This past Sunday we visited Bistro de leon (http://www.bistrodeleon.com/) for lunch. The restaurant is located at 12 Cathederal Pl. in St. Augustine, Fl. directly across from the main square. We got in just before a storm hit and we sat at a table in the front window. Great location during a storm. We were able to watch the rain come down and the trees sway in the wind.
This was our first visit to this french bistro and patisserie (bakery). It is set up very similar to bakeries and cafes in Europe. Nice place and clean. We had pate' with candied onion marmelade, the warm quiche lorraine and onion soup with side salads. All were very good. Prices are slightly high but not out of range for the area. Between us we had 3 glasses of wine and for dessert we had the creme brulle (excellent) and a pear tart which was also very good. The total bill was $73.00 with tax. Service was good but we got there between lunch and dinner so the menu was missing a few items. We weren't too thrilled about the lack of entrees but in this economic climate I understand that a lot of smaller restaurants are ordering only what they know they can move. In general it was a good experience and we will go back to try dinner.
Restaurant Comments and Reviews
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Food Comments
- Fresh Grated Horseradish - Fresh horseradish root can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. This is a great addition to your condiments and can spice up numerous dishes. It is also not as strong as the stuff in the jar. Can be added to those all time favorites like mustard, mayo, ketchup and a slew of other items. Works great in marinades to add a little kick. Only buy what you can use in a two week period. After that it will start to go soft. It should be hard like ginger root. Have fun and EXPERIMENT!!
- Fried Turkey - Try frying a turkey. It sounds very greasy but it is not at all. In fact the skin comes out very crisp and the meat is tender and moist. A 15 lb. turkey takes about 50 minutes. You can find turkey fryers in Home Depot, Lowes and many hardware stores. Most fryers come with a basket insert for low country boils. Another great addition to your recipes!!
- We both like to cook and have our favorites. We will add a few tidbits here for you to try. Our advice is to experiment. 1. Add a little red wine to your spagetti sauce. 2. Thicken your spaghetti sauce with grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese instead of tomato paste.
Wine Comments
- Just found a great wine blog for beginners (http://wineforbeginners.today.com). Actually this site is great for anyone interested in wine. It contains very good general information as well as some very detailed information as well as links to other sites. I found it very informative and interesting and will return again. I have been drinking, tasting and enjoying wine for a very long time and found this site a must to visit.
- Wine with fowl - chicken, goose, duck, etc. Try a few different reds - EXPERIMENT!!
- Don't let anyone tell you that you must drink a particular wine with certain foods. Yes, certain wines compliment certain foods but guess what? Everyone has different likes and dislikes and that is for you to determine not some supposed wine expert. We have sat down to many wine pairings and looked at each other and said "that doesn't work". IT IS ALL UP TO YOUR OWN TASTE BUDS!!! If you like to drink red wine by itself without food, that's OK. In fact, to spice up your taste buds try eating a little dark chocolate with it. EXPERIMENT!!
Beer Comments
- A LITTLE HISTORY - Beer goes back as far as ancient Babylon and is included in the Hammurabi Code circa 1760 B.C. It also dates back to Mesopatamia in the 2nd century B.C. They had a woman named Ninkasi. Guess what her title was?? Matron Goddess of Beer!! Next time you have a little too much you now have someone to pray to.
- Beer like wine compliments many different dishes and of course can be added to recipes. In Europe beer is considered good for your digestion. Just another great reason to drink it. One of my favorites is Pilsner Urquell. Made in Pilzen, Czech Republic. (Where the word pilsner originated). It is a little hard to find but worth the search!
Kitchen Tool Comments
- Good Well maintained kithcen tools are a must. there is nothing worse than grabbing that favorite knife to carve, slice or chop and find it dull and frustrating (like a bad first date). Start with descent quality. This does not mean the best and most expensive just good quality. Plus the average home cook does not require professional grade tools. Just good quality that will last and give you years of service. KNIVES: Get the basics. A carver, a slicer, a pairing knife and a multi-purpose knife like a 7" Santoku. The Santoku sounds very exotic but it is just a good versatile knife. Just watch any of the cooking shows and you will always see one in use. It is my personal favorite!
About Us
- G and J
- My wife(J) and I (G) have dined in some of the best and unfortunately some of the worst restaurants throughout the U.S.,many of the islands, Mexico, Central America and even a few in Europe.This in itself does not make us professional food or restaurant critics nor do we care to be labeled as such. The few things we do know are good food, good service, an inviting atmosphere and a clean establishment. These are our main criteria for determining a good restaurant. The one thing in N.E. Florida that we have become very tired of is the awarding of "Best Restaurant" honors to establishments soley because they advertise in a local publication. We understand the concept but this does not put any pressure on the owners or chefs to produce a good dining experience for their clientele. When we visit a restaurant we will include our comments, approximate pricing, restaurant name and location. We will never rate the restaurant just give you our thoughts. If and when we travel out of the N.E. Florida area we will include any restaurants that we visit. Just remember this is just our opinion so we invite comments, conflicting opinions and recommendations of your favorite restaurants.
Just an Opinion!!
- SERVICE, SERVICE, SERVICE!!! You have all heard of location, location, location. Well in the restaurant business if service is poor it will put a damper on the entire meal. No one is harder to please than a frustrated patron. Restaurants that treat you well most likely have a well trained staff. If you are treated well and the food is just good you will most likely return. so go back to that restaurant that treated you like a regular and you will probably become one.
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