Bistro La Bon in Charlotte

Bistro la Bon describes itself as humble, or at least describes its location as such, but to my way of thinking it couldn’t be more wrong.  When you walk in, you are immediately immersed in the modern decor and realize that this is a place where the hip come to play.  The chef, Majid Amoorpour, has over 20 years of cooking experience he brings from all over the world.  You’ll find menu items from many different countries represented.

When we arrived, we had to wait in the bar for about 10 minutes while they got our table ready.  I had a reservation, but 10 minutes wasn’t that big of a deal.  The bar was active and full of boisterous people, so could be an exciting time for those who like such an atmosphere.  Me, being a killjoy, found them loud and obnoxious.  It happened to be a large party, which proved to be loud and obnoxious even in the dining area, but that isn’t Bistro’s fault.  Just a personal note 🙂

But the fooooooood more than made up for the noisy atmosphere of a few toasted diners.  We began our meal with tomato bisque and a shrimp and cornbread appetizer.  The tomato bisque was creamy and smooth, with a velvety tomato flavor with just a hint of basil.  It was the perfect cup of soup.

The shrimp with cornbread was a small plate (tapas) and utterly perfect.  The shrimp were plump and perfectly seasoned in this spicy sauce with shallots and garlic and the cornbread was sweet and moist.  I wish I could make an entree out of it!

For my entree, I ordered the pan seared fish with lentils.  I am desperately trying to remember what kind of fish it is, but all I can tell you is it was delicious.  Perfectly tender and flaky, and the sauce was light yet tangy.  The lentils were also flavorful and soft.

Dustin had the airline chicken, which was glazed with a cherry sauce and set atop a bed of couscous.  He said it was the most tender chicken he’d eaten.  Couscous is not usually my favorite, but this was spiced perfectly and savory.

Dustin got the Panna Cotta for dessert.  It was merely a vanilla custard accomapanied by stewed fruits and some whipped cream.  I found it not decadent enough, but Dustin found it light and refreshing.  I think this dessert will appeal to those who don’t have much of a sweet tooth.  My dessert was miles better.

Oh, here it is!  This bread pudding is the best I’ve had.  Creamy and warm, a perfect set up for the cold, intensely vanilla ice cream and the sweet, buttery caramel sauce.  I have no idea what the little crunchies were on the side, but yeah, I gobbled them, too.  A perfect end to a perfect evening!