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Portland, Oregon Metro Restaurant Reviews

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Overall Ratings:  ***1/2


Overall Review:  Experiencing two totally different dining experiences at this restaurant (one great and the other a nightmare) made it very hard to rate. It makes me sad to reduce their rating, but I have to report what actually happened.

Review Date:  August 10, 2007 and November 2, 2007.

Cuisine: Authentic French bistro restaurant.

Alcohol:  Excellent wine selection with lot of Oregon wines and wines from France.

Corkage:  $15 per bottle

Attire:  Casual

Location: Willamette Valley Wine Area - Southwest suburb of Portland in McMinnville.


Open Hours:

Dinner:
Wednesday & Thursday: 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Brunch and Lunch:
Wednesday thru Friday: 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m.


Parking:  Street parking

Reservations:  Reservations requested

 

Chef Jean-Jacques relaxing and chatting with the diners after a long day!


 Rating Key Explanations:
* Bad (will never go back)

** Fair (below average - will not go back)

*** Good (would consider dining there again)

**** Very Good (will definitely go back)

***** Extraordinary (will be back as soon as possible)

I make every attempt to remain anonymous while reviewing each restaurant.  All meals are paid for by myself.  This way, I can report the most honest and trustworthy restaurant reviews possible. Other recognizable critics frequently get special food and service. I forgo any perks so that my restaurant experience will be similar to yours.

If you would like to add a review of this restaurant, email Linda Stradley. Also feel free to send me suggestions of restaurants for review.

Disclaimer:  None of the restaurants reviewed on this site have given any sort of financial incentive to Linda Stradley or her website, What's Cooking America. The restaurants had no foreknowledge that a review was going to be written.
 

 


Bistro Maison 
The restaurant is owned by the Chatelards, French chef Jean-Jacques and his wife, Deborah.



729 E. Third Street
McMinnville, OR 97182

Map & Directions

 

Phone: 503-474-1888

Fax:  503-435-2228

Web page: http://www.bistromaison.com/

 


Bistro Maison is located in a vintage house in the heart of downtown McMinnville's 'old town.'  Indoor dining has a relaxed and comfortable country French feel, and the outdoor patio is completely surrounded by green shrubbery, providing a lovely al fresco experience. The menu is packed with authentic French bistro favorites which feature local northwest seasonal products. Along with their regular menu, they feature 5 to 6 specials every evening.

 

.


August 10 2007 - ****

My first visit to this restaurant was great! All the food our party ordered was delicious and well prepared.

What our party ordered:

Hors De'Oeuvres (starters):

Salade du Vigneron - roasted red beets, endives, goat cheese and local walnuts - $8.00


Moule (mussels) - $18.00


Plat Principal (entrees):


Steak Au Poivre - seared sirloin steak with crushed green peppercorn sauce - $27.00


Pave de Saumon Aux Lentilles Vertes du Puy - Just-caught wild Chinook salmon with green lentils and grainy Pommery mustard crust, cognac and Dijon mustard reduction $25.00


Bouillabaisse Fruits de Mer - south of France's mixed seafood in its own broth, served with steamed potatoes, toasted baguette croutons, and homemade aioli - $20.00
 

Garnitures (sides):


Pomme Fries - French fries with homemade saffron aioli - $5.00


Desserts:


Glace - selection of local ice cream - $3.00


Crème Caramel - baked caramel custard - $5.00


Build Your Own SMORES - Fire away the classic at your table "marshmallows, chocolate bar, and graham crackers ' - $5.00
This was fantastic! It reminded me of childhood.  I can hardly wait to go back and order this dessert again.

 


November 2, 2007 - ***

What a difference a night makes! Our second visit was a nightmare! The dishes and presentation were off. My husband and I were very disappointed. I had an upset stomach all night from the fondue.


They have a very unusual way of serving their bread. The waitress places a hunk of bread on the table - no bread plate to set the bread or your butter knife on.


What we ordered:

Hors De'Oeuvres (starters):


Locally grown arugula, Mixuna, rocket and mustard leaf greens, poached pears, toasted walnut, Rogue River Blue Cheese, walnut oil vinaigrette. $10.00

This was their salad special for the evening. The taste was fine, but I felt I was eating a salad of stems only. Both my husband and I ordered this salad.
 


White Truffle Fondue with ham, potatoes, apples and bread. $21.00.

I ordered this fondue as I love fondue and also truffle oil. I decided to make it my main course. Well, it just didn't work! I normally love truffle oil, but this didn't combine well. The fondue was not smooth and creamy, but thick and stringy! My stomach was upset all evening from this fondue. I couldn't eat more than a few bites.


Plat Principal (entrees):


Diver Sea Scallops. Saute of local chanterelles, mushroom stock reduction (no cream). Served with butternut squash and potato puree and sautéed fall harvest vegetables. $29.00

My husband wasn't very enthusiastic about this dish, as it was very bland. His comment was that he has had much better scallops before!
 

Desserts:

Poached Pear with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Since my stomach was already upset from the fondue, the ice cream was smoothing to my stomach. The owner also brought us a plate with samples of their different sherbets. The sherberts were very good.

 

Once of the reasons I want to dine at this restaurant tonight was to get their Build Your Own SMORES. Because of my upset stomach, I couldn't order this.