence of savory, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, & thyme. However, I really couldn't sense those herbal flavours. Meat was moist, meaty covered by a crunchy thick, brown batter.
Nice starchy pomme purée herbed w/ what may be smokey rosemary oil & lots of butter. Haricots Verts/green beans.
0-4a) "Obscure" Burgundian Gamay. Rustic, juicy, dark red grape, lightly sweet balanced by acidity. Woody, damp earth, mushroomy.
5) Canard à l'Orange: Breast meat w/ skin side pan fried in its own tasty fat which crisps the skin w/ fat oozing out w/ each bite. Meat is darker, moist, touch gamey, medium rare so as to not dry out & toughen the meat. Heads up: the duck breast is small.
Orange sauce is lightly viscous, touch bitter, w/ a hint of a Velouté texture. Smokey bbq & Cognac like undertone. Segments of small orange & chiffonade of green onion fried into airy crisps as garnish.
Braised bok choy & grilled which charred and toughened the fibers of the green leaves. Mélange of greens including nutty, bitter arrugula tossed w/ a sweet citrus dressing.
5a) Pinot Nero, Bonzano Hosteria, Monferrat, Italia, 2021: Chilled red wine. Toasty brown sugar scent. brandied cherries, black currant very juicy, sweet, yet dry, touch raspy. Noticeable tannin, acidic, woody, green bellpepper, warm spices like cinnamon. Not a shy wallpaper type.
6) Mousse de Chocolat: Creamy yet mildly rough grained Chocolate Mousse that is half way between milk & dark chocolate. Topped w/ lush, triple cream, Crème Chantilly/whipped cream, sugar macerated blackberry, gooey hazelnut caramel.
7) Pistachio Tiramisù: Milk Chocolate frosting coated Savoiardi/lady fingers pastry soaked in sweetened, bitter Espresso so they become softened.
A huge dollop of heavy cream-Mascarpone, intermediate between Crème Fraîche & Crème Chantilly sprinkled w/ a dusting of finely crushed pistachio adds a touch of nuttiness.
6-7a) Espresso Dopio: Smooth, smokey bitterness was a good foil to the sweet, mildly earthy, dulcet chocolate.
Tim was most helpful & considerate, often thinking ahead of my needs. Really appreciate his kind, proactive service creating Bon Accueil/warm hospitality. He is definitely an asset to Deux Bistrots.
Deux Bistrots is a "sleeper" French restaurant that should be recognized as superior casual dining in its genre. 4+ stars!!! read more