Mountain Bird

We loved this place. The food was excellent (especially the sticky toffee walnut fig cake, which I hadn't expected to love as much as I did. It was fantastic), the service was attentive and friendly without being intrusive, and setting/ambiance was cozy, understated elegance--music by Edith Piaf and other French singers of a bygone era were a nice touch, at just the right volume. It's a small place with very limited seating, so plan accordingly, but this is part of its charm. It feels intimate and doesn't seem to get terribly loud, so you can actually have a conversation, which is a nice change from places we've recently tried. Mushroom soup with rye croutons and the scallop with saffron mussel foam and vegetable appetizer was a savory treat, as was the perfectly cooked and deeply flavorful chicken duo, with the most fresh, crisp and lovely snap peas ever. Thank you, Mountain Bird for a most enjoyable evening.

Mountain Bird is run by a lovely Japanese couple, with the husband in the kitchen and the wife in the dining area. Comforting poultry dishes come served on homey dinner plates/bowls with a warm smile, making this dining experience feel like a night as a spoiled dinner guest in a talented friend’s home. The dishes are relatively simple, but complex in flavor and texture. The foie gras dumpling consommé appetizer is a tiny bowl of soup, but the depth and roundness completely make up for it. Both the deconstructed cassoulet and the chicken duo (braised leg and roasted breast) are executed with a lot of care and heart. Only con: I’m not sure if locals visit, but it is a bit out of the way for non-neighbors.

Intimate feeling, exquisite delicious food, small space, quite opera music in the background, can have long waits due yo its local popularity.