Bistro Elan

don’t come to this location any more since as of July 15^th, they have moved to their new birch street restaurant (same chef)
had oysters and seared foie gras with apricot — good, classically done
fresh dungeness crab salad, avocado, tomato, basil — excellent fresh ingredients
sauteed wild king salmon with chanterelles, potatoes, greens — so good with a perfectly crispy, tasty seared top. gotta have this, sauce is perfect.
ingredients are fresh, great cooking execution/​technique; definitely a great place in Palo Alto.
here’s the reason they moved:

So I had a hankerin’ for spaghetti primavera and sauteed spinach. Here’s how the phone call went:
— Ring!
— Them: Hello, Bistro Élan.
— Me: Hi, I’d like to place a take out order.
— Them: Uhm, we don’t offer take out.
— Me: Okay, if I come over there, can I order something to go?
— Them: Sorry, no.
— Me: Okay, bye.
— Them: Sorry, bye.
Pretentious much?

I love the idea of Bistro Élan — simple, seasonal food sourced from the weekly farmer’s market on California Ave. The menu even lists the produce purchased from the farmer’s market each week!
However, I give it only four starts for these reasons:
1. Well-​intentioned, but uninformed server. Our server answered our questions with confidence, but was clearly wrong. This is a big deal when your dinner companions have food intolerances.
2. My halibut was dry. However, the flavor was so outstanding that I can’t complain too much. I had a bite of my companion’s steak, which was perfect.
3. NO SUBSTITUTIONS. As a nutrition professional, I understand that people have food sensitivities and would like more control over what they eat in general. Restaurants that will not prepare dishes differently than listed on the menu are one of my biggest pet peeves.
However negative this review may seem, I still gave Bistro Élan four stars and would definitely go back. The quality and flavor of the food was fantastic!

4.5 stars rounded up.
My mom loves this place, and I’ve been a couple times with her before, most recently tonight. We didn’t have a reservation, so we decided to go right at 5:30 when they open to see if we could grab a table. Although the restaurant is quite large and we were the first ones there, they told us they could only accommodate us if we could be in & out in an hour. So, lesson learned: make a reservation on Saturday night.
We started with their delicious french bed basket, and some complimentary amuse-​bouches: a delicious Gruyère cheese puff, and smoked salmon on a potato chip-​like thing. We all shared the Dungeness crab salad appetizer, which was fabulous! I’m not a huge crab salad person, but this had large chunks of crab claw, and the different flavors and textures of crab salad, pistachio nut, avocado and apple all blended together perfectly. It was fantastic.
For entrees, my mom had the sole almondine, I had the scallops with truffle risotto, and my bf had the spaghetti carbonara (it was listed on the menu as a «small course» but they were able to make him a bigger portion). My scallops were seared absolutely perfectly and were incredibly fresh. The risotto they were in was good but not great — it had way too much heavy cream in it. Risotto rice naturally becomes creamy in the cooking process, and so you don’t need to add heavy cream and it made the risotto too heavy. My mom’s sole almondine was very good, although I make a great sole almondine at home, so it’s not something I get a ton of pleasure out of ordering at a restaurant. But the sole was cooked well and the almondine sauce was nice. My bf was similarly pleased with his spaghetti carbonara (it looked great but I didn’t try it because it had pork).
The highlight of our meal was definitely dessert — we were pretty full and were debating whether or not to order the chocolate crème brûlée. We asked the waiter about it and he said it was «incredibly chocolately», so that pretty much sealed the deal. It was the BEST choco crème brûlée I’ve ever had — incredibly rich and dark, with the perfect caramel-​y coating. It was HUGE (dinner plate size) and also came with 2 fantastic chocolate crinkle cookies.
Value-​wise, it’s pricey, but reasonable for the quality of the food and the atmosphere. Most fish entrees are around $ 25 – 30, which is fairly reasonable, and my bf’s pasta was under $ 20. Desserts and appetizers are about $ 10. In general, portion sizes are not so big that you’ll bring home a lot of leftovers, but they are quite filing (the exception was dessert, which was huge). I ate some bread, 2 small amuse-​bouches, about ¹⁄₃^rd of an appetizer, ¾ of my entrée and ½ of the large dessert and I was quite stuffed (and I consider myself a pretty good eater). It’s not cheap, but it is a good value considering the high quality ingredients and decent portion sizes. It’s a really nice place to take parents or a date.
Their menu changes a lot, because they use a lot of seasonal ingredients, so I recommend taking a look at it online and only going if the entrees grab you. I’ve been before when there was nothing on the menu that really appealed to me and was slightly less impressed. But that may not be their fault — I think my palate has expanded considerably since the last time I was here a couple years ago.

