Voilà
April 17, 2007
I had dinner at Rover’s a while back, and as we were walking out – stuffed beyond belief – I felt a twinge of envy watching the people at Voilà across the street. Don’t get me wrong, Rover’s has unforgettable food (and daunting prices), but there’s something irresistible about a simple French bistro.
So I was excited to finally try Voilà last night. It was a real treat, and my only regret is that I forgot my camera. I’ll do my best to recreate the meal.
Onion soup: rich, delicious broth, hot enough to burn your tongue and tasty enough to make you not care. Normally onion soup, capped with so much cheese, is a meal in itself. I was happy that this one was relatively light.
Chevre chaud: the chevre itself was delicious, but it was a tiny little puck on top of a salad that was pretty unexceptional. Not bad at all, just not great.
Boeuf bourguignon: a bistro classic, I only tried a bite of this, so I can’t really comment. The plate’s owner seemed very pleased.
Steak frites: sacre bleu! Delicious. Do what I did; when the waitress says something is the favorite of everyone who works there, order it. The French elevate hanger steak to a delicacy, and I was sopping up the shallot reduction sauce long after the steak was gone. The fries were great, too!
Coq au vin: another compulsory bistro dish, well-prepared and thoroughly enjoyable.
Profiteroles: I’d heard the profiteroles were a treat, and I wasn’t disappointed. A pair of puffed-pastries, packed with ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce. If you like any of those things, try the profiteroles. If you don’t, please stop reading my blog.
Creme brulee: perfect carmelized crust, cream not too sweet. Another strong showing.
I don’t mean to gush, but they got it right. Simple, warm, homey, inexpensive with great food and friendly service. This is what a bistro is all about.
Late addition: Oh, for shame, how could I forget?! On Sunday’s they offer 50% off of all wines on the menu. 50% off. Think about it.
