15 Apr Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Dinner at Bicyclette Bistro
A few months ago, my friend took me out for dinner for my birthday. We went to Bicyclette, the Parisian-inspired restaurant from Chefs Walter and Margarita Manzke. I had not been able to stop thinking about the fresh baguette with Normandy butter or the onion tart and had been wanting to go back for more. So this week, I met a friend for dinner at Bicyclette. While it is on the pricy side, the casual French bistro Bicyclette is the Please The Palate pick of the week.
Bicyclette is located on Pico Boulevard in a building just west of Beverly Drive. Bicyclette is in the lower portion of the building and upstairs is Manzke, the Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant. There is a French-like feel to the restaurant with the tile floor, the French posters on the walls, and the baskets of fresh baguettes. The kitchen opens to the dining room and the tables are closely spaced together. There is a cozy feeling to the restaurant which is dimly lit and offers a fun 80s and 90s playlist in the background. Of course, as the restaurant fills up, it can get loud and you can no longer hear the music, let alone your dining companion(s), but the energy is good.
The menu offers many classic French dishes, such as Frisés Aux Lardons, Gougére, Escargots, Onion Soup, Bouillabaisse, and more. There is something comforting about the menu which takes these classic French dishes and adds fresh ingredients from California.
A meal at Bicyclette must include a baguette. There are different accoutrement that can be paired with the baguette but I prefer the simplicity of Rodolphe Le Meunier Normandy butter. There really is nothing more glorious than a freshly baked baguette that has a crunchy crust with rich, creamy Normandy butter. And a good thing at Bicyclette is that you can get more baguettes at no extra charge. So not only can you enjoy it with butter but also with the rest of your meal, like with the mussels.
The Mediterranean Black Mussels a la Mariniere are huge and tender and come in a broth with Noilly Prat and Straus Creamery Butter. We also ordered French Fries that came with Tarragon Aioli, but we kept dipping the fries, and the baguette, into the rich, flavorful broth.
To cut the richness of the dish, we shared two different white wines, the 2021 Jean Collet & Fils Chablis and the Les Sablons Vouvray Sec Chenin Blanc.
The Bicyclette menu has a section with the “dishes of the day”. From this section, we chose the White and Green Asparagus with Sauce Maltaise and Fine Herbs. When white asparagus is in season, is must be ordered. These white asparagus are from Holland and were sweet and tender. And the sauce is a Hollandaise sauce with the juice of blood oranges, which added a touch of sweetness and tanginess.
We were tempted by the Beef Short Rib a la Bourguignonne but ended up ordering the Liberty Farms Duck Led Confit, served with Frog Hollow Warren Pears, Turnips, Steel Cut Oaks, and Cider Peppercorn Jus. The duck was tender and delicious. The meat fell off the bone and the skin was crispy.
To pair with the duck, we enjoyed the Roland Thevenin & Fils 2021 Bourgogne Pinot Noir.
We finished the meal with Maple Pecan Banana Bread Pudding. While we thought we would only take a bite each, we devoured this dessert!
Bicyclette is a casual bistro. It is pricy so be prepared, but the food is delicious and the ambience is welcoming. Bicyclette is open for dinner nightly. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations are recommended. The restaurant is small and fills up quickly.
Bicyclette
9575 Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90035