A.O.C.

A.O.C.

Owner

A.O.C. opened in early 2003 and is an authentic French Bistro serving classic French food. The chef & owner was the chef at Les Deux Gamins for 5 years. His partner is the owner of a wholesale seafood company which services the restaurant. Thus, amazingly fresh and delicious seafood is offered daily. There is a beautiful outdoor garden and patio in the back which is opened during the warmer weather.

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
Postcards of French starlets and vintage posters decorate the dining room, where locals engage in laid-back bistro activities: They read papers, nosh and talk, and watch old movies projected by the clubby wood bar. The enormous, partially-covered garden (with a portioned smoker's den) is more casual at night, when inside tables are draped with linen. Servers give good service when they're not spread too thin.

The Food
A.O.C's familiar French bistro menu offers all the classics. Stick to the Roquefort-endive salad or a simple cheese plate--though its selections are mainstream, it easily feeds four. Cheesy onion soup is thin-stocked, while too-chewy escargots taste off under butter-saturated breadcrumbs. Plump mussels with crisp frites are inundated with shredded onions. Among entrees, the pan-roasted sea bass with cauliflower mashed potatoes and seared, balsamic-drizzled tuna fare best. Juicy entrecote and hanger steaks often lack flavor; quiche can be dense and dry.