27156987
There are a few nice things to say about Bistrot La Minette, which opened three months ago on South Sixth Street. The dining room is open and airy and the noise level, sound. Bright- lipstick red, velvety banquettes line one wall. Across the room, Cousin Carl and I were able to peek into the open kitchen to see what chef Peter Woolsey and his staff were chopping and sauteing.
The staff is charming and attentive, answering our questions, serving and clearing with ease. The big bargain at Bistrot La Minette is the $18 ceramic pitcher of red or white house wine. This is a hallmark of bistro cuisine throughout France.
Our waiter advised the house red is a pinot noir blend and it hit the French spot. A sliced, warm baguette arrived in a small, white metal basket along with a ramekin of softened, slightly salted butter.
Prices are high, which may be fair if the portions reflected the cost. They did not. Portions are small, which is why Carl and I downed two buckets of bread in order to reach satisfaction.
Coquilles St. Jacques is a classic French dish I have enjoyed in both America and France. It is made with scallops on the half shell and topped with a creamy white wine sauce and a mix of cheese and bread crumbs. Woolsey invented a new take ($15). His two seared diver scallops were topped with braised endive enhanced by fresh orange juice. I found the sauce too sweet and it detracted from the scallops. I wish he had created the classic Coquilles St. Jacques.
Sardines grillees disappointed in a different manner. A few small filets, which lacked meatiness, were doused in a vinaigrette with so much lemon juice I found it difficult to eat it. Carl did not like the dish at all. A strip of roasted red pepper added color, but was too acidic, as well.
Salad Des Endives Aux Noix Et Roquefort ($11) needed more than walnuts and a bit of blue cheese to ensure success. Endive is a bitter green I like, but it requires another to play off its flavor and crunch. I needed a microscope to find the Roquefort crumbles and thought the dressing too acidic.
Readers know how much I adore rabbit. Italians braise it and make a ragu, while the French turn to mustard for a sauce. Woolsey’s Lapin Roti a la Moutarde ($25) lacked a mustard flavor. The bowl contained a small breast of meat and one small leg. It should have been braised a little longer, as I found it chewy. A small mound of homemade tagliatelle was so bland even a shake of salt and pepper did little to add flavor. The texture, however, was on the mark.
One of my favorite French desserts is tarte tatin. It is an upside down caramelized apple tart made with flakey pastry. Anyone who has ever made this treat at home knows you need a self-cleaning oven to tidy up the rich, buttery caramel sauce that oozes out. That said, Bistrot La Minette’s version ($8) was a small, round, individual apple tarte that should have been nice and gooey. The pastry was dry but the small scoop of caramel ice cream was brimming with flavor. Big cups of strong coffee ($2.50) were enjoyed as we lingered over the final course.
French is my cuisine of choice. I think Bistrot La Minette has promise, if the portions were larger and the prices a bit lower. Some dishes lacked flavor, while others were too heavy-handed with acids. Taste is the most important factor when dining out, even if we are sitting in a pretty room taken care of by a friendly, competent staff.
One tip of the toque to Bistrot La Minette.
Bistrot La Minette
623 S. Sixth St.
215-925-8000
Credit cards accepted
