We finally managed to break the ice at Voilá! last night. Anita and I met a friend for dinner at the new “bistrot” that’s replaced the much-unlamented Gitano on East Madison in Madison Valley (Seattle). We were forced to cut our dinner short, so consider this more of a preview than a review.
When they say bistrot, they mean it. The menu is loaded with little French restaurant faves: onion soup, pate de campagne, beef bourguingnon, hanger steak, coq au vin, and the like. The wine list is small and mostly Cali-Washington You can order house red or white by the glass or carafe. There is also a selection of unnamed wines available by the glass -- you order by the grape varietal.
Anita started with the onion soup and wished that it had more broth and cheese and less onion, but pronounced it tasty nonetheless. The pate de campagne that I ordered could have been more flavorful, but the texture was great. Our dining companion ordered a mixed green salad and said that it was overdressed but good otherwise.
My main was a hanger steak with a side of (what else?) frites. The steak was cooked medium-rare, as I requested, and the frites were prepared with a little garlic and parsley. Good meat, good sauce, good frites, and dijon on request (without having to explain twice) -- what else can you ask for? Anita’s beef bourguignon was tender and flavorful; in an interesting twist on this old favorite, we suspect that bacon or another smoked meat is involved in the preparation. Our friend ordered mushroom tagliatelle -- shiitake, I think, but I won’t swear to it. I will swear to the fact that I smelled it as soon as it got within five feet of the table, and my mouth started watering. A taste confirmed that it was good stuff.
We ordered whites and reds by the glass, and they were what we expected: workmanlike but not amazing. The total tab for three people (starters, mains, and 4-5 glasses of wine) was $100 pre-tip. You have to order sides separately, so that $12-13 main isn’t really such a screaming deal. However, there were enough frites that two people could share -- not pig out, but share. Service was great: warm, polite, attentive, and casual in the proper measures. Décor was quiet, uncomplicated and appropriate. We hope that this place does well, and we're looking forward to a return trip.
Posted by Cameron at February 4, 2004 11:00 AM