Et Voila French Bistro - Favorite Restaurant in San Diego - USA -

http://etvoilabistro.com/

Are you starving for a restaurant with passion?  Wait, not a passion restaurant, that sounds weird.  I mean, do you want/need, like I do, a restaurant in San Diego that has a chef who's also an owner, and who's also in the kitchen cooking your food, for you, when you're actually in the dining room?  If you're paying attention then you know that there may be only a handful of these types of places in SD, and now there's a new one and it's right in my neighborhood.

Et Voila, French Bistro

Owned by two French dudes who worked together somewhere in SD previously and decided to go it on their own, and lucky for us they did.

One guy running the front, one guy in the kitchen.  Owners.  On the property.  Talking to you.  Paying attention.  Making awesomeness happen.

Let's take a peek.


White Negroni to start.  Deliciously bitter and a great start to the meal.

eRICK is starting with the Faust (I think)

Mezcal and Jalapeno and stuff'?  

Yes, complimentary bread would be great, thanks.

This baguette is the only bread not made on property.  I think it comes from Bread and Cie. Was nice though.

Vino as well?.....OK

HG's having water, for obvious reasons.....

We shared the Charcuterie plate to start.  The pate, pickled veg, and bread are all housemade and awesome, so were the cured meats (not housemade).

Escargot

Garlic, parsley butter, baked, delicious.

If more bread is needed, just ask, they'll bring it all day long....

I think this was a special of the evening?  Sorry, it's been a few weeks and I've lost a few brain cells along the way...

Deconstructed beet salad of some sort? 

Was yummy I can tell you that much.

The crab cake special was also ordered???

Again, terrific, cooked perfectly, nice crust but soft and moist inside.

The non-Van Arsdale lady of the table had the Salmon (top of the list of Main Courses)

If you like salmon this is perfection. 

HG had the braised short ribs and I can tell you that it was magnificent.  Big bold meat flavor and tender enough that you don't even need a fork, much less a knife.  The smell alone will make you want to jump on top of the table and eat this like a dog.  Face and plate, nothing else needed.

eRICK enjoyed the muscles.  I didn't try them but they smelled fantastic.  Creamy and whiny and yummy.

Frites also, of course cooked to perfection.  It's as if there's a French Chef in the kitchen??!?!?

And the star of the evening, at least for me, was my meal, the Coq Au Vin.

Amaze-balls 

Every element was KILLING IT!

I would have eaten the bowl if I had a bit more time.

Everyone made a happy plate that evening.

A meal that was pumping on every cylinder.

The evening was finished with a little 10 year port, and...

Chocolate mouse, and....

Souffle of the day (no recollection of the type, sawlee).

Creme anglaise to pour in the middle.

Wowzer.  Full bellies all around, smiles too.

Please allow me to introduce you to the chef/owner Vincent.

I've never met the guy before and now we're best friends.  

This is exactly the kind of treatment you want, you need, you deserve, when dining out.

Et Voila, my favorite restaurant in San Diego, which I've very affectionately renamed "Frenchy's".

So come enjoy a meal at Frenchy's and say hello to the other half of this killer duo Ludo, he's the guy who'll greet you as you enter.  It really is that good.  I love it so much that I'll be there again tonight.

Nourriture Incroyable

DVA