Vanessa's Bistro 2 - Walnut Creek, Ca

Vanessa's Bistro 2 1329 North Main St Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Phone 925-891-4790

This restaurant is considered a fusion of French and Vietnamese with an eclectic menu ranging from Vietnamese soups to Tapas style small plates. The dishes are elegantly structured with many Vietnamese spices and herbs and yet still harbor classic French methods of cooking such as confit and carefully created gastriques.

Executive Chef, Vanessa Dang, is the former chef de cuisine at Bridges in Danville. In 2003 she left with the intentions of owning a restaurant. She found a business partner and La Rose Bistro in downtown Berkeley was opened. After 2 years of truly showcasing her fusion techniques and vertical plating she sold her share and this time struck off on her own. Vanessa and her daughter, Vi Nguyen, found the perfect place in Berkeley to open the first Vanessa's Bistro, however, because of permit delays they were forced to settled on a different location in Solano, Ca. Walnut Creek, Ca is now home to her second restaurant known as Vanessa's Bistro 2.

I absoluteley prize Pacific Rim cuisine as one of culinaries greatest sensory experiences. We have eaten here at least 8 times over the course of the last 18 months. It is because of the way Vanessa handles each main ingredient carefully layering with old world spices then perfectly pairing them with delicate sauces that keeps me coming back for more. Her son, Michael, and daughter, Vi, are often there to great each guest upon arrival giving this welcoming impression of family that is always so warm and inviting. The servers are well informed, prompt, and helpful in determining what you are looking for on the diverse menu.

What We Ate

Shaking Filet Mignon Salad in Garlic Brandy Butter Sauce - Warm, bite-sized cubes of beef are scattered over a crisp, cool butter lettuce. The name of this dish can be a bit deceiving. The garlic brandy sauce was delicate enough to not overbear the moist filet mignon which had this great carmelized crust outside from the high heat of Vanessa's saute pan. Each morsel was cooked to a medium-rare perfection. I felt as though it didn't need the ubiquitious Vietnamese dipping sauce made from lime juice, salt and pepper, but Jenn insists it makes the dish even more delectable.

Hamachi Carpaccio, English Cucumbers, Seaweed Salad with a Wasabi Soy Vinaigrette - Usually a tell all at a sushi restaurant if the fish there is fresh, ordering Hamachi raw is bold. Although this Hamachi was as fresh as the sea, the portion size was small. Perhaps it was how well the slightly spicy vinaigrette coated each bite or the fresh flavors of the cucumber with the snap of the seaweed salad heightened this mild fish that had us craving more.

Five Spices Honey Marinated Crispy Quail with a Peppercorn Dipping Sauce - This dish certainly showcases Vanessa's talent of fusion. An excellent new take on a classic, this succulent spiced and sweetly coated mini-bird had undertones of anise and cinammon without taking away from the delicate gaminess of the meat. It's fun to eat this dish finding each tender morsel of meat and the crispy texture of the skin exploding with flavor in each bite. The dipping sauce offers a refreshing, yet earthy accompaniment.

Salt & Pepper Fried Prawns - The aroma as it arrives causes instant salivation. It's the coating on the prawns that makes this dish unique. Well seasoned with salt and fresh-cracked pepper there's enough outer crunch and yet melts with a butteriness created by the steam from the moisture of the meaty prawns inside. The size of the prawns forces two to three bites at least to finish each one. Again, a refreshing dipping sauce of lime, fish sauce, and salt and pepper begs a baptism for each bite.

Ratings:

Overall: THREE Forks

Food: THREE Forks

Service: THREE Forks

Atmosphere: TWO Forks

Prices: $$ (Reasonable - most tapas around $8)

Why Go: How often do you find French and Vietnamese fusion? The explosive flavors so delicately pieced together and the new approach to classic dishes will entice a repeat visit.

Why Not: Although newly remodeled and modern, the dining room has few tables which can delay groups of four or more immediate seating without a reservation.

Rating Scale: FOUR Forks Extraordinary, THREE Forks Excellent, TWO Forks Good, ONE Fork Fair

Price Scale: $$$ Expensive, $$ Reasonable, $ Inexpensive