Talking about calorie-laden meals while at a weight-control seminar is, let’s say, frowned upon.
Which means a friend and I are reduced to whispering rather conspiratorially about all the places we probably weren’t supposed to eat at throughout the week.
The whole thing feels deeply wrong. But dieting brings out the rebel in me.
“The chef uses butter from Brittany,” my BiteClub friend whispers about Bistro M, recently opened in Windsor. It’s the second restaurant for Matthew and Bryan Bousquet, the couple behind Restaurant Mirepoix just around the corner.
And that’s all I need to know. Butter. From Brittany.
Housed in the former Langley’s space, the restaurant’s first week is still a revolving door of local looky-loos, Town Green business owners and friends who’ve been helping with everything from painting to kitchen assists. Not to mention there’s still no sign out front. You kind of have to know about the place, which Bryan says is completely a result of her not having time to pick up the new signage rather than anything intentionally covert.
The menu has some familiar old friends from Mirepoix’s bistro-ier days:
steak frite, escargot, coq au vin and steak au poivre. But Bistro M has
a more relaxed, less brass-ring feel, tossing in a Croque Madame,
hamburger, and Caesar salad into the mix for the lunch crowd along with
charcuterie, oysters, cheeses and simple salads.
Which all makes perfect sense as exec chef Matthew and his new chef,
Ben Davies (recently at Murray Circle at Cavallo Point) take aim at another Michelin star with a completely reworked, upscale prix fixe menu at
Mirepoix (that’s still a reasonably-priced $45-$65).
Make no mistake, however, that doesn’t mean you won’t find some classy
nouveau rustic dishes at the Bistro with Bousquet’s signature all over
them: Frog’s Legs Provenca ($13), Sweet Breads with Fries, Lamb Neck
($12) and Cassoulet.
A few best bets: Duck liver mousse, house cured salmon, trout rillettes
(3 for $12 on the charcuterie menu); a lush, sweet onion soup ($9);
Sole Mueniere with roasted potatoes ($15), mussels ($12).
Bistro M has a full bar with an beefy wine list and will be serving
Sunday brunch from 10am to 8pm, lunch and dinner 11:30am to 9pm Monday
through Saturday. Which means plenty more opportunities to blow the diet and whisper
about things far more fascinating than poached chicken and broccoli.
Bistro M, 610 McClelland Drive, Windsor, 707-838-3118. www.thebistrom.com
We visited M Bistro on a Sunday afternoon this April. The service was spotty…long wait for entree.
the sole dish was served as “fish and chips” deep fried. thin slices of sole were nearly impossible to taste in the batter of fried flour. The wine we ordered on the menu was unavailable. The bloody mary was a long wait because the bartender need to make a new batch. The bib lettuce starter was definitely unremarkable..lettuce was tough. This restaurant needs a lot of improvment.
We finally had our first foray into the new place and were seriously looking forward to it. I am sad to say that the food at the Sunday brunch was just so-so. We felt the decor also lacked any warmth and certainly didn’t feel like a bistro to us.
What really got to us, though, was the service. I really hope that Bryan and Matthew take the time to read your excellent item about timing for customers, then have serious discussion with the wait staff.
While we waited for a table, despite being more than half empty, we were told at least 10 times by various personnel that our table would be ready in just a moment. Then we were finally seated. While we were served water immediately by the hostess, we waited well over 10 minutes before our waitperson even came near us. No apology or friendliness. Service continued to be lack-luster. There was absolutely no reason for this type of service. Despite our love of Mirepoix, Bistro M needs some serious work to get up to the level we think they are trying to achieve.
And what is up with the sign? Still not up as of the 14th.
We hope they sort out the details as we would love to dine here more in the future.
Are you kidding? If you’re going to compare ANYTHING to the crap served at Denny’s, you have no business stepping foot into Bistro M!
We went in for dinner Feb 8th on a Monday night. It was the worst meal we have ever had in a restaurant with trained chefs. We started with the ceasar salad, was not even close to being worth 9.00!!!! It was wilted, overdressed, soggy, not enough cheese and salty!!!!! The only redeming quality was the bread wafer. Main course. I had the flat steak and it was smothered in greasy sweet sauce, and it was gristly. Way too many fries, not enough steak, and again far too salty!!!! I looked around the room and sadly missed Langleys….if that doesn’t say it all. I and my husband felt the menu was lacking, and somewhat “weird”. I did not eat hardly any of my meal and refused a doggy bag. I told her everything was too salty. She did check back when we first took a bite, but sometimes it takes a minute or two to figure out how bad it is. And do you really want to send a meal back with out the chef/owner there. Also my husband hated the “casserole” it was dull and boring. The only thing good was the service, although she should of comped our corkage when she saw how politely I didn’t eat my meal and not make a stink about it. It looks like Langley’s just painted and reapolstered. What’s sad is that a lot of these places put on the spritz when someone who can build their business comes in, but hell to the rest of us. I won’t be back. EVER!!
Had lunch there today. The service was wonderful and thoughtful. We had the escargot (a little too citrus and lacking in enough butter and garlic). But the caesar salad was very good (just enough anchovies) and the steak au poive (sp?) — the mashed potatoes, sauce and onion rings were really good. And the steak was buttery and cooked — super. All in all, the food was very good, seasoned just right …
We’ll come back again to try the sweatbreads, etc. Thanks!
HEATHER – the links have not been working recently. This Bistro M page came up when clicking on the P30 thumbnail. It’s been happening quite a bit. IT should look at it,
THanks – besides I want to know about P/30!
Incredible food, start with the burger and work your way up. What’s with the weak interior? Seems thrown together by amateurs. Food brings you in, ambiance brings you back.
We’ve had three dinners so far at Bistro M and every one proved to be outstanding. Another item that’s bringing us back so frequently is the extremely knowledgeable and polite staff. Bryan’s wine selection is refrshing too.
Sounds INCREDIBLY WONDERFUL! I am looking very forward to help support Bistro M earn their Michelin star. I have been a BIG fan of Chef Ben Davies ever since first dining at Mirepoix years ago. Chef Davies completely blew my mind with a deconstructed Ceasar Salad and then continued to elevate my taste buds to a whole new level with each course seved throughout our dining experience. A BIG WELCOME HOME BEN!
Wow, was I at the same restaurant as the previous posters? My hubby and I went there last week (for lunch) and found almost everything barely underwhelming (including the el-cheapo decor)…except the frites. The onion soup was cold/congealed, had too much bread in it and the cheese on top was burned, the croque madame’s bechamel was grainy and had a weird aftertaste, the egg on top was rubbery, but the frites that it came with were fab (better than HGB, so we did leave full. Considering the previous rave reviews and the fact that we like Mirepoix, we’ll give Bistro M one more try.
Dang. Didn’t get the pudding. I have to say with absolute honesty that I’m seriously jonesing to go back and try everything on the menu. Okay, not sure about the lamb tongue salad, but everything else.
Had a fantastic meal there last night. Thank god the butter scotch pudding made the migration to the new spot!
We have GREAT Local Butter!
Please move to Railroad Square . You will be greeted with open arms.
The Town Green Village has Bistro M and Brook’s Creek will have Denny’s. You fill in the rest….
The great thing about Denny’s is they don’t have duck liver mousse.
Bistro M, recently opened in Windor, um Windsor
OMG! How will they EVER survive after Denny’s opens!
Went there for Sunday brunch too and it was excellent. Ordered the Eggs Benedict and the Quiche Florentine. I was told they’re going to start serving the Benedict on homemade english muffins… which will put it over the top!