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Mistral Bistro:
When former Aujourd’hui Executive Chef Jamie Mammano teamed with nightclub impresario Seth Greenberg to open Mistral, the result surprised me.
I’d had the pleasure of experiencing Jamie Mammano’s wizardry many times while he was at the Four Seasons, so I knew that the menu at Mistral would manifest itself as first class. But the input of Seth Greenberg was the variable. As the head honcho of The Paradise and M-80, Greenberg is well known for his panache. So the question for me was, "What’ll happen once these two combine forces?". From its opening night gala, Mistral became the place to dine. People I’ve spoken to recently say that Mistral is losing just a little of its appeal as being an "in" place. Still, you need to book in advance for a reservation, especially for a slot between Thursday and Saturday.
Food and Wine: 20 Mistral's menu contains some of the most imaginative offerings I've seen anywhere in the world. In fact, some of the combinations are so imaginative that I thought to myself, "Can these items really work together?". Another surprise: Mammano gets them to work together. For me, the most intriguing appetizer was the confit of duck with foie gras in brioche with tart-dried cherries ($18.00). While the mix of duck and goose may appear to "overwhelm" you with that "wild game" tang, the inclusion of cherries does a wonderful job of balancing the whole dish. Another appetizer which looked interesting — but which I did not get a chance to sample — was the Pacific Northwest dungeness crab ravioli with thyme-tomato broth ($16.00). Other appetizers go for between $8.00 for a salad to the $18.00 confit of duck. Mistral also offers three types of thin crust pizza appetizers for between $11.00 and $14.00. For dinner I decided on the grilled tenderloin of beef with horseradish whipped potatoes and garlic toast ($33.00). In selecting this I thought, "How creative can the kitchen get with this?". Yet again, another surprise. The tenderloin came nestled comfortably on top of the whipped potatoes, with the garlic toast "strips" aligned in a perpendicular fashion. I'd never thought that anyone could add "aesthetic symmetry" to a slab of meat. My dinner was prepared well, to specifications, although the edges were charred just a bit too much for my preferences. However, it had quite a unique taste: a little heavy on the pepper. And — if I didn't think I was going nuts — I'd swear the tenderloin had a hint of ginger. My dinner guest had a rosemary & cider-glazed grilled salmon with lentils, roasted onion, and baby chicory greens ($27.00), which met with his infallible approval. For oenophiles, you'll have a field day at Mistral. Unlike most restaurants, Mistral has a large selection of wines from vintages which, in the development cycle, are actually at their peak drinking cycle. Which prices are generally 50-90 percent of store prices, they're still competitive with other dining establishments who go as high as a 200 percent markup. For champagne I'd recommend the 1976 Krug Collection (no surprise there) at $380.00. For red wine, I'd recommend the 1982 Château Léoville-Las Cases; but, at $900.00, that seems to me to be too steep a markup even over auction prices.
Service: 20 Service at Mistral is, I think, pretty much what I expected. Upon arrival, I was greeted very warmly and courteously by the host and the manager. Because I had arrived before my dinner guest, I decided to wait in the bar area. I'd asked the host to direct my guest there when he arrived. When he did arrive, we had a drink at the bar before being seated at the table. The host did not rush us to the table, as I've found elsewhere; she allowed us to relax and enjoy ourselves. At the table, service was equally attentive ... and at the same time, service was not intrusive. When either I or my guest needed something, service was very fast. Overall, I think I'd label the service as being attentive and friendly. They help set the mood of "having an enjoyable evening."
Décor: 21 In their décor, Mistral claims to achieve a balance of "elegance" and "informality." That balance, as a concept, had never occurred to me; but in fact they do achieve that! Light pastels abound, along with huge arched windows that reach the top of very high ceilings. In the dining area, you'll find fine upholstered chairs and banquettes and fresh linen elegantly draping the tables. What I really liked about Mistral, considering the light pastel "color scheme", is something they do that many restaurants don't: they have the lights up to a level where you can actually see where you are, and what you're eating. In other restaurants, lighting is almost non-existent, presumably to achieve the ambience of "romance." At Mistral, the level of ambient light is just right, so you can enjoy the décor and the food presentation. The ambience at Mistral allows for an enjoyable dinner under any occasion: celebration, romance, business, or just a night out. However ... that depends on when you go. On those evenings when the rich foreign students (also known as "Euros") hit the night club circuit, they first slap on the feedbags at Mistral. The sheer number of them — and the concomitant chatter and "butterflying" — makes for an atmosphere which, while perfect for a big celebration dinner, doesn't quite cut it for romance. Ultimately, Mistral does provide one of the best settings in town for a fine dinner, whatever the circumstance.
Value: 19 Mistral don't come cheap. While precise comparisons cannot obviously be made to other restaurants, entrées at Mistral are priced around $10 to $15 more than similar dishes elsewhere. For that premium, you're paying for the artistry of Mistral's kitchen, as well as the service and the ambience. And in terms of their wine list, their markups do vary. For example, at $380 the 1976 Krug collection represents a fair price. But $180 for 1989 Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame is effectively a 2x markup. For the "marquee" wines, however, it's difficult to judge the fair market value since auction prices fluctuate. But for special occasions, the price you pay for "the entire Mistral package" is a very good deal.
Recommended: 20 If you can plan a few weeks in advance for reservations, or go early in the week, the Mistral experience is something which everyone should enjoy at least once. The kitchen's wizardy, both in preparation and presentation, is a complete marvel. Tne entire staff is friendly, helpful, polite, and make you feel welcome. And if you're willing to pay the price, Mistral gives you the opportunity to enjoy a great dinner, in a great restaurant, with some of the greatest wines the world has produced. Combining all these aspects, Mistral can be the site for a completely perfect evening of dining.
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