Bistro Du Vent

04/01/06

Excellent

by dijkdes at Citysearch

Went there for lunch and it was excellent. As an appetizer I had the white bean soup with chorizo and it was not only beautifull (after all the eye wants to be pleased too - and I was impressed with what they were able to do with a soup) it was also by far the best white bean soup I have ever tasted. As a matter of fact it was so good that I have been searching for a recipe that will come close to it ever since (no luck yet). Someone else in my party had the short ribs and he's still talking about those. The restaurant has gotten mixed reviews but I hear there has been a change in management/chef and I think people should really give it another shot. I thought it was great and I will certainly be going again.

• Pros: Food, Location

02/06/06

Don't go for pre-theater

by kbcnyc at Citysearch

The service at Bistro du Vent was atrocious. We waited well over an hour to be served our first course ... after repeatedly explaining to the waiter we had theater tickets and needed to be out promptly at 7:40. At 7:30 we had not yet received our main courses! We had to leave -- there was no sense in getting our food and only having ten minutes to eat. The staff was neither apologetic nor nice about the inconvenience. And on top of all of this -- the food we had for the first course was only so-so. Not up to Mario Batali standards.

01/06/06

Third Chance - NO WAY!

by tbr5 at Citysearch

Went when they opened last year and had a terrible evening pre-theater. Decided to give it a second chance tonight. Had 2.5 hours before theater and our second course arrived 45 min after the first and 10 min before we had to run to the theater. The service was atrocious. The food was average. The manager said they have no excuse and called our evening a disaster, and I agree. Never go here pre-theater or in my opinon, I won't even give it a third chance or return and HIGHLY do not recommend.

• Pros: Shrimp
• Cons: Service, Communication, Timing

12/02/05

Delicious

by poodlefan at Citysearch

We had a wonderful dinner last Saturday. The squash soup was delicious and unusual, and the short ribs were amazing. The apple financier is the best dessert I have had in a long time.

11/29/05

awful service

by lerman at Citysearch

the food was just okay but our waiter was terrible. he was intrusive and hovered to the point of claustrophobia on top of having an arrogant attitude. do not recommend.

• Cons: sub-par service

11/15/05

Amazing, absolutely superb!!!

by harlowa at Citysearch

Another Batali masterpiece. The sommelier and wait staff were incredible -- making us feel as though we were regulars. The wine list had a great assortment of French wines for all degrees of wine lovers. Having never been there before (and knowing Italian wines much better than French wines), the sommelier suggested plenty of reasonably priced selections. He also brought out a couple of wines for each of us to taste to help us with our selection. We took the waiter's suggestions for food, and were glad that we did. The food was flawless, especially the sea bass tartar appetizer, butternut squash soup with coppa, sirloin steak and rabbit (always a treat to eat with people who share, allowing you to taste everything). For dessert, the apple financier and profiteroles were a delightfully decadent finish to a perfect evening. A truly wonderful evening. I will be going back very soon.

• Pros: food, service, wine

11/04/05

Worth the trip

by winesavy at Citysearch

So we caught an article about Bistro having a new chef and thought we would give it a try and we were not disapppointed. The food was terrific, the wine list fun and reasonably priced, the atmosphere was warm and casual, and the service was so comfortable. It hasn't gotten the best reviews but it deserves a visit. They are really doing something special here.

• Pros: wine list, staff, profiteroles
• Cons: none

08/03/05

Subpar

by supahaks at Citysearch

When judging a restaurant, the bottom line is the food. Ambience was comfortable and the service was impeccable. The food was disappointing to say the least. Braised beef was dry, steak was flavorless, steak tartar had a strange after taste. The grill lamb heart and kidney was not bad and the onion soup was normal. overall the food was subpar. Their house wine was exceptional and reasonable priced. Sadly, a failed Batali restaurant.

• Pros: wine, service
• Cons: food

03/03/05

Bistro du Vent

by willis69 at Citysearch

This place didn't really knock my socks off the way other Batali ventures have. The food was decent but not great, the service was decent but not great, the room is fine but not great. Sorry I can't be more descriptive, I guess this reataurant just lulled me into complacency. Worth going to if in the 'hood, but certainly not a destination spot.

03/02/05

Batali and Pasternack bring reliably good French bistro fare to the Theater District.

by Allison Austin at Citysearch

The Scene
The relatively small space is decked out in rich reds and dark woods, with crimson banquettes facing wooden two-top bistro tables fit snugly together. The crowd is a mix of casual theatergoers and dressier business diners. Service, as one might expect in this neighborhood, can be overly exuberant, but is nonetheless well-informed and expedient.

The Food
Chef David Pasternack, who's made a name for himself at nearby Esca, has put together a French bistro greatest-hits menu: onion soup, frisee salad with lardon and poached egg, steak frites, duck confit. His buttery-smooth chicken liver pâté and the incredible potato gratin, which accompanies decadent rare calf's liver, will please even the pickiest bistro fiend. A few details--forgettable frites, so-so homemade sausages--disappoint. But more often, entrees like the burly lamb shank, easily falling off the bone, and intriguing beef braised in oranges and olives, are deeply satisfying.