FoodSnobCA "A great meal should surprise your senses every time..."

We went tonight to Le Bistro for our wedding anniversary – first choice of anywhere we could go, and we live in the Temecula Valley, resplendent with many fine winery restaurants.

To any naysayers (the FEW of them), I’ve already responded. Let me add this from tonight’s trip…. there was a table of 16 people enjoying lobster bisque (special order ahead as they make it just prior to serving), Australian lobster tails, and a variety of other wonderful dinners (after which they raised a toast to Robert, the owner, and insisted on meeting the chef).

Our dinner, as usual, was superb, starting with the Hot Artichoke appetizer (we sopped up every bit of the remaining sauce with the french bread initially received upon sitting down). Not a gooey “artichoke dip” like you get at other restaurants, but a really beautiful concoction of artichoke hearts, red onions, mushrooms, in a garlic and oil sauce. Perfect for two of us.

We then shared a Hearts of Palm salad – again, one salad was enough to share for 2. Generous portions of Hearts of Palm along with some romaine lettuce, carrot shavings, marinated cucumber, onion, and artichokes, all in a wonderful dressing!

This was followed by one Tomato Basil soup (which we found a little tart and acidic for our taste, but had great texture) and a small bowl of Lobster Bisque (this alone I’ve gotten for lunch with a salad — so rich and amazing).

For the entree, my husband had the Beef Tips, made with filet mignon, and in a port wine sauce – unbelievably tender and perfect with the mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables (how nice to find a restaurant that does not overcook nor undercook the veggies). I had the Cherry Duck — normally I do not like Duck, but trusting Robert’s cuisine as I do, I wanted to give it a try, and it was DELICIOUS. If you don’t like fruit with your meats/poultry/fish, then don’t order it. I happen to love fruits as part of an entree, and this was wonderful. A tad less sauce would have been fine, but for duck, which can be gamey almost at times, this was lovely.

We followed with dessert (of course! It’s our anniversary, after all!) – our choice was Bananas Foster – and it was gone within 5 minutes, I think. I wasn’t watching the clock, but I’m pretty sure we consumed it that fast.

Top it all off with a waitress who was always smiling, and Robert, whose light conversation and clear enjoyment of engaging with his patrons, made the evening perfect. What other restaurant in the area can you visit with 23 years of history? Robert has run this restaurant all this time, and in fact, we met another couple there who have been going regularly since he opened in 1986.

If you want to go somewhere with upscale food, but feel like you are being served in someone’s home, this is it. You will feel THAT comfortable. You must come with a sense of humor, as Robert is totally at ease with everyone there, and you enjoy an experience you do not get in other restaurants.

Oh yes – price? All this for under $80, including a 20% tip.