THE BISTRO GARDEN
STUDIO CITY JEWEL OFFERS FINE AMERICAN-CONTINENTAL FARE

A wonderful little getaway from the hustle and bustle of busy Ventura Blvd, The Bistro Garden is best known for its California style Continental cuisine with signature dishes including its Lobster Bisque en Croute; Niman Ranch Double Cut Pork Chop with Whole Baked Apple filled with Cinnamon Applesauce; Scottish Smoked Salmon with Potato Pancakes; Colorado Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Thyme Jus…and of course its famous Bistro Garden Chocolate Soufflé.

Opened in 1990 by Carolyn Niklas Pappas and her husband Gregory, Zagat has described their lovely Bistro Garden as “classic with a beautiful garden-like setting." The restaurant, in fact, is modeled after a European Wintergarden with 30-foot ceilings, glass latticework and expansive skylights.

Featuring live music nightly, we found the setting to be very relaxing, romantic and welcoming. I suggest you take your seat, forget the madness outside and start your meal with a nice, stiff Martini with Chopin Vodka served with blue cheese-stuffed olives. Believe me, relaxation will immediately follow.

Starting with a tasty Caesar Salad (their Caesar dressing contains raw shell eggs) that paired nicely with a second Vodka Martini, we opted to go with the house specialties Starters including the Scottish Smoked Salmon with Potato Pancakes, and the Spicy Raw Ahi Tuna Tartar with Avocado and Ginger (served with Toast Points), both wonderful selections. The salmon was light and refreshing, while the tuna had a very nice, flavorful kick to it.

For our entrees, we went with the hearty Niman Ranch Double Cut Pork Chop with Whole Baked Apple filled with Cinnamon Applesauce, and the Broiled Whitefish with Lemon Butter Sauce served with mixed vegetables. We opted to let owner Gregory Pappas pair our selections with appropriate wines and we definitely found ourselves in excellent hands.

The Pork Chop is a wonderful and filling dish, served with broccoli, mashed potatoes and a delectable baked apple filled with cinnamon applesauce, so savory! And the Whitefish, served with veggies, is light and tasty and a marvelously guilt-free meal.

You can’t called the signature Bistro Garden Chocolate Soufflé guilt-free, no, try words like decadent, deadly and delicious. Make sure to save room for dessert, as this is a must-have menu item.

And do note that Happy Hour in The Bar is Monday-Friday from 5:00-7:00pm and features 50% off wine by the glass, beer and cocktails, as well as complimentary hors d'oeuvres. And Sunday Brunch includes complimentary Mimosas. Other weekly specials include free chocolate or season flavor soufflé with each entrée ordered Monday nights, and half off all bottles of wine with at least one entrée ordered Tuesday nights.

The Bistro Garden is located at 12950 Ventura Blvd in Studio City. Hours: Lunch served11am – 3:00pm (M-F); Dinner served 5:30pm – 10:30pm (Sun –Thurs) and until 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights. The Bar menu is available from opening to closing. Sunday Brunch is served from 11:00am until 2:00pm. Call 818-501-0202. Valet parking available.