I’m so surprised to see that some find Bistro Élan’s food to be flavorless and mediocre! 3 dear friends of mine and I just ate dinner here tonight and nearly every bite was followed by *closed eyes* and moments of silence. So good.
My meal:
— Quivira «fig tree» Sauvignon Blanc (recommended!)
–fresh dungeness crab salad (with avocado, apple, and pistachio) (RECOMMENDED!)
–side of macaroni gratin (really, really good… but not as good as my baby sister’s! but that’s ok, hers is the best in the world.)
We shared 3 desserts:
–meyer lemon ice cream cake
–s’mores sundae
–salted caramel ice cream
All three were very good… but the meyer lemon was my fave.
Bistro Élan is a great spot to come with a group of friends. Lean in, chat, laugh, and ENJOY the delish food!

I’ve only been here once, but I really liked the restaurant and I am hoping to return for dinner. Bistro Élan is a cozy French restaurant in Palo Alto and if you get a chance, you should dine in their garden (located in the back), which has about half a dozen tables and is perfect for a more intimate meal.
The mussels with parsley garlic butter were very good, and the shoestring fries were addicting. The yellow pea soup, salad, & ham sandwich were okay, but I would recommend ordering something else. I can’t remember what we had for dessert, but it was delicious!
On a random note, I like how on their menu, they list the ingredients that they have bought from the local farmer’s market. A good restaurant for a nice lunch or romantic dinner.

My wife and I recently paid an impromptu visit to Bistro Élan for dinner while we were in the neighborhood. We hadn’t been here for many years, but she smiled knowingly when I suggested it. Being 9 pm on a Friday, we got a table pretty easily.
The same open kitchen design; The same layout, but the space is now broken up by gauzy curtains and has a more elegant ambiance then I remember; That one, special, intimate table against the brick wall — It was occupied, but I pointed it out to my wife and again she smiled knowingly. We were seated around the corner, near the front.
The main thing I noticed about Bistro Élan is that this once French restaurant is no longer French at all, except around the edges. They have some French wines and a cheese plate on the menu. Other than that, Bistro Élan has definitely changed direction over time. Previously, I remember having an excellent escargot plate and navigating through a list of French regional dishes. But on this menu it was California cuisine all the way.
Our meals were good but not phenomenal. My flat iron steak was tasty though a bit too chewy. My wife really enjoyed her fish over vegetable remoulade. Our waiter, with a New York (not French) accent, was attentive and friendly. But the main thing that kept coming to mind was that in October 1996 I proposed to the love of my life in this restaurant, at a table just around the corner from where we now sat. And here she was, sitting across from me again. She will probably never read this review (because, frankly, she thinks Unilocaling is kinda silly). But I do want to thank her for putting up with all those extra hours on the internet, writing reviews for (mostly) total strangers.

Best. Fries. Ever.
Perhaps that’s not what you would expect on a review for a California/​French style bistro, but that’s perhaps what I found most surprising about our lovely dinner at Bistro Élan.
Honestly, I’ve lived here in PA for a decade, and this is the first time I’ve had the chance to come to Bistro Élan. I expected a high level of service, great appetizers, wonderful main courses.
And — I got exactly that.
I didn’t expect the crispiest, yummiest, crack fries ever. It came with my Niman Ranch steak. My wife’s fingers kept wandering over from her delicious duck confit entrée to snatch fries here and there. Repeatedly.
They really were that yummy.
We were really pleased with Bistro Élan. The primary knocks would be a loud atmosphere and a pretty limited 7-​entrée menu. But — they source a ton of stuff themselves from the local farmer’s market. Nifty.
Oh — and, definitely order the fries. You can get a side order, and I would seriously recommend.

