French Flair in St. Augustine

St. Augustine is rich with European influence. However when thinking about the history of the city, Ponce De Leon and the Spaniards come to mind. But the French also played a role in St. Augustine’s history, which is why I find Bistro De Leon to be one of the city’s gems. While I am a bit biased on this one (I have been working at this restaurant for over a year now) the food and atmosphere continues to inspire me.

 Owner Jean-Stephane Poinard and wife Valerie opened the bistro a little over 4 years ago. Chef Jean is a 5^th generation chef and he and his wife came to St. Augustine from Lyon, France. They decided to open a French bistro in a Spanish town to give the city a touch of French flair. The name itself shows the sense of humor of the couple by using a play on words. While they are from Lyon, France, the town c

ommemorates Ponce De Leon, and thus Bistro de Leon was born.

The restaurant is extremely small and narrow and pictures around the restaurant allow guests to view the resemblance of this bistro to Chef Jean’s bistro in Lyon. The tables are small and very close together which encourages guests to interact with one another in an open environment. Bistro De Leon is not a place for an intimate evening but rather a gathering to meet new people and be able to share in conversations with strangers about food, wine and travel.

The menu features French specialties such as escargot and pate as well as the Lyon specialty Fish Quenelle (a fish soufflé baked in a lobster bisque). All of the dishes are rich and serving sizes are larger than you would expect from a French restaurant.

While I have dined her on occasion my fondest memory was actually a night working. Last summer a transformer blew downtown leaving the restaurant without power. Rather than disappointing guests Chef Jean remained open until all of his guests were fed. We served tables by candle light and I watched as guests were drawn closer together through laughter and food.

One table consisted of a group of seven men who had made it a tradition to dine at the bistro every year. They traveled from across the country to meet up for dinner at our establishment. They continued to chat and laugh for hours and despite the lack of lighting they enjoyed their meal, even invited the staff to join them. The men were inspiring and by the end of the night we were all sitting with them and laughing as well. No one wanted the night to end.

My favorite characteristic of Bistro De Leon is the commitment to quality. The restaurant is part of the Slow Food movement, a campaign began originally out of outrage when a McDonald’s opened in the Vatican. Slow Food means that every component to every dish is made fresh in house. While this does mean you may have to wait a little longer for your meal, it gives customers the chance to enjoy their company or a couple of glasses of wine while they wait. In addition to receiving the Slow Food “Snail of Approval”, the Bistro De Leon has been voted by Best of Saint Augustine as Best French Restaurant since 2010. The restaurant has received approval by AAA and has been featured in Orlando food magazines as well.

When you go to the Bistro be sure to try the Pork Shank. It is my favorite! A 24 ounce bone in pork shank slow roasted confit style served with mashed potatoes. The meat falls of the bone and is packed with flavor.

Bistro De Leon is located in the heart of downtown at 12 Cathedral Place

Hours 

Monday 5 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Wednesday CLOSED

Thursday 11 a.m.- 10 p.m.

Friday 11 a.m.- 10 p.m.

Saturday 8:30 a.m.- 10 p.m.

Sunday 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m. 

Creating Nostalgia Through Food

If you are seeking the “Dinner at Nonna’s” feel CasaBenedetto’s is the place to be. I originally found this restaurant using TripAdvisor. It was late on a Sunday evening and I had planned to make pasta, but by the time I finished my homework I was too exhausted to pick up a pot or pan. I read the reviews of Casa Benedetto's and knew it was a place I needed to try. They had Brasiole (Braciola), so I knew I’d feel at home.

From the time I first walked in the door I felt nostalgia rushing over me. The walls were adorned with antique books, posters and photographs and vintage bird cages hung from the ceiling. The décor was almost an exact replica of my Grandmother’s living room. It had a very warm comforting feeling. Then against the wall at a small table sat an older Italian couple sipping coffee, dipping Biscotti and chatting. I soon found out that these were the owners of the restaurant and they welcomed us as if we were family.

Because it was my first time at the restaurant we decided to indulge. My friend Candice and I missed the comfort of slow simmered tomato sauce and wanted to feel at home. When we ordered we were brought warm baked

bread garlic butter and another ramekin filled with the sweet love of homemade gabanadine, an eggplant and tomato tapenade. My first thought was back to the World War III that erupted when my Great Aunt Theresa refused to give her nieces and nephews her recipe, and my Aunt talked the recipe out of her anyway.

My friend and I shared similar experiences about our crazy yet lovable Italian families. We enjoyed rice balls and reminisced about the delis in New York. We ordered Calamari and joked about who would get the “tentacles” which we both felt were the best part.

By the time our entrees arrived we knew we would have to be wheeled off the premises, but we simply could not stop eating. The sauce was rich and filled with the flavor that only hours of slow simmering can produce and we both laughed knowing our grandmothers would have referred to the tomato sauce as nothing other than “gravy”.

Although we put up a fight we had to take most of our food home with us. It was so rich and indulgent that we could never leave it behind. With us we also took an Italian cookie tray. Before leaving the restaurant I had to open the tin and smell the sweet comforting aroma of anisette.  We took the cookies home and enjoyed them with coffee as we continued to chat about our families. 

Casa Benedetto’s has made its way into my favorite places. If not for the first experience, when we returned weeks later, the owners remembered us and joked with us about how we were too thin and needed to eat more… just as our grandparents would have. While it is a bit of a drive from downtown (on south St. Augustine Beach), Casa Benedetto’s provides the perfect cozy Italian experience.

Casa Benedetto's is located at 6357 A1A South , Saint Augustine, FL 32080

They are open Monday- Thursday 12 p.m.-9 p.m.
                      Friday-Saturday      12 p.m.-10 p.m.

My Love Affair with Food

I grew up with a passion for food. It was more than delicious ingredients, it was the memories and the quality time with people you love. Dinner wasn't a meal, it was an experience of working together in the kitchen and collaborating to make something beautiful we could enjoy together. My parents were both raised by Italian parents who taught them the importance of food and its connection to family. When we gathered it was never just my parents and brother, every member of the family (no matter how distant) was invited. 

My father has been in the restaurant industry all his life, and I believe this has also fueled my passion for food in many ways. Most importantly my father has taught me that a restaurant is more than the food, the ambiance creates a whole new experience. I remember when I was younger we would not eat out much, not because of the cost of dinning for a family of four, but because my father has high expectations for the atmosphere and experience of dinning out that chain restaurants could not uphold. My father taught me the importance of quality ingredients and opened my mind to trying new dishes.

Sunday Dinner. My father (front left) and 3 generations gather at  "Nonna's."  

Now as a college student I am frequently short on money and time. I cook as much as possible for my room mate and friends and love to experiment with new ingredients and make recipes that are all my own. Above all to me food should be about sharing something inspiring with those you love. It shouldn't be about finding the nearest drive-thru (although late nights at the library make this a necessary reality for every college student), but rather taking the time to enjoy a meal and the people you are with.

To me each meal should be an adventure, whether trying something new or reminiscing in a nostalgic atmosphere, food should not only be fulfilling physically, but emotionally. My fondest memories revolve around food and I often use food to make me feel closer to home despite the distance, but I also use it as an opportunity to make new memories. So I sit here writing and reminiscing about my best dining experiences in St. Augustine hoping to share them with you in the hope that you too may find comfort through food.