One would never think there is a Classical French restaurant located in the heart of Chinatown, especially on Maunakea Street; yet, there is. Duc's Bistro has been open in the same spot since 1992, and after 24 years of just walking by, I finally came in, and a treat it was.
Right when you walk in, you will see and feel a sense of refinