Fine Dining	A French Revolution by Lauren Newkirk Maynard

(photo: Rose Mattrey)

The word “bistro,” especially this time of year, makes us think of hearty country stews, simple roasts and rustic desserts—of an intimate, unpretentious Parisian café serving generous portions and affordable wines.

O’Connell’s American Bistro, the latest makeover of the former Hourglass by owner and executive chef Kevin O’Connell Jr., hits the mark on almost every count. The Kenmore Avenue restaurant recently underwent a renovation, reopening in October to serve simple yet sophisticated contemporary French cooking.

The two-tiered dining room surrounds the original semi-round bar, and Gallic-inspired murals are anchored by cushy chairs, thick linens and substantial cutlery. The kitchen is backed by the energy and skill of Roo Buckley, of the sadly departed Coda.

The price also is bistro fare: The upscale prix fixe lunch, served 11:30am to 2pm weekdays, is a very reasonable $15 for three courses or $12 for two; the five-, seven- and 10-course dinner tastings are considerably more. On Tuesdays, a two-course lunch for two only costs 20 bucks.

Those gathered at our table one recent Monday wondered how such deals could be sustained over the long haul. Was this a teaser to get diners in for dinner, or a clever gamble to see if high-end lunching is possible in Kenmore, not known for drawing the downtown crowd? As one of my guests admitted, “I usually don’t drive past Forest Avenue for any meal.”

Granted, $15 is generally more than I would normally spend on an average lunch, but this food isn’t average, and the fact remains that there are few expense-account-friendly restaurants within 20 minutes of City Hall any day of the week. You won’t find Rue Franklin, Buffalo Chophouse or E.B. Green’s opening their doors until dinner service. Nor will you find a fish fry or even the ubiquitous entrée salad at O’Connell’s. Although demand for this kind of meal is sure to grow as Buffalo develops a more diverse and demanding lunch crowd, it remains to be seen whether O’Connell has chosen the right location.

We contemplated this, and the rather empty, slightly chilly dining room, with growing hunger as the menus came. Our attentive server was a pro, taking coats and offering lemon—served on tiny, precious plates—for our glasses of water. Heading back to work meant that wine would have to wait.

I ordered pan-roasted clams, a delicious riff on moules marinieres. Plump littlenecks swam in a fragrant pool of white wine and garlic confit, with chopped fresh tomato and sausage. Sopping up the juices with toasted bread, we declared it the best starter of the bunch, which included a modest, well-prepared serving of pea and basil risotto and, naturally, a large crock of French onion soup. The onions could have been darker, but the beef broth was tasty and not overly salty.

For the main course one guest ordered beef tartare topped with a tiny French pickle and served with country bread. The other diner and I opted for variations of our first courses: After the risotto he ordered the truffle “mac n’ cheese,” a truly bistro-sized bowl of light gnocchi smothered in a rich, slightly ’shroom-scented cheese sauce. “You wouldn’t want to order this without bringing a friend,” he said as we all dove in. I followed the clams with coquilles St. Jacques.

These two gratin dishes highlight O’Connell’s different interpretations of bistro cooking. Technically, a gratin isn’t always smothered in melted cheese, but can be any baked or broiled dish covered with cheese or buttered breadcrumbs. Here, the scallops were served piping hot but not overcooked, and the cream sauce was light without any discernible egg or flour to gum up the works. The dish scored even more points with shitake mushrooms, thyme and bacon.

Some vocabulary you may need for O’Connell’s, although the menu itself often translates: Lardons (or lardoons), used in the quiche Lorraine and many other dishes, is bacon that is diced, blanched and fried. “Vol au vent” means “windblown,” and refers to any meat or vegetable filling baked inside a light puff pastry—like O’Connell’s decadent foie gras with mushroom cream. The day we lunched they weren’t serving escargot, another quintessentially French first course of land snails sautéed in butter, herbs and garlic.

Main courses on the lunch menu also include lamb chops with butter beans, a flank steak tartine served with caramelized onions and Roquefort, pan-fried crab cakes and duck breast l’orange.

For dinner you can order a multi-course tasting or a la carte based on preparation: cold, hot or “green” firsts, and grilled or sautéed seconds. O’Connell and Buckley have done an admirable job offering a mixture of classic French and American recipes updated with their own personal touches.

For instance, at one dinner visit the bread was replaced by a scrumptiously buttery cheese biscuit studded with chives. A fan of free-range protein, O’Connell orders steaks from Strauss Ranch in Montana, rack of lamb from Ireland’s MacMurray Ranch ($44) and Kobe beef, pork and veal from Snake River Farms, Idaho ($32-$58). Other dinner entrées include king salmon with roasted shallots ($19), veal cheeks with wild mushrooms and potato gnocchi ($19.50) and sea bass poached in ghee, Indian clarified butter ($29). I’d also like to try another bistro favorite, roasted chicken thighs ($16).

Of course, no bistro menu would be complete without frites—the real French fry that puts America’s flabby versions to shame. O’Connell’s steak frites is nearly perfect: ample slices of juicy hanger steak piled on top of slender golden fries. A rich touch of truffle butter was cut by the sharpness of whole-grain Dijon mustard.

My only worry was how to eat the dish fast enough before meat juices reached the crispy potatoes hiding underneath. Perhaps serving them separately in paper cones or to the side would prevent the sog-out.

The restaurant’s desserts du jour are homemade. A raspberry tart was definitely rustic and not too sweet, while the crackled surface of a crème brulée capped off my already sumptuous lunch.

O’Connell’s has always boasted a thorough and international wine list. There are many quality French and West Coast reds and whites by the glass or bottle including, for the ambitious, a “vertical” list of several vintages from the same winery.

If you prefer suds with your steak, there’s a nice selection of local and imported lagers and ales. I’ve also enjoyed several of their “bistro cocktails,” including a well-muddled mint julep and a French martini—vanilla vodka, chambord and a splash of pineapple juice.

O’Connell’s takes reservations and you can check their Web site (oconnellsamericanbistro.com) for such weekly specials as Monday Night Football drinks and appetizers, “Wine on Wednesdays” and live piano music on Friday nights.

Let’s hope the fixed-price experiment is a success for O’Connell and company. I’m certainly saving room for more.