Craig LaBan Finds Age And Wisdom The Best Ingredients at Paris Bistro

Tracking the long road from Oberon To Paris Bistro, Craig LaBan finds a chef (and a restaurant) that’s all grown up.

Begin with some of the bistro bellwethers. The French onion soup has a soulful balance of slowly caramelized onion sweetness and savory veal stock tinted with nutty sherry, the crock sealed with a proper lid of stretchy Gruyère cheese. The lobster bisque has a vivid crustacean richness, with well-steeped lobster flavor, sweet chunks of meat, and just a hint of cream and a flicker of cayenne at the finish. The salmon tartare is simple but beautiful, the fresh raw orange fish freshly minced and brightened with lemon and olive oil, then scattered with capers and a mimosa of grated hard-boiled eggs.

Two Bells — Very Good

Paris Bistro Approaches Fluent French [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Paris Bistro [f8b8z]