TravelValue: Restaurants Across The U.S.: bistro

Showing posts with label bistro. Show all posts

Friday, March 30, 2018

Portland, OR: What ABBAbout Those Swedish Meatballs - Dinner For Two For Just $20!

Ikea Restaurant
10280 NE Cascades Pkwy
Portland, OR 97220
Phone number (888) 888-4532
Website: ikea.com
Prices: $$$$

Ikea has stores in 41 countries, exactly the number of nations I have visited thus far, so you can get a reasonably priced bookcase or meal pretty much anywhere in the world.

Ikea's cafeteria has a minimal selection of simple, Swedish entrees, salads, soups and desserts, but the food is good, the portions decent and the prices GREAT! If you are an Ikea member, free to join, you also get FREE COFFEE and FREE SOFT DRINKS whether you are eating there or not.

Their swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and veggie meal ($5.99) is an excellent value. They also have salmon filet ($6.99) and braised beef ($8.99) dinners, both served with potato or rice and a vegetable, or you can get breakfast for just $2. A full dinner for two, including soup or salad, entree, bread, drinks and dessert will run you around $20.

Do not expect much ambiance at Ikea. It is a cafeteria after all with basic tables and chairs, you serve and clean up after yourself, and it is pretty noisy. But if you are doing some minimalist shopping, it is a quick, easy and cheap place to grab a bite.

CombatCritic Gives Ikea Restaurant and Bistro 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Seven Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Shits & Grins"

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Camas, WA: Hey Portland, Twilight Is Worth A Trip Across The River!

Twilight Pizza Bistro
1905 SE 192nd Ave, Stuie 101
Camas, WA 98607
Phone number (360) 833-1919
Website: twilightpizzabistro.com
Prices: $$$$

A good friend of mine recommended Twilight, having only good things to say about them. Being new to the area, we decided to give 'em a shot.

They changed the TV channel so I could watch my Dodgers versus the Diamondbacks (NLDS Championship Series) and our server was extremely friendly, helpful and efficient. She even told me about their 20% Military Discount, a generous savings and 10% more than most places offer ... HOOAH!

The garlic bread ($6) was pretty good, but overpriced by at least $2 and the Caprese salad ($7.95) lacking enough mozzarella, but otherwise the food good and prices reasonable.

Garlic Bread $6

Caprese Salad $7.95

The place is comforting to the eye and the food good. What more could you ask for? My wife had the Baked Mac and Cheese ($11.50) with penne pasta in a rich, creamy Tillamook cheddar sauce, topped with breadcrumbs, then baked ... savory and tasty ... YUM!

I built my own pizza ... I'm so proud ... a 12 inch "The Cheese Stands Alone" with a tomato sauce and mozzarella base on hand tossed crust ($11.75), adding Italian sausage for $1.60 ($13.35 total). Excuse my French, but there was a shitload of sausage on the pizza. Big slices of whole sausage covered the pie, probably 1 1/2 - 2 sausages in total. Can you say sausage fest? This pie was pretty damn good!

Draft beers are $4.75 to $5.50 for a pint and my IPA was cold and frosty, making me extra hoppy (get it?). For two appetizers, two meals and a draught beer, the total came to around $47 with tax, but the 20% military discount brought the total to just under $37 plus tip ... whatta bahgain!

They even have Happy Hour Sunday through Thursday from 2 to 6PM and Friday and Saturday from 2 to 6PM and 9PM to close (dine-in only-available throughout the restaurant). You can save $2 on an appetizer or glass of wine and all draught pints are $1 off.

The only reason I deducted 2 Bombs was because of the overpriced garlic bread, much more tomato than mozzarella on the Caprese, and a total lack of salami. No salami in an Italian joint? Salami pizza is my favorite, so add some damn salami to the topping menu and mozzarella to the Caprese, and maybe I will upgrade my rating ... CAPISCHE?

CombatCritic Gives Twilight Bistro 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over 1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

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Read Chris S.'s review of Twilight Pizza Bistro on Yelp

Title: Camas, WA: Hey Portland, Twilight Is Worth A Trip Across The River!

Key Words: Twilight Pizza Bistro, twilight, pizza, pasta, bistro, Italian, Vancouver, Camas, WA, Portland, OR, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Wichita, Kansas: By Georges, This Bistro Is La Bombe!

