Bouchon Bistro does a great job pretending it’s your average French bistro, but it’s one chandelier away from being a fine dining restaurant. Because it teeters between formal and casual, a meal here can be as serious or relaxed as you want. And it’s exactly where you should go when you need to impress someone but can’t deal with the pressure of a tasting menu.
Bouchon has all the trappings of a classic bistro: a chalkboard with the day’s specials hanging on the wall (which everyone ignores) and no bread plate for their gorgeous baguettes. So embrace the crumbs on the white tablecloth like a proper Parisian. Unfolding their disposable paper menu reveals the usual suspects: escargot, French onion soup, and steak frites (all very good). But there’s also an entire section dedicated to truffles, charcuterie, caviar, and $185 seafood platters. After all, this Gables spot is related to The French Laundry and The Surf Club.
Like a true bistro, service is fast. Servers march over the dining room’s intricate tile in tune to Daft Punk while balancing sizzling steamed mussels and beef tartares. But they’re not drill sergeants. So speak up if you’re in the mood for a slower dinner, and they’ll pace it out for you.
Bouchon is a great special occasion spot—the kind you’d take your future fiancée to before popping the question. But it’s also a fun place to loosen your tie and hang out for happy hour (4pm-6pm), when oysters are $2 and kir royales are $12. And there are no surprises on the straightforward French menu, so it’s great for picky eaters.
Food RundownOreilles De Cochon
These thin strips of crispy pig ears aren’t just the best thing on the menu, but possibly any menu within a five-mile radius. Here’s the bad news: it’s a seasonal dish that’s usually available during the summer.
photo credit: David Escalante
Poulet Rôti
This restaurant group knows how to roast a chicken. And Bouchon’s is the entree to prioritize. The half bird is plated in a slightly stressful game of chicken Jenga, the breast balanced precariously atop the dark meat. Both are cooked to perfection, and adding a side of fries to this order for jus-absorbing is an excellent idea.
photo credit: David Escalante
Terrine De Foie Gras De Canard
It’s so rich and indulgent that eating it almost feels like committing some sort of misdemeanor. Thankfully no one will arrest you as you use the toasted rectangles of baguette to scoop every molecule out of the jar.
Escargots De Bourgogne
Six escargots hide beneath fluffy puff pastry, which doubles as convenient vessels for scooping, soaking, and consuming the parsley/garlic-butter-soaked snails beneath them.
photo credit: David Escalante
Steak Frites
It’s a fine steak, but the caramelized shallots and giant pat of butter are doing much of the heavy lifting in terms of flavor. Still, it arrives cooked to your precise temperature with a massive pile of fries.
photo credit: David Escalante
Dining and Cooking