Bistro Provence

My group of friends delightedly savored our dinner experience here. My dinner of branzini with scallops was perfectly prepared and a delight in each bite. My dessert of a lemon tart topped by endless blueberries was blissful, with such a delightful sauce that I wanted to lick the plate (but didn't as the heavy white napkins and overall luxury vibe made all most polite). The service was excellent, the noise level muted so one could hear every one at our table. Prices were high but the overall meal value was higher.

We had been wanting to visit this restaurant for sometime now and finally managed to go there last evening. The short of it is, it's a place which can be categorized as been there done that. It's a small narrow place which makes it dense. The tables next to the kitchen which is almost half of the restaurant have to bear with kitchen sounds which were continuous and loud. The service while doing it's job was bare minimum with dishes being placed in front of diners without a word. The food was well presented however lacked flavor and was not particularly tasty especially when compared to the prices. At this price point one expects something more than the ordinary.

We were seated closely between two other couples next to the kitchen and could not hold a conversation without shouting at each other. The waitress arrived to tell us the specials 10 or 15 minutes after we were seated. It was very hard to hear what she was saying as she was softspoken. She presented an appetizer special as being similar to one on the menu but with crab on top, did not mention any pricing (the appetizer on the menu was a $14 dish) and when the bill came we discovered the appetizer was more expensive than the main dish! It was $44. I believe that point should have been mentioned. Atmosphere was crowded and impossibly loud, serivice was not very good, and food was above average, but not spectacular. Salmon was slightly overcooked. Sorry, it did not meet expectations.

The asparagus soup has interesting tastes, like the Parmesan pudding blended so well with soup! The zucchini cake is another unexpected presentation too, didn’t expected it to be like a quiche and omelette texture. A star off for the bread, the bread came cold and the butter is frozen. Butter can’t melt in the bread. Also the bread is hard to bite. It charges $8 for a basket, expecting something better. Ordered shrimp risotto and duck confit for main courses, they are too salty for us. It’s an open kitchen dining area at first floor. Seats beside the kitchen will have smells for cooking.

One of the best experiences of my life! The customer service deserves a full 5 stars, and the chef even stopped by to say hello at my table. The food was outstanding—the portions were generous, and it truly felt like I was dining in Europe. Thank you for such wonderful service!