((L-R) Pork chop and chocolate cake | Photos by Linden Gross)
South Bend Bistro may have changed hands in December 2024, but you would never know it. The tiny restaurant’s interior, which seats a maximum of 83 people, still delivers a sophisticated yet cozy, welcoming atmosphere, accentuated by the friendly and attentive staff. The menu and food have also remained largely unchanged, a not entirely surprising development given that new owners David Stofle and Culley Calkins had worked there for years before purchasing the establishment. So, its tradition of elevated bistro fare with a largely French spin still prevails.
I love French food, so that works for me. So did our appetizers during a recent dinner there.
To start, my three friends and I dove into beautifully seared sea scallops served with bacon and al dente asparagus tips atop a delicious brown sugar parsnip puree. A perfect pairing of salty and sweet, even if the scallops themselves had been left in the pan just a tad too long.
The carpaccio’s divine, wafer-thin slices of tender meat — topped with fried capers, green onion, shaved parmesan, crème fraiche, and a drizzle of olive oil — tasted positively beefy in the best way. “We use the center of the rib eye,” explained Culley. No wonder!
A plate of earthy baby red and golden beets and creamy, herbed goat cheese set off by seared shallots, dried cherries, a dusting of fennel pollen, and crunchy ribbons of sweet potato also didn’t disappoint.
As we moved to the entrees, the single flop of the evening was the truffle sausage ragu. The truffles seemed to be missing in action, and the sauce was watery instead of rich and velvety. Luckily, the other dishes made up for that and then some.
Despite being four foodies who cook a lot, we couldn’t figure out how executive chef Scott Phillips could create such a succulent piece of salmon with such a crispy crust. I found the secret in the restaurant’s blog. After being house-fileted, the king salmon is marinated in a blend of herbs and spices, then grilled, infusing it, in the words of the blog post, “with a smoky aroma and tender texture.”
The seared, moist bone-in Snake River Farms Kurobuta pork chop topped with a tart cherry and ginger compote and served with a delightful pan jus was wonderfully complemented by candied pepitas and bacon, and a sweet potato and leek puree.
“OMG, these folks know how to cook vegetables,” announced one of my dining companions.
We would experience that even more profoundly with our next indulgence. While none of us had wanted to order the chicken, the sides sounded irresistible. So, we asked if we could try the creamy gratin Dauphinoise potato and roasted broccolini. The verdict? “Oh, holy hallelujah!”
I had the same reaction when I tasted the roasted quail in a garlic-thyme pan sauce with roasted root vegetables and a celery root puree. Together, the components created the perfect bite. And I’m not even a quail fan.
We shared two desserts — the warm, ooey-gooey flourless chocolate cake with salted caramel sauce and the pear tart with a frangipane tart crust that made it almost cakelike. While we all wanted more pear in the latter, we sure weren’t about to kick either out of bed.
South Bend Bistro
57080 Abbot Dr., Bldg. 26, Sunriver
541-593-3881
Tuesday-Saturday // 5-8pm