December, 2008

Rating: 9 out of 10

Tariff : Dinner for 2

• 1 appetizer
• 1 pitcher house red wine
• 1 salad
• 1 entree
• 2 desserts
• tip
• $113

Atmosphere

In an old building along the main street of town with red and white striped awnings and cascading flower pots, Bistro Jeanty definitely has the warm homey feel of an old time bistro.  We sat in the cozy dining room to the rear of the building. A glowing fireplace and framed French posters were the primary decorations along with some crockery and cookware. The hallway leading from the front room to the back has photos and memorabilia about the chef. Owner and chef Philippe Jeanty comes from the Champagne region of France and has had a life long love affair with food from the age of 14, working in France and here making a name for himself. This special restaurant was born in 1998 when he decided to open a place that honored the favorite foods of his childhood.  In the tradition of the French bistro, he offers seasonal foods, cooked to perfection and served in a warm, friendly environment. From the first moment we entered the crowded front hall by the coat rack hanging with laminated clippings about the restaurant and the hostess' podium we felt welcome.  The staff couldn't have been more helpful or friendly. Our waiter, Lonnie, was cheerful and casual.  All staff are dressed smartly in white bibs and aprons.

 Food

We started with an appetizer of beet salad.  Sweet cubes of red beet were tossed with orange  sections and feta cheese for a small but hearty salad ($9.50).

One entree we chose was the salad lardon with oeuf (poached egg) over frisee, topped with a light, sweet vinegar dressing and crumbled bacon ($10.50).

The other was a bistro staple, steak frite ($28.50). This consisted of a thin rib eye seared and cooked to order medium well. It was juicy and flavorful; however, I thought it had an almost overly charred taste.  It came with a tall paper cone of "French" fried potatoes.

We had brought a nice bottle of wine along with us, but decided to try the house wine and skip the $15 corkage fee. Along with our meal we ordered a pitcher of bistro red (750 ml for $19) and found it quite good.

For dessert we could barely make a choice between the decadent offerings.  I settled on the chocolate mousse brulee ($9). it was a traditional vanilla creme with a thin layer of mousse under the caramel before it is cooked. It was amazingly creamy and since it was comprised of two of my favorite flavors how could I go wrong! My dining partner had the rum bread pudding ($9.50). It was served hot, radiating the sweet aroma of rum, topped with chocolate chip ice cream.

Bistro Jeanty
6510 Washington Street
Yountville, CA  94599
707-944-0103