Despite a slathering of negative online reviews, Scottsdale’s newest old-school French eatery is nothing to boeuf about.
Fine dining as an aesthetic concept is kaput, at least if last year’s Michelin Guide and Bon Appétit’s 2014 Best New Restaurants nominee list are to be believed. That’s great news for gourmet potstickers and upscale pub grub; any well-equipped food truck or cozy microbrewery will do the trick. French fare, on the other hand, requires a certain je ne sais quoi – and the right high-toned environment – to execute well.
Enter the ambitious Bistro du Lac, led by an all-Gallic braintrust that includes manager Catherine Berraud-Dufour and chef Jean-Claude Melito, formerly of Scottsdale French bakery Au Petit Four. Located in a large corner space at Scottsdale’s Mercado del Lago formerly occupied by a ho-hum American eatery, the upscale European restaurant overlooks Lake Marguerite. Inside, crisp white table linens, chandeliers and tall glass vases filled with feathers and faux flowers lend an elegant feel. Even the more casual lounge and lakeside patios are well-appointed.
Yet Bistro du Lac isn’t stuffy. Servers are chatty and outgoing, albeit un peu slow. Checks are delivered in a charming faux book. Most importantly, the iconic French dishes peppering the menus are flavorful and thoughtfully prepared – despite a slew of early online reviews to the contrary.
Perhaps it’s the absence of overt fine dining snobbery that evoked such reflexive ire from Scottsdale’s online jet set. Forgo any comparison to the works of post-nouvelle French superstars Jacques Pépin and Joël Robuchon. Bistro du Lac is better likened to Julia Child’s teachings, complete with occasional “happy accidents” and enough butter to make anything taste good.
Escargots de Bourgogne ($12), for example, is slathered in herbed butter so garlicky that any vampire within 50 yards would faint from exposure. Pungent and flavorful, the sauce breaks down the oft-chewy mollusk flesh for a dish as texturally pleasing as it is tasty. Buttery brie en croute ($12) practically melts on the tongue, with delectable floral-scented honey for added sweetness, while the savory broth of French onion soup ($9.50) is worth breaking decorum rules to swig like milk from a cereal bowl. Though not as rich and meaty as Zinc Bistro’s version, Melito’s French onion soup stands out with spongy croutons and a half-inch-thick layer of quality, non-greasy Gruyère.
Bistro du Lac’s menus have evolved in the short time the eatery has been open, with tried-and-true French mainstays remaining alongside a handful of nouveau dishes and customer favorites. Savory crêpes are offered for lunch and brunch, the best of which features chicken and mushrooms in thick, earthy gravy ($12). Quiche Lorraine ($11) is refreshingly light and fluffy, the dense homestyle crust not, at first glance, a terrifically palatable partner for the delectable ham-cheese combo, but one that has a pleasant grounding effect on the dish.
Both the boeuf Bourguignon ($26) and rib eye steak frites ($19) are flavorful, the latter moist and tender with an herbaceous, charred outer crust; the former satisfying with a tangy vino sauce macerating the meat to a delightful fall-apart texture reminiscent of pulled pork. However, the promised carrots and potatoes were on hiatus during one visit, replaced by a nest of disappointing vermicelli-thin noodles. Canard à l’orange ($28) proved dry – a common overcooking foible also committed by Scottsdale competitor Voilà! French Bistro – but here the desiccated duck was revived by a delicious marmalade glaze. The tart and chunky sauce was so addictive that we took home a side for later use.
Coastal European countries pride themselves on the quality of their seafood, and Bistro du Lac does the homeland proud. Coquilles St. Jacques ($29) is good to the last bite, with four beautifully seared scallops presented on a bed of creamy, earthy risotto. Plump and well-seasoned, the mollusks are soft and textural without being chewy. The shallot-heavy white wine sauce of Prince Edward mussels ($16) prompted my dining companion to down the chewy crustaceans with Olympic speed. (No wonder they were sold out on two of my visits.) Bistro du Lac also scores points for portion size, as the overflowing bowl could easily serve two. The accompanying frites were thin-cut and crisp, garnished with garlic and thyme for extra bite. Lowly cod is elevated to star status in cabillaud rôti ($25), a beautifully presented dish that smacked of herbes de Provence and farmers’ market tomatoes. Sadly, the dish didn’t make it onto the restaurant’s new menu.
Save room for Melito’s elegant desserts. Cream puffs ($6) and spongy éclairs ($5.50 each) are crammed with a rich, silky and utterly heavenly filling. The delicate, crackling shells of berry and coffee macarons ($2 each) tickle the tongue, while a gelatinous coconut-dusted pineapple mousse nicknamed “Santa’s hat” is tart and tropical ($7.50).
Opera cake ($7.50) is Melito’s dessert showstopper. With sumptuous mousse, a crisp chocolate-hazelnut rice layer and a dusting of cocoa powder, this decadent dessert is just too much tastiness for any one human to handle. So bring company.
Bistro du Lac lacks the intimacy of Central Phoenix legend Coup des Tartes and the consistency of Zinc Bistro, yet its authenticity and delicately handled seafood dishes ensure a solid place in the Valley’s limited French dining scene. The late Julia Child said, “One of the secrets, and pleasures, of cooking is to learn to correct something if it goes awry.” This sums up Bistro du Lac’s French evolution. Most of the Gallic classics found here are tasteful and well executed, and the management team works hard to address any foibles, online or otherwise. Damask linens and nose-in-the-air waiters be damned – it’s this kind of customer focus that makes for truly fine dining.
DETAILS
Bistro du Lac
Cuisine: French
Contact: 8320 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale, 480-203-2075, bistrodulacaz.com
Hours: Lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. M-Sa; brunch 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Su; happy hour (lounge only) 3-6 p.m. M-Sa; dinner 5-9 p.m. daily
Highlights: Escargots de Bourgogne ($12); brie en croute ($12); soupe à l’oignon gratinée ($9.50); crêpe La Reine ($12); quiche Lorraine ($11); rib eye steak frites ($19); Coquilles St. Jacques ($29); Prince Edward mussels ($16); cabillaud rôti ($25); macarons ($2 each); opera cake ($7.50)
