"When beloved French bistro Bar Les Freres shuttered, the loss to the local dining community felt palpable — until Michael and Tara Gallina, along with their Take Root Hospitality business partner Aaron Martinez, swooped in to open Bistro La Floraison in the space. The restaurant, which seats 40, is soft and elegant, with floor-to-ceiling persimmon-hued velvet curtains and a soft pink banquette. Like all of the Gallinas’ projects, every aspect of the restaurant is polished. The succinct menu highlights the essential gustatory joys of casual French dining: small plates (served on bone china) like gougeres and savory financiers, followed by a handful of entrees, including a glorious French fried chicken cordon bleu that’s a clever olive branch to the Midwestern clientele." - Holly Fann, Joel Crespo