The Paris Bistro

Our Ratings
Food: 4 ½
Atmosphere: 4
Creativity: 4

We began indulging in obscure restaurants and taking photographs of our food long before we began this blog. So you’ll have to forgive us when we write reviews (like this one) about restaurants we visited several months ago.

We ate at The Paris Bistro back in February. And we adored it. Yes, we haven’t gone there since, but it isn’t because it is lacking. We simply try to eat at new places each time we go out. We do plan to go to this restaurant again, though, and we’re sure it’ll be soon. There are many dishes on this menu we need to try, (and a few we’ve been craving since February).

The Paris Bistro is a quaint place on the East side of Salt Lake City. We first spotted it when we went to Mazza (another noteworthy restaurant just across the street). The bistro isn’t very large, but its exterior, with its awnings, lamp posts, and white Christmas lights, exude a warm, European charm. The interior is equally cozy and charming. (Make sure you go to the restroom while you’re there, by the way. We can’t speak for the men’s room, but the ladies’ room was adorable.)

The food definitely matched the bistro’s ambience in sophistication. We said, “Wow,” several times throughout the meal. Here’s what we ordered and how we liked it:

Cheese Course
Choice of Three Cheeses, Garnished

Unfortunately, we can’t remember the exact cheeses we tried for our cheese course, but the menu includes a number of options, including Jarlsberg, Parmigiano Reggiano, Aged Gouda, Shaft's Bleu, and Shepperd’s Farm Fresh Chêvre.

Appetizers
Wild Mushroom Tartine (Garlic, Thyme & Wild Mushroom Fricassée, Black Truffle, Croutons)

Simply put, we devoured this appetizer. The flavor was deep, bold and delicious. If you enjoy mushrooms at all, you will love this appetizer. (Plus, any dish with black truffle is one you should never say no to.)

Entrees
Gnocchi Alla Norma (Eggplant Fritti, Fresh Mozzarella, Vine-Ripe Tomato, Basil & Garlic)

Butternut Squash Ravioli (Sage Beurre Blanc, Pan Roasted Hazelnuts, Parmigiano Reggiano)

Risotto ai Funghi Porcini (Creamed Cèpes, Garlic, Fine Herbs & Parmigiano Reggiano)

Jaimey ordered the gnocchi, and we both enjoyed it. We probably wouldn’t order this dish next time, not because it wasn’t good, but because the others we tried were really delicious. We were expecting more eggplant in the dish—and perhaps for it to be crispy—but it was cut up in small pieces and had a texture more like it was sautéed than fried. The basil and garlic, though, added a really nice flavor to the sauce.

Christa ordered the ravioli, and wow, we ate that dish with some enthusiasm. Nutty and rich, the hazelnuts and cheese really added depth to the dish. We seem to recall wanting to lick the plate, but we maintained our manners as best we could.

Our friend Brad ordered the risotto, and we were flat-out shocked by its amazing flavor. It didn’t seem there would be much to the dish, but something in it—the cream sauce and mushroom combination—was to die for. Jaimey will definitely be ordering that dish for herself next time. And we’ll both enjoy.

Desserts
Warm Molten Chocolate Cake (served with Hazelnut Gelato & Candied Orange)
Caramelized Apple Stuffed Crepes (Drizzled with Calvados and topped with Crème Fraîche and Grey Sea Salt)

You’ll love these desserts. We really did. We appreciated both for the way their flavors mingled together: the orange and hazelnut with the chocolate, and the caramelized apple and crème fraîche with the crepes.

All in all, The Paris Bistro was a delight. Expect to spend about $25-$35 per person (including tax), and expect to be happily surprised. We definitely were.

Bambara

Our Ratings
Food: 4 ½
Atmosphere: 4
Creativity: 4

It’s been a little while since we went to Bambara—three months, to be exact—but we have not forgotten it, no sir. Bambara is this hip restaurant in the lobby of the Hotel Monaco in downtown Salt Lake City, and let us assure you, it should not be missed.

Everything about the place impressed us, from the funky décor, to the professional wait staff and the intricate menu full of flavors from all over the world. We definitely found each aspect of this restaurant to our liking.

Let’s get specific about the food, shall we? Here’s what we ordered and what our taste buds thought:

Appetizers
Blue Cheese House Cut Potato Chips

Roasted Corn Bisque with Jonah Crab and Cilantro Oil We loved both of these. The potato chips were delightfully flavorful—much more so than we’d expected. And they were so fresh—they were sliced, fried and served hot. And the cheese on top was gooey and delicious.

We can’t exaggerate about the corn bisque soup, it’s just that good. In all sincerity, it is the tastiest soup either of us has ever had. It has a rich, full flavor, and an amazing aftertaste. Take a spoonful and then just savor it for a moment, and you’ll see what we mean. Not only that, but the sweet, moist crab meat and cilantro oil complimented the taste of the roasted corn perfectly. We could eat that soup every day and not get tired of it.

Entrees
Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree, Chinese Long Beans, Carrot Chips, Chervil, and a Meyer Lemon Sauce

Citrus Brined Salmon Creek Pork Chop with Wilted Greens, Grits, Grilled Stonefruit, Candied Walnuts, and a Cherry Balsamic Syrup Jaime ordered the seared scallops and fell in love. Literally. We both did, really, because of course, Christa tried some. The scallops were perfectly prepared: seared and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The cauliflower puree was pure genius—it was the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes, but we thought it tasted even better than potatoes! And that says a lot!

Christa’s pork chop was divine: moist and flavorful and huge! The cherry balsamic syrup complimented it perfectly, and the candied walnuts added just the right amount of crunch. And grits? You’ve never had grits like this, friends! They were packed with a lot of yummy, (yes, “yummy” can be a noun), and seasoned to perfection.

Desserts
A Chocolate Tart (We can’t find the dessert menu online, and we can’t remember what kind of tart it was . . . but we believe it was the only tart on the menu.)

A Raspberry Tira Misu kind of thing (Sorry! Hopefully the pictures will help fill in the blanks.)

About now you may be thinking, “Wow. These girls can put down some food!” Well, that’s true. We won’t lie. But if y’all had been with us that night, you wouldn’t have been able to deny yourselves the dessert menu either. We had enjoyed so many unique and lovely flavors in the first two courses of our meal that we dared not resist a dessert or two. Our taste buds and tummies would’ve scolded us otherwise.

So we ordered the chocolate tart and raspberry layered dessert. Their presentation was pretty, and both desserts were original. The tart was very decadent, and although we kept saying, “I don’t think I can eat much more of this,” we did. We enjoyed our desserts. And then they were all gone.

Oh. One more little touch we appreciated about this restaurant: when our bread arrived, it came with hummus. Yet another detail that set Bambara apart. We noticed. And we likey. Likey’d? We don’t know how to make “likey” past tense. So forgive our meandering into the present for a smidge. :)

So now we should probably mention, this restaurant doesn’t come without a bit of a high price attached. Appetizers run between $7.50 and $13.50, and entrees between $19.50 and $34.50. But skip going to your regular, old dining spots two or three times, and that would easily foot the bill for an evening at Bambara. It’s well worth it. We will certainly visit again soon.