Provence

Imagine the quiet energy of a street side French bistro merged with the charm of a lit garden cafe and you'd have Provence. Down to Earth wait staff connect you to appetizers, salads and entrees that brim with refreshingly distinct flavors emblematic of thoughtful attention to detail. Layered flavors and refined execution explain a commitment to craft that extracts something remarkable from simple ingredients and a deft hand in the kitchen. Menu changes seasonally. Outdoor seating during Covid makes safety a default to allow for the full enjoyment of your meal.

We went to Provence to celebrate a birthday. The front of house staff were all friendly. We weren't sure if the chef was out of town or if management had changed, but the execution of some of the dishes left much to be desired from a French restaurant. The escargot came out without their shells and were of decent size. The downfall of our meal was the entrees. We ordered the special- salt encrusted fish and chef's selection of fish. The anticipation grew when they brought out stands to hold the food. Unfortunately, the minute we saw the fish, our expectations dropped. To my knowledge, a salt crusted fish is supposed to be encased in salt to allow the fish to steam and be very tender. The fish that came out of the kitchen was a whole fish cooked on a baking pan with a heavy dusting of salt. The waiter struggled a bit with removing the salt and plating, but he was at least gracious to block the salt from hitting the table with the spoon. Once the fish was pulled and plated, I was horrified to see that the "hollandaise" came out of the bowl was solidified and came out in chunks that melted once it hit the hot plate. It was not the nice creamy emulsion that I was expecting of egg yolks and butter. At least the toasted garlic oil was a good flavor addition. When I looked down at the plate, it looked like much of my $31 one-pound fish was left still mostly in the pan and there was less than a filet worth of fish on the plate. To his credit, the waiter looked like he tried his best and was a bit nervous as he plated the fish, perhaps it was his first time serving the fish. At this point, we decided to be amused and grateful for the restaurant that Gordon Ramsey wasn't there. The vegetables were cooked well, still firm and not mushy. The salmon portion was cooked well; the scallop looked like it was steamed as it was missing the golden brown color of a sear, but at least it wasn't rubbery; the other white fish (mahi mahi and trout) were both overcooked and dry. The sauces helped, but were broken and had a strange viscosity. The rice pilaf had so much saffron that it had a bitter unpleasant taste. The salted fish plate had bones mixed throughout the fish pieces and chunks of salt mixed in, which required careful chewing. The first crunch was alarming, but not as shocking as the saltiness that flooded my mouth. We were asked by the waiter and hostess how the food was, but we couldn't figure out how they could improve if the execution of techniques was clearly lacking. We didn't want to put our poor waiter through more tense dissecting of another fish! We did not get dessert, which seemed to bother the other waiter. Overall, we chalked the experience as entertainment. Next time we will go back to eat at St. Jacques, Rue Cler, or Coquette for French food.

A very romantic French restaurant with exhaustive to wine collection . They have great Mediterranean influence French food . The inside and the outside seating is absolutely lovely. a must try place for a date night . dining here will briefly take you to Provence France. Its Upscale and cozy. Its a must try place if you are wine and dine enthusiast.