Bistrot du Coin

Last night was a very memorable, celebratory dinner.

I had a wonderful evening talking about life, career aspirations, and just "being" with a girlfriend who recently returned from a stint overseas. We talked about being between of two paths: the idealistic, humanitarian way; and the realistic, self-centered way. There is nothing like good conversation to lend color to life. The noise level was low but not too low, so we were able to talk easily.

We ate at Bistrot du Coin in Dupont. I was happy to see that the dinner menu offers two sizes of plates for dinner: small and large. I opted for the gratin Bretonne in the small size, feeling a little sluggish. What arrived amidst wafts of cheese vapors was a small, flat terrine holding a thick, crisp top of cheese and mushroom cream, containing underneath some mild-tasting shrimp, and rather toothsome teeny squares of pasta. The pasta was so finely cut that it nearly melted into the sauce. No firm bites here, but very good and gooey. The taste was more about cheese, and less about salt, which was nice. Truly my arteries have never been more at odds with my happy mouth. My friend had the duck medium rare, and she said it was excellent.

The "small" came in a charming little terrine that was about 7" X 3" X 1" - which was still equivalent to about a half-pound of cheese and butter. At about $11, I'd say it's a fair value. Certainly more refined than mac and cheese, though just as comforting.

After dinner, I considered an espresso immediately, but decided instead on the chocolat liegois. I was delighted to find that this little goblet of chocolate ice cream, caramel fudge, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce, was something special. The ice cream itself was as it should be.

The star of the show at BdC's sundae is the whipped cream. The heft is incredible, because the stuff is whipped by hand. The end product is something that actually has weight and no pockets of air whatsoever. Comparing it to the canned version is like comparing bolt satin to lace - both are nice, but one is certainly smoother and heavier than the other. It tasted very mild, as if it was missing some other flavor. I realize that the taste that was "missing" was the slightly magic marker-ish aroma of propellant. Others reviewers of Bistrot du Coin have commented on how amazing it is that this place does whipped cream by hand. It might not seem like a big deal, but after having tried it, I see what all the fuss was about. So that was neat.

On a Sunday night, the place was far less crowded than I've found it on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings past. The service was fantastic - our server was very professional and attentive. As usual, the meal was one of delightful surprises. It was well worth the trip and worth every penny. This place is worth five noms out of five across the board.