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lillibetLast night, in honor of my birthday, Jason and I went to the Craigie Street Bistrot, a place we had heard a lot about but never tried.
I started with the "potage de lentilles," a wonderfully smooth lentil soup drizzled with paprika oil, with a chunk of seared foie gras in the center. When the waiter asked how it was I said "revelatory"--I never knew lentil soup could be so good! My main course was a lovely fillet of cod, crispy on the outside and creamy inside. It was served with clams and mussels in a light, buttery sauce. Jason had chosen the "neighborhood prix fixe," a $30 three-course menu that started off with a salad of two chicories, with baby lettuces and two kinds of beet. His main was a chili-marinated hangar steak that had a very rich flavor and was served with roasted bone marrow. He felt very adventurous eating that, but it was very tasty and added a nice smooth texture to the steak. It also came with a small mound of mashed potatoes, carrots and a very nice rapini, which he particularly enjoyed. His dessert was a perfect fruit crisp, light and cinnamony. I picked the pear poached in wine and spices and served with caramel sauce and cranberries, which was a delightful combination of sweet and tart. They brought a small separate dish with a candle on it for me to blow out as I made my birthday wish.
The atmosphere is elegant, but cozy, with low ceilings and high banquettes in a deep red. The acoustics aren't great, but the group next to us was discussing famous people who were at Princeton at the same time one of them was a student there, so that was interesting, at least, and we didn't have any trouble hearing each other. The service was excellent--friendly, but without being intrusive or overly familiar.
All in all, a splendid meal.
I started with the "potage de lentilles," a wonderfully smooth lentil soup drizzled with paprika oil, with a chunk of seared foie gras in the center. When the waiter asked how it was I said "revelatory"--I never knew lentil soup could be so good! My main course was a lovely fillet of cod, crispy on the outside and creamy inside. It was served with clams and mussels in a light, buttery sauce. Jason had chosen the "neighborhood prix fixe," a $30 three-course menu that started off with a salad of two chicories, with baby lettuces and two kinds of beet. His main was a chili-marinated hangar steak that had a very rich flavor and was served with roasted bone marrow. He felt very adventurous eating that, but it was very tasty and added a nice smooth texture to the steak. It also came with a small mound of mashed potatoes, carrots and a very nice rapini, which he particularly enjoyed. His dessert was a perfect fruit crisp, light and cinnamony. I picked the pear poached in wine and spices and served with caramel sauce and cranberries, which was a delightful combination of sweet and tart. They brought a small separate dish with a candle on it for me to blow out as I made my birthday wish.
The atmosphere is elegant, but cozy, with low ceilings and high banquettes in a deep red. The acoustics aren't great, but the group next to us was discussing famous people who were at Princeton at the same time one of them was a student there, so that was interesting, at least, and we didn't have any trouble hearing each other. The service was excellent--friendly, but without being intrusive or overly familiar.
All in all, a splendid meal.