Absolutely the best bistro in Silicon Valley, Bistro Élan delivers a casual, yet elegant, fine dining experience.
Located on sleepy California Avenue, Bistro Élan’s sparsely decorated dining room and cute rear garden patio serve as the perfect canvas for some of the most delicious French-​inspired California fare this side of Provence. An early girl tomato salad with burrata, pickled red onions, and croutons was divine. Perfectly seared and paired with a glass of Sauternes, the foie gras is to die for. However, the bistro salad, composed solely of organic greens and herbs and dressed with a light vinaigrette, lacks pizazz.
Cast iron seared Niman Ranch flatiron steak with red wine and shallot butter was melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender and cooked medium rare as ordered. Perfectly flaky and moist, the roasted Alaskan halibut was paired with a super-​sweet, delicious yellow corn relish that disappeared all too quickly. Fall off the bone tender, the Sonoma duck leg confit with roasted potatoes and Calvados sauce was delicious, but the accompanying frisée salad fell a little flat. And, of course, no one makes fries better than Bistro Élan.
Servers are very knowledgeable and attentive. Not unreasonably priced, the extensive wine list concentrates on European offerings, but also has a number of New World selections. In order to accommodate its many patrons who bring wines from their collections, Bistro Élan comps its rather steep $ 25 corkage fee for each bottle purchased.
A stalwart of the Palo Alto dining scene for many years, Bistro Élan sets the standard to which all other Peninsula bistros should aspire.

In a nutshell:
Food — 4 stars
Service — 4 stars
P/​C — 3.5 stars
I’ve been peeking around this neighborhood a lot but never found this restaurant until yesterday. For the longest time, I thought that this restaurant was one of those on University Avenue. Wrong.
It was a Friday night and we were able to walk in without any reservations — the restaurant had some nice décor — very relaxed, minimal decorations and a completely open kitchen.
Cutting to the chase, onto the food:
English pea cake — delicious, a bit on the colder side, would’ve been better if they were freshly prepared. The ingredients were very fresh and you could see/​taste right then and there.
Foie gras — didn’t have it, but it looked rather mushy — the fig compote looked nice.
Halibut with the tomato/​corn relish and the zuccini galette — awesome, the halibut was buttery, moist and with a crispy skin. The relish was so fresh, and the galette was sweet, salty and crunchy, just perfect.
Scallops with shrimp risotto with lobster oil — the scallops were sweet and succulent and well seared. The risotto could have been better seasoned and less mushy.
The service was efficient but the kitchen was a bit disorganized I felt — the interval between the appetizer and the main dish was way too long.
The price — could really be a tad less expensive.
The menu — I am not sure if the menu is French at all. It’s definitely Californian cuisine rather than French I feel.
I am on the fence about this restaurant, because something was missing in all aspects (food, service and décor) but it is really a 4-​star restaurant primarily due to how the chefs really treat their ingredients right and that alone speaks a lot about the quality of the dishes.
In conclusion: I’d return to this restaurant if I am in the neighborhood but wouldn’t go out of my way to get there.

Went here recently for an occasion with my boyfriend, after seeing the great rating on Unilocal.
The only thing that lived up to the reviews was the foie gras. We were both disappointed by the lack of flavor in our entrees– the veal scallopine & duck confit. After that, we decided to skip dessert…
Sorry Bistro Élan– next time I want French food, I’d rather make the drive out to L’ardoise in SF.

The food was great! The service, fine. However the atmosphere killed it. Just after ordering, they sat 2 mothers with 3 loud and obnoxious children at the next table over. My lunch mate and I couldn’t talk at a normal volume over their cries and animal noises (they really were making animal noises). I complained to the waiter but they did nothing. Worse yet, one of the mothers yelled across the restaurant complaining they didn’t have a cheeseburger on the menu.
There’s a reason Bistro Élan doesn’t have a kids menu. Crazy Rude Lady, you and your kids are that reason.

