This past Saturday night, Mark and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. We’ve been longing to try something new (although we love our tried-and-true Mobile favorites), so when I first read about Bistro Escoffier in January, I knew it was next on our list.
A little background for you: the only true French meal I’ve ever had was actually in Paris! After visiting Montmartre and wandering around aimlessly to find the nearest Metro station, we ended up at Le Vaudeville. We had an authentic, 3-course meal (and plenty of wine!) for €34—and it was amazing.
We’ll always have Paris!
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t say that French cuisine is my favorite, although having grown up in the former French territory of La Louisiane, I realize that many of my most beloved dishes owe their existence to French influence and techniques.
Speaking of influence, Bistro Escoffier is named for the father of modern French cuisine, Auguste Escoffier. He published the renowned Le Guide Culinaire and is probably most well-known for codifying the recipes of the five “mother sauces,” which remain fundamental to today’s chefs.
Furthermore, Chef (and owner) Lee Thompson’s grandfather, FF Escoffier, shares his name and lineage with the restaurant’s namesake. If you’re wondering about authenticity at this little Mobile gem, I think that fact answers your question.
The bistro is located in an old brick storefront along beautiful, oak-canopied Dauphin Street. The building itself is small and unassuming, and the décor is simple, while maintaining a romantic quality with colorful paintings by local artist, Devlin Wilson.
The menu is small, but I often find this to be a good sign, since the chef has chosen to focus on a few superb dishes rather than appealing to the masses with a bit of mediocre everything.
The courses are supposed to change periodically, although I will say that the April menu was nearly identical to the sample menu that’s been on the website since January. Perhaps the side dishes and sauces change seasonally while the proteins largely remain the same. Also, having been open just 4 months, I’m sure they’re still testing the waters of the top-selling menu items.
Because 6th anniversaries only come once (and you might as well do French cuisine the right way!), I ordered one glass of wine, a Merlot, that I’d been looking forward to weeks. Mark went with a Malbec that was a little too dry for me.
For an appetizer, we chose the cheese course, which included goat cheese topped with crushed pistachio, baby Swiss, creamy Camembert, crostini, fresh mango, fig preserves, and Balsamic reduction.
Each cheese was delicious (the tangy, creamy goat was my favorite), and my only complaint was that our waitress didn’t explain the dish when she brought it out. Shocked to discover the oddly-shiny “cheddar” was in fact mango (in hindsight, it’s obvious that a French restaurant wouldn’t be serving cheddar!) and unsure of the flavor of the marmalade (I thought apricot), we had to ask—after nearly finishing the plate—exactly what was on the dish.
Because the warm bacon dressing sounded too good to be true, Mark and I both ordered the spinach salad.
The salad was quite good, but we both thought it was missing something. Mark thought it needed the tanginess of goat cheese, and I thought it needed a touch more acid (more tomato, perhaps?). Nevertheless, we all but licked our plates clean.
For my entrée, I chose the fish, which was, in one word: amazing. The day’s catch was steelhead trout, a fish our waitress explained is very similar in consistency and flavor to salmon.
The citrus beurre blanc was outstanding (tart, but not overly so), and the rice, which I assume was saffron-infused, was delicious as well. The green beans were cooked to a crisp perfection, and while I again had to ask our waitress what the “purple garnish” was, the shaved beet, rutabaga, and carrot salad was just the right crunchy, spicy, and vinegary accompaniment. I only wish there had been more of it!
Since I chose the fish (it was a toss-up for both of us), Mark opted for the duck breast. Neither of us is a big fan of duck (maybe solely because we rarely order it), but this dish changed our minds completely.
The duck had a nicely crisp sear and a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, and the raspberry demi glace was delicious. It was served with the same crisp green beans, some julienned vegetables (carrots and squash?), and a couscous salad with what appeared to include a whole grain mustard-based dressing. After sampling his dish, I determined that either entrée would have satisfied me 100%.
Because the portions were quite filling and we had store-bought tiramisu hanging out in our refrigerator, we passed on dessert this time. Each of the options sounded dreamy and decadent, however.
Mark and I thoroughly enjoyed our meals, and it’s obvious that Chef Thompson knows his French. Our meal was one of, if not the, best we’ve had in a higher-end restaurant in Mobile (much better than Noja and Café 615), and while a bit pricey, it was worth every penny. Sometimes, sadly, you leave a renowned restaurant feeling a bit disappointed, as if your expectations were just too high, but at Bistro Escoffier, our expectations were far exceeded.
Our only complaint was that the service wasn’t outstanding. Was service bad? Absolutely not. Was the staff friendly? Indeed. We just felt that it was slightly lacking, and that, in a higher-end place, our courses should’ve been explained when presented to us, rather than after we had to ask.
Even with that minor flaw, Bistro Escoffier is a place you need to visit. We will certainly find a reason upon which to return, and if you’re celebrating a special occasion of your own, I urge you to give this place a try.
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