Rene’s Bistro

Wow. Put Rene’s on your list. We had dinner on a Friday night at 8:00. The restaurant is open until 9:00, so that’s as late as I would want to start. I called ahead for a reservation, though it probably wasn’t necessary. We were seated promptly. Simple setup, good service. We shared two appetizers-​a puréed corn soup and a petatou chèvre. Both were light with flavors that melded together. LW had the salmon from the menu and I had the seafood mac and cheese. Both were flavor explosions without being too overwhelming. Dessert was a shared warm pecan cake which was a delight. We’ve found a new favorite Stratford restaurant!

We came to Rene’s on a Friday night 645, and the hostess was happy to suggest items to make sure we made our 8pm show on time. The ambience was comfortable and upscale — the other diners were a mix of pre-​theater and locals from what we could gather.
The special cream of cauliflower soup with a pesto garnish was good. There was no side of bread, which I found unusual. The entrée special maple glazed salmon on a cedar plank was excellent — see picture. My husband’s fettuccine with mushrooms was very good as well.
The service was excellent. The hostess and server were polite, helpful and quick. Would go again and recommend in a heartbeat. We’d cancelled our Sophisto reservations because we were running late, and we’re glad we did!

Rene Delafranier is a graduate of the Stratford Chef School. Rene’s labels itself as serving French and Italian cuisine, with the use of a local offerings. The menu features mussels served six different ways, which are wonderful, a fabulous list of pastas, and several delectable entrées. Staff are attentive, and knowledgeable. One of the nicest dining experiences I’ve had anywhere.
The restaurant is small, so reservations are a must for popular times. It’s located across the street from City Hall and is only one block from the Avon Theatre.