Georges French Bistro
4618 East Central Ave, Suite 50
Wichita, KS 67208
Phone: (316) 831-1325
Website: georgesfrenchbistro.com
Prices: $$$$

When we arrived, the young hostess ignored us for a few minutes until she finished bussing a table. She finally asked if we had a reservation and I told her that I had been emailing back and forth with the owner who had confirmed our 6:30 reservation even though we were a bit early. There was no reservation listed, but she said "no problem" and asked if we wanted a high-top. I told her we did not, so she proceeded to take us to a table for four.

The place is not huge, having 20 or so tables and high-tops, but was full on a Wednesday night and just a couple weeks after opening, so they must be doing something right.

We ordered a bottle of "The Dark" ($29), a deep, red wine, but our server could not tell me the varieties of grapes included. She guessed "Cabernet Sauvignon?" and "Pinot Noir?", but it would have been nice to know if it was 100% Cabernet or a Cabernet/Syrah blend. I prefer Syrahs first, then Cabernets, so blends are fine, but this one ended up being a very good choice. The color was a deep red and the flavor robust with fruity and peppery overtones. The wine menu is limited and glasses start at $8, bottles at $27, so it would be nice to have a "value option" at $6 per glass or under $24 per bottle for those on a budget.

The food was wonderful and very reasonably priced. We shared the Parisien Cheese Dip ($9), a blend of warm ricotta cheese, olive oil, spices, olives, and halved cherry tomatoes served with six small slices of toasted baguette. The dip was very tasty, but the bread quickly disappeared, so I asked the server if we could possibly get some more, un-toasted. I then noticed there were no bread baskets on any of the tables, quite odd for a French restaurant where bread is normally the first thing they bring out. We waited patiently for our bread and after ten minutes or so our server returned, looked at our dip, and asked if we wanted some more bread. I told her that we never received the bread we originally asked for, so she went in the back and returned five minutes later with two small pieces.

My wife had the Crêpe Diane ($9), a crispy, square shaped crêpe with smoked ham and Gruyére cheese inside and topped with an over-medium egg on top, accompanied by a bit of salad on the plate. It was savory and delicious as well as being a very good value.

I ordered the Steak Frites, about six ounces of grilled sirloin topped with L'Entrocôte de Paris sauce and accompanied by frites (French fries). The steak was perfectly cooked and tender, the sauce tasty, but not overbearing, and the fries hand-cut, crispy, and hot.

Georges, the owner, stopped by twice during our meal to introduce himself and ask about our meal. He is a very nice and obviously talented man in his 30s whose two lovely young children arrived during one of his stops. I told him that our meal was very good and the prices fair, but that the bread situation was a bit of a concern. French cuisine is known for its sauces and those sauces, escargots in particular, require bread to mop up the leftover sauce. He told me that he does not want to serve bread unless he bakes it himself, an admirable intention, but there has to be a bakery in Wichita where he can get decent baquettes until he acquires the capability. I know the local Dillon's supermarkets have decent baguettes and even they would do over no bread at all. I am sure he will figure it out because he seems intent on creating a positive customer experience.

My wife and I were discussing sharing a Crème Brûlée and just a few minutes after Georges' final visit ... voilà ... a complimentary Crème Brûlée ($6) arrived! It was not necessary as we were very pleased with our meal and the service, but a nice touch nonetheless. It was delicious - thank you Georges!

At $65 ($78 including tip) for a shared appetizer, two entrees, and a bottle of wine, Georges French Bistro is an excellent value. The food was outstanding, the environment comfortable, and the service quite good. A bit more attention to detail by the staff (reservation problem, inability to explain grape content in the wine, extra bread for dip), a good basket of bread on each table, and a larger wine list with a couple value options will make this a FIVE STAR (10 Bomb) restaurant very soon. Next time we are in Wichita, Georges will be our first choice for dinner.

CombatCritic Gives Georges French Bistro 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - "Elite '14/'15"

TripAdvisor - "Top Contributor"

Tabelog - "Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - "Super Foodie"

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Georges French Bistro

Title: By Georges, This Wichita Bistro Is La Bombe!

Key Words: Georges French Bistro, Georges, French, bistro, wine, escargots, cheese, Wichita, Kansas, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor

Translation: "WTFO!" - What the F@%$ ... Over! (In a good way)

Friday, February 7, 2014

Adriano's Bistro: An Interesting Concept With a Few Rough Edges

Adriano's Bistro: An Interesting Concept With a Few Rough Edges

Adriano's Bistro

240 Lake Dillon Drive

Dillon, CO 80435

Phone: (970) 468-6111

Web: Adriano's Bistro Dillon.com
Facebook: Adriano's Bistro Deli
Prices: $$$$$

Asking for quality and value in a tourist area restaurant is probably asking for too much and Adriano's Bistro is not the exception. Looking more like a nightclub than a restaurant from the outside, the interior is somewhat dated with wood paneling, hard wood floors, and basic tables and chairs sans tablecloth.