I’m a huge fan of french cuisine and I’m in love with this place. My boyfriend just took me here for our 6 year anniversary dinner and it’s was marvelous! I love that this place is very fancy, but you don’t exactly need to wear a ballgown. It’s dressy/​casual, but choose to dress up if you like, though I saw people wearing flip flops!
My boyfriend and I ordered the fresh dungeoness crab for appetizer, and it was extremely fresh! The nuttyness of the pistachios blended quite well with the avocado and tasty crab. The only thing was too overpowering was the grapefruit.
For the main entrée, my boyfriend had the Cast Iron seared Nimon Ranch flatiron steak. It was mouth watering, and the steak was done just right. It was juicy and SUPER tender, with a nice touch of sweet beets on the side. I had the Sauteed Massachusetts Scallops alla Puttanesca, and wow was the Scallops simply delicious! There were also little clams, brocolli, and small potatoes.
For dessert, we ordered Blueberry Clauflaust (egg tart with blueberries, peaches, and apricots) and the fantastic Chocolate Soufflé (which was made to order). You HAVE to get the soufflé, it was light, fluffy, and not overpowering. It made the final touches for our dinner!
Do visit this wonderful bistro, I’m most certain that you will have a great experience here with the great food and service!

Years ago if you ordered the Steak Frite, they would bring your frites out in a bowl the size of something Fred Flintstone would eat out of.
However,.
As of late, they have mellowed on their frite distribution and now are served in a regular sized bowl.
Bistro Élan is one of my favorite French restaurants on the Peninsula. They do an excellent job at combining excellent service into a casual setting that is versatile enough for a romantic evening out or if you prefer a night out with a group of old friends.
The menu is small, but varied enough where even the pickiest of eaters (me) can always find something super yummy to chow down on. As I mentioned earlier, the steak frite is a staple and always on the menu, but there are often a few surprises and I highly recommend trying out one of the specials as you can always come back for the steak another time.
The wine list is heavy on the French side. But do not be afraid. The wait staff knows their stuff and can easily guide you through the list and help pick out the perfect bottle.
Make sure you leave room for dessert or cheese. Both are worth every last gut growing calorie. Side note-​Jennifer L is on my ass to be more specific on my dessert portion of this review, so check back soon for an update.
Parking in the area is quick and easy and you will be hard pressed to find a better French restaurant anywhere on the mid Peninsula.

This place has been on my list for a long time and had so many good things, perhaps my expectations were too high. Based on this experience I prefer the more casual Café Brioche or Joannie’s café across the street.
The bread they brought out with butter to start the meal was nothing special. The onion soup was OK. The Niman Ranch steak was the most disappointing. It smelled bad! I have had it before and don’t remember it being this way. Have I gotten used to the processed meats?
The chocolate soufflé was the best part of the meal but nowhere close to the chocolate mousse that you get across the street at Joannie’s café. I will probably go here again to try it again just to make sure they were not having an off night.

This place is very good. Hands down the best meal to be had in the California Ave area of Palo Alto, except if you want sushi, cause the place next door, Jin Sho is awesome.
They get the fifth start if the menu had changed in the 2 month break Ive taken between meals there. Oh and they could use a few more wines by the glass; she like White and I like Red and we want to choose our glasses rather than be beholden to what is offered.
It is worth noting that the service here is impeccable and I will be dining here as often as I have $ 200 to blow on dinner!

I learned about Bistro Élan after dining at Jin Sho several times since Élan is right next door.
This is one of the best little bistro’s I’ve dined at in the Bay Area. They emphasize the importance of fresh ingredients. I’ve had most of their dishes on their lunch menu including their salads and pastas. They are all delicious and yummy.
Prices are fair. and parking is easy if you park in the lot in the back. Would definitely come here again =)

Yummie yummie yummie, I got love in my tummy.
It is always a wonderful treat to come here. I usually come here on a whim and thankfully they are very accommodating and we were quickly seated at the kitchen bar overlooking crafting in the kitchen. I need to indulge my whims more.
The intimate surroundings never feel crowded and the warmth and friendly attitude of everyone makes me feel at home and wanting to linger and soak up the atmosphere.
We started with a little Parmesan cookies and some olives and great conversation with our host.
The dishes that followed were unforgetalbe … but I can’t recall what we had other then the plates were sparkly clean when we were done. YUM!
Come, love, leave content.

