Bistro Bourdeau

Molly Abraham: Husband-and-wife team Kipp and Susan Bourdeau took over a corner spot that for years housed a middle-of-the-road restaurant called Patrick's and completely transformed it into a circular main dining room done up in French blue and cream with knotty wood partitions recalling the wooden crates once used to ship wine from Europe. They added a bright, contemporary American menu reflecting Kipp's experience in resorts in Florida and Georgia, with a hint of New Orleans thrown in. Dishes include half duck baked on black cherry plank, seared ahi tuna with vegetable spring roll and seaweed salad, portobello mushroom ravioli, and blue cheese and bacon crusted filet. House soup is bistro onion and a particularly appealing salad is made with butter lettuce, Valencia oranges, avocado, gorgonzola cheese and honey roasted walnuts with mango vinaigrette. Desserts are housemade and include such choices as creme brulee, one-pound carrot cake, tiramisu, warm apple cobbler with cinnamon ice cream and fallen chocolate souffle.