We were seated quickly by a friend of my youngest son Nick, a Snowmaking Supervisor at Keystone Resort, by the name of Kaylee whom also turned out to be our server. Entrees run from $13.95 for pizza to $25 and up for specialties AND COME WITH APPETIZER, SOUP, AND SALAD INCLUDED. That is where the concept varies from other places, in a good way and bad.

The good news is that in a town full of hungry skiers and young resort workers, a hearty meal at a fair price would work quite well, but on a Thursday night in Dillon, you could almost shoot a cannon through Adriano's without hitting a soul. They idea was good, but the execution needs some work ...

I ordered the porchetta (pronounced por-ket-a - $19.95), a traditional Italian dish of rolled, stuffed pork slow-roasted over a wood spit or grill and served with roasted potatoes, but my dish did not resemble any porchetta I have ever seen. First, our appetizer arrived, half of a cocktail size meatball and a small piece of Italian sausage smothered in a red sauce and dwarfed by the bread plate they came on. I tried to make the meatball and sausage last for more than two bites, but failed miserably. The taste was "OK", but could have been out of the freezer and can from Sam's Club for all I know.

Next came the soup, a cup of cream of vegetable that was thick, savory, and piping hot, probably one of the highlights of the night. The soft loaves of fresh, warm bread kept coming and were a nice accompaniment to the hot soup on a cold winter night. The salad was good, but minimal with a few fresh greens and shaved carrots topped with a light balsamic vinaigrette.

Back to the entrees! As I said, my porchetta did not resemble the traditional variety, but was an interesting and creative approach with sliced pork (and not much at that), onions, and ground sausage in both red and bechamel sauces, supposedly on top of baked ziti (pasta). I found the dish too salty, but could not find the ziti which the chef apparently forget to add.

My oldest son had the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken ($21.95), a basic, simple dish of pasta, cream, and cheeses that is difficult to mess up. The pastas we did see did not look fresh or handmade, but straight out of the bag and I would not be surprised if the sauce came from a can or jar. I am not saying it was bad, only that it was unremarkable for the price.

Probably the best value of the night was my youngest son's Margherita Pizza (named after Queen Margarita of Italy - $13.95), a 12 inch, wood-fired, hand-tossed pizza reminiscent of Roman pizza, thin and crunchy (unlike traditional Neopolitan pizza which is soft and chewy). The sauce and cheese stopped well short of the edge, leaving a thicker-than-needed crust. The mozzarella could have been fresher, but the pizza was well put together and tasty ... BRAVO!

Toward the end of the evening a large man with a Bronco hat arrived with a friend with a Dodger cap and, based on the attention they received, they were obviously affiliated with the recent Super Bowl losing Denver Broncos. The chef, manager/owner, servers, and other staff came out of the back to fawn over the celebrities, but did not say a word to the other guests, totaling about 7-8 by then, including us. The only one we spoke to all night was Kaylee, but she did a fine job and made up for her supervisor's lack of hospitality.

With a $22 bottle of wine and three people, the bill came to just under $100 (without tip), a bit much based on the quality and substance of the meal and probably $20 to $25 more than it would have been in Denver or Colorado Springs.

CombatCritic Gives Adriano's Bistro 7 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMBS ARE GOOD!

Key Words: Adriano's Bistro, Adriano, bistro, Italian, pizza, dinner, Dillon, Colorado, Keystone Resort, Silverthorne, Frisco, pasta, salad, appetizer, CombatCritic, TravelValue, combat, travel, value

A published author, combat veteran and retired Air Force officer, he studied psychology for 30 years, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a National Certified Counselor.

He served in four combat zones, spending 25% of his career supporting Operations JOINT ENDEAVOR, ALLIED FORCE, SOUTHERN WATCH, and ENDURING FREEDOM, retiring from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel.

CombatCritic has lived in five countries and visited over 43 countries in the past 18 years. He is a well know chef, having been trained professionally in Italy from 1998 to 2001. His specialties are Italian (obviously), German, French, Thai and Mexican. Having dined in the finest restaurants in Paris, Rome, London, Brussells, Tokyo, Dubai, and many other cities around the globe, his palate is varied, well-defined, and discriminating. If CombatCritic tells you "It's the bomb", you will know he can be trusted.

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