The foie gras here is soooooo good. I was like eating liquid fat on a crunchy piece of bread. I really have not had good foie gras until now, it came with a bit of citrus which might have been a mandarin orange. The subtle sweet tanginess was perfection with the smooth savory grilled foie gras.
I needed to catch up with girlfriend Yvonne W. after having not chatted in a long time. So her friend suggests this Mexican joint also on California, but when we drive around, that place is completely empty. Completely empty on a night before holiday is a no-​go in my book. I tell her, this place is delicious and will be worth going to since she also dressed really cute for me.
We started out with a bottle of whine and wine. Sparkling it was and pretty filling. Then as we waited Yvo’s bf said he’d be joining us. So we ordered oysters to start. I like how they have little plates of appetizers to keep you busy while you wait because it was a long wait due to an accident for Yvo’s bf on 101. The olive bread as usual is delicious, as are the fresh olives which I normally don’t like, but here the flavor is just right. The oysters come and are the usual deliciousness.
Then we had the aforementioned foie gras, followed by our dishes and mac and cheese, as well as the french fries. I know seriously we ordered french fries at a french restaurant. Sacre bleu! Faux pas! Nevertheless the fries are so drool worthy here. They are a close second to Ecollo which I think has the best french fries around. I ordered the duck confit which was cooked to utter tender and juicy perfection served abed a tasty risotto. Yvo had the crab cakes which were solid, and well seasoned, great but I’m not a huge fan of crab cakes in general. Then her bf had the scallops and fatty pork on a bed of beans via my recommendation. It was just as delicious as I remembered. The sweetness of the fresh large scallops paired with the salty fatty pork was divine. I just love the ultimate pairing of savory sweet. It’s so good.
We settled on another white wine for the main courses, and were way stuffed, but Nata B. had suggested prior to my arrival to try the chocolate soufflé, and it was amazing. I’m not a huge fan of chocolate, but this was light, fluffy and airy.
A heavenly experience, with FABULOUS service from the host and the waiters. This has hit the high notes as one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay that I have had the pleasure to try. I love French food and this was FAR better than Left Bank.

Located on California Street and adjacent to Jin Sho, Bistro Élan is probably the most popular restaurant along this strip of varied and excellent dining options.
Reservations are a must and, even calling half a week ahead, I was surprised at being unable to get my preferred dining time.
Upon entering, we found the restaurant buzzing and ambient crowd noise is definitely noticeable and occasionally loud; most so in the enclosed indoor dining space.
Service is solid and we were actually seated earlier than our reservation when a table opened up.
Bistro Élan features French-​inspired brasserie cuisine and reflects a daily changing menu that emphasizes local, fresh, organic ingredients.
Our order consisted of:
* Dungeness crab appetizer — a generous amount of crab meat topped with avocado slices. Unfortunately, the cold creamy (mayonnaise?) crab mix with avocado reminded me of a Japanese sushi roll.
* Prosciutto and pear — a medley of contrasting flavors with tart pear, salty prosciutto and olive oil and arrugula cheese.
* Veal with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese — the veal was tender, albeit a tad salty. Though the tomato sauce and mozzarella were freshly made, this dish was simply average.
* Pan seared halibut — a nicely prepared small piece of halibut accompanied by a bed of tomatoes and other vegetables. The downside was a sour sauce that the vegetables were mixed in.
* Raspberry soufflé — we snagged the last available order and the dessert was the highlight of the meal. Light and fluffy, the soufflé was prepared quite well. My criticism was the raspberry sauce was a bit too sweet. Contrast to the perfect souffles at Café Jacqueline in San Francisco.
Overall, our meal at Bistro Élan was good, but unspectacular. While Bistro Élan is a popular spot for special occasions and dates, for me, I’d rank several places higher on the pecking order. Given the relatively high prices and the fact that others do the «local, organic, daily menu» concept much better, I’m not sure when I’ll be back.
Bistro Élan takes credit cards and American Express.