Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Bistro Provence, French Restaurant, Burbank, CA


Bistro Provence

345 N. Pass Avenue,

Burbank, CA 91505

(818) 840-9050


GOOGLE MAP


I have been reading about this little French Restaurant for some time in Los Angeles Magazine, and decided I finally had to give it a try. It is strangely located in a strip mall in between a Starbucks and a Dry Cleaners with an Albertsons and a Bank of America, and is only about a block from my girlfriend's house, so where better to go for her birthday celebration? Well, maybe The Hungry Cat just spoiled us, but honestly this place seemed only mediocre. Not bad, but not amazing in any way shape or form.




Logofinal



The interior of the place is quite nice, which you would never know from the outside, with a counter with some bar stools, and nice little tables in one room. The wait staff was not typically french, since my water was constantly filled, though we sure waited a while for them to tell us about desserts, and to get our check.


For started we got a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, this was a KANU 2005 from South Africa, and it was alright. Fruity with a hint of apricot, and quite dry, but with a bite that I usually don't get in Sauvignon Blanc, and that was not to my liking.


They have some excellent bread to start off with and I decided to try the Ahi Tuna and Nicoise salad, with 2 large pieces or raw ahi, on 2 large croutons, on some green beens and vegetables, and a sort of Olive tapenade. It was alright, though nothing mind blowing.


For dinner I had wanted to get the garlic roasted chicken with fried, but I am getting too far, so I figured I could do without the fries, and instead went for the Beef Bourguignon with mushrooms, celery, horseradish mashed potato and braising jus. It was decent. The meat was as tender as could be, in small cubes, and they could be cut with a fork, and it was on the potatoes, so you kind of ate it all together, but because of this you completely lose the flavor of the potatoes, because the sauce for the beef was so overpowering.


Kelly ordered the Spanish Paella with mussels, rock shrimp, clams, country sausage and saffron broth, but again was not all that impressed. The seafood was good, but the meal was not amazing, just alright.


For dessert we had a chocolate cake with truffles and a little thing of vanilla ice cream, and again it was alright, not amazing. The cake was very moist, but it was nothing mindblowing.


***

An alright restaurant, and it was just over $100 for the 2 of us with a bottle of wine, but honestly I don't think I will be returning.

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