Bistro VG

publication date: May 12, 2008

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author/source: Tim Altork And John Breech / STAFF

By Tim Altork and John Breech / STAFF

Note: We would like to thank all of the people who have written in to request that we list the basic information (location, hours, etc.) of the restaurants that we review. You would think that it would be obvious to include such information, even to a couple of greenhorns like us. But you would be wrong. So because of the inquisitive public, we have added the little box to the right with all of the information you might need.

The dining duo went a bit upscale this week, visiting Bistro VG, formerly Van Gogh’s.

First Impressions
John: As soon as I walked in, I noticed the inviting white color scheme. It gave the building a sense of extreme cleanliness, which is good for a restaurant. It’s also good for anybody that has an obsessive compulsive or germaphobic friend. So if you know someone like that, you can bring them to VG.

Our server Terry was hard to quantify. Let’s just say that if Terry were an Academy Award, he would be the one for “Best Documentary,” as he was very informative, but a little dry.

Anyway, lets talk about my alcoholic choice for the night. After looking at the drink menu for what I thought was an hour (a lot of good things to choose from) I settled on the Bistro Mojito. As a former bartender, I was keenly aware of the fact that mojitos are usually made with rum. However, VG does it a little differently and uses gin. My thought on that was that this drink was going to be either really good or really bad, kind of like a Cuba Gooding Jr. movie. (Seriously, how does someone who did “Jerry Maguire” and “As Good as it Gets” let himself get cast in “Norbit” and “Daddy Day Camp.”)

Lets just say the gin mojito was more “Jerry Maguire.”

Tim: The interior décor of VG was as subtly unique as any restaurant that I have been to. The white motif made for an airy feel about the place and was a refreshing change of pace. Even the hostess (or “greeter” or whatever the gender-neutral term is) wore white instead of the traditional black garb seen in the majority of upscale restaurants.

The French tint to the place was unmistakable, right down to French draft beer. The beer was accurately representative of the French themselves – light and slightly fruity.

John: A-
Tim: A

Appetizers
John: The appetizer was the easiest choice of the night because Tim basically told me that if we didn’t order the fromage and charcuterie (meat and cheese), he was going to leave. Of course I didn’t want this to turn into “the guy dining by himself,” so I obliged him.

I’ll let Tim describe this dish in detail because he loved it. But don’t let that fool you because I was pretty big fan myself.

We also ordered the steak tartare, which was mostly eaten by me. The meat was savory and served with crispy garlic baguettes that added a nice flavorful touch.

Finally we had the white truffle and parmesan fries. If you’re in the younger crowd like me and you want to treat your friends to a classy night on the town, inevitably there will be at least one person in the group who will look at something like tartare and say “Let’s go to McDonald’s.” Well VG did their homework and now they’re ready to serve that outcast friend. Not only did they have this tasty dish of homemade fries on the menu, but you can also find a cheeseburger (Eddie’s Royale with cheese, in VG language) on the revised menu as well.

Tim: If you’re a fan of cured meats and flavorful cheeses the fromage and charcuterie is a must. VG has a good variety of cheeses and a choice of five thinly-sliced meats. It’s a healthy portion that could combine with a salad or other small plate to make a tasty light meal.

As for the steak tartare, there’s a reason it didn’t suit me. During the course of a meal your food is analyzed by four of the five senses (if you can hear your food, then there’s something amiss). For me, if any two of those four senses don’t find the dish appealing I’m going to have a hard time enjoying it. Steak tartare looks nasty and the mushy texture of raw meat just isn’t my thing.

John: A
Tim: B-

Main Course
John: For the main course we settled on three items – duck, skate wing and pizza. The last time I saw duck, skate wing and pizza on the same menu was never. Again, let me emphasize that VG now has something for everyone.

The skate wing was one of the highlights of the evening.

The pizza had a pungent aroma to it, but that was to be expected since it was topped with pancetta bacon and slow cooked onions.

The trendy way to serve pizza these days seems to be with no red sauce. Well, that’s not a trend I agree with.  So let me switch the subject to something I thoroughly enjoyed, the duck. The duck was tender and absolutely perfect. People have always told me that duck tastes like chicken. Well this duck didn’t. If anything, chicken tastes like duck. I won’t even mention the skate wing because Tim is probably going to write a homage to the dish.

Tim: I too think that the sauce-less pizza craze has run its course. The pancetta and onion pizza would have been succulent with a light, slightly tart tomato sauce. It wasn’t bad in its presented form, it just could have been a lot better.

The skate wing, on the other hand, was fabulous. Skate is a member of the ray family, in case you were wondering. So the wing is the muscular flap that helps propel it through the water. (Anatomy lesson over.)

If you are in the mood for a light white fish that tastes fresh then this is a perfect fit. It’s browned on the outside to the point that it’s ever-so-slightly crisp, and the inside is perfectly moist and flavorful. It’s complemented with a variety of vegetables. The dish fills you up without weighing you down, and that’s always a plus in my book.

John: B+
Tim: A-

Desserts
John: Tim’s bat signal went off right before dessert (unbeknownst to me, fathers with children less then a month old, like Tim, are always on call), so I was left alone for dessert. First I sampled the crepes du jour. VG changes up the toppings to their crepes often, but on the day we went they were topped with kumquats.

The dish was a little too tart for me, but if you like a fruity finish to your meal, then the crepes will be perfect. I personally enjoyed a dessert that looks like a big doughnut hole, although I must apologize because I didn’t catch the name of it. Basically, imagine a big doughnut hole covered in cinnamon and sugar, then imagine this doughnut hole being the tastiest thing you have ever put in your mouth, that would sum up this dessert. 

Tim: I had some chocolate chip cookies for dessert at home after I drove my wife to the airport. They were a little dry because they had been sitting out most of the day.

Summary
Bistro VG is classy without being pretentious. They’re trying to appeal to the more casual diner, as evidenced by the fact that our server wore blue jeans. They were nice blue jeans, but the point is clear. The restaurant is owned by the Sedgewick Group, which also runs the Pure Taqueria in Alpharetta. So they know how to do casual chic dining.
The menu is versatile without being overwhelming. Even so, we had a lot of questions, which our server was able to readily answer. The prices are reasonable ($16-$28 for entrees) and competitive with the other restaurants out there who are trying to lure the upscale casual crowd.

It was a pleasant experience and a good meal, which pretty much is all you really need in a dining experience.

Overall Grade: B+