A taste of Paris with Albany prices
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10
Service 10 • Food – 8 • Ambiance – 9 • Price – $$$
By L.P. Clark
For twelve years, Nicole’s Bistro has enjoyed the reputation of a restaurant that can be relied on to offer consistent, quality dining in a warm and inviting atmosphere. It’s housed in the oldest building in Albany, the historic Quackenbush House, across from the equally historic Palace Theatre. As long as there is no event at the Palace, on street parking is easy to find.
With a relatively small dining area, it is wise to plan ahead. We tried to make a reservation for a Tuesday night, but were unsuccessful because two large parties occupied the entire restaurant. So we went back two days later, which turned out to be quite slow, but I still recommend making reservations in advance.
Entering the restaurant feels like walking into a friend’s house. That familiar and welcoming atmosphere is apparent from the full company of regulars at the bar. The decor artfully combines French touches with classic Albany scenes, as well as a “wall of fame” that features well known patrons of Nicole’s.
Our server, Sarah, seated us in the corner, a romantic location next to the decorative fireplace. Darling Dinner Date (D3) and I settled in to peruse the menu’s wide variety of classically French choices like pate, duck and the quintessential cheese plate, mixed with more eclectic offerings like a Tapas sampler and the Kobe beef burger. I previously had looked at the menu online and immediately noticed a difference. The Coq Au Vin, classic French chicken cooked in red wine, had been changed from being served with risotto to being served over egg noodles. Since I was looking forward to the risotto, I inquired about the change. After checking with the chef, Sarah returned to tell me it was available. She also told us about the specials, one of them being crab cakes, making our choices even more difficult.
D3 opted to start with the mushroom ragout and have the Coq Au Vin for his main course. I ordered the crab cakes and, with the temperature close to zero, was unable to resist the French onion soup. We were given a few slices of fresh warm baguette accompanied by extra virgin olive with basil for dipping, and soon after our appetizers and soup arrived, which provided an auspicious start to the meal. The cheese on the French onion soup was perfect, not stringy at all; it melted down into the crock and then into my mouth. The broth was fresh and typical for a French restaurant; the bread in the soup was wonderful day old baguette. Having French onion soup at Nicole’s could ruin it for you at other restaurants. The mushroom ragout was placed on a tart and topped with a sherry cream sauce; it was wonderfully rich and creamy and complemented by unique pickled peppers.
We had just the right amount of time to savor the memory of the appetizers when our entrees arrived. As D3 began taking the chicken off the bone of his Coq Au Vin, it became obvious he had made a fabulous choice. He could have done it with a spoon or, quite possibly, with the right tone of voice, lulled the meat from the bone. It was that tender and delicious, with none of the juices going to waste as they were seeping into an already creamy risotto flavored with French Herbs du Provence. Both of our meals came with fresh steamed green beans and carrots cooked to a perfect al dente, preserving all of the flavorful nutrients. My crab cakes were traditional and delicious in their simplicity, allowing the flavor of the crab to shine through. The cakes were accompanied by a more adventurous pesto mayonnaise on the side. The side of brown rice pilaf had a pleasant flavor and crunch, albeit a tad on the salty side. I didn’t finish the rice in order to save room for dessert and D3 followed suit. He decided to take some of his home to make way for the sweet finish.
We didn’t know what Sabayon Gateau was, so we asked. It is a dense chocolate cake layered with lightly whipped chocolate mousse, which is then covered with a thick dark chocolate icing over top. D3 was sold on this; I like to feel as though I am finishing my meal with a light touch, so I ordered the Belgian Chocolate Mousse (I knew the only thing light about it is the texture). Both desserts were phenomenal and, against our better judgment, we finished them both. They each came with fresh whipped cream topped with cinnamon, which could have been a dessert unto itself.
Dinner for two with a glass of wine, two beers, appetizers, meals and dessert was $102, before tip. If you have never been to Nicole’s Bistro, you won’t be disappointed. If you haven’t been there in awhile, it will be as good as you remembered it. The chef also offers a prix fixe menu Monday through Friday, with more limited selections and prix fixe menus for special occasions. Nicole’s Bistro continues to live up to its reputation for fine dining and superb service, all in a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Nicole’s Bistro is located at 25 Quackenbush House in Albany. Serving lunch Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm; dinner Monday-Saturday 5pm-10pm. For more information call 465.1111 or visit www.nicolesbistro.com.