Krizz G.
Yelp
As a frequent visitor of BT To Go and a general fan of BT's food and restaurants, I was very excited to try out Bistro BT. The restaurant is like a larger version of BT To Go and provides both indoor and outdoor seating. Unlike BT To Go, a server will seat you and take your order.
After perusing through the Yelp reviews, I already knew I wanted to try the beef tartare. Also, I tried the coq au vin with baguette, pork bun, and the ginger creme brulee.
-Beef tartare with toast points ($16): This is a generous portion of beef tartare. I thought the beef itself was good. I did not like the addition of the peanuts more so for the texture since it distracted from the tenderness of the beef. I also thought the pieces of cilantro could be cut finer. I've had beef tartare before, and I think a simpler take on this traditional appetizer would've been better instead of the unbalanced flavors and textures.
-Coq au vin ($16) + baguette ($3): I Googled some images before I ordered to get an idea of what it was since I've never coq au vin before. It was served in a little pot with the side of the baguette. I hated it. It was like minestrone with intense red wine. On a more positive note, the baguette itself deserves 5/5 stars. BT should open a bakery or patisserie and feature her baguettes and call it, "Heaven."
-Bun ($8.95) + pork ($5): I've had this before at BT To Go, but it tasted a lot better there. It was like a cold noodle salad and it did not help that it was served in a metal bowl. The pork was flavorless and the sauce needed to be more "fishy."
-Ginger creme brulee ($5.95): This was a tiny serving of creme brulee good for one person. The ginger flavor was too strong and tasted more like maple syrup. I was disappointed that the top didn't have sugar and wasn't torched completely because cracking the top is the best part of creme brulee!
$60 later, I was disappointed in my visit at Bistro BT. While the ingredients at any BT establishment is some of freshest tasting ingredients you'll taste, the execution of the food I ordered fell short. I do appreciate the use of local and organic products, but $60 for 3 items and having to pay additional for add-ons is a steep price for an experience that does not meet my standards for a BT restaurant.
This review should is closer to 2.5 than 2. While I'm sure I would've given this place a higher rating if I had ordered the same items I would look at BT To Go, I wanted to experience what sets this restaurant apart from its sisters. I would recommend BT To Go over Bistro BT, but since both restaurants have overlapping products, I recommend to sticking to the simple and familiar items.
Recommended items found in both restaurants:
-Vietnamese coffee
-Jasmine iced tea
-Organic pork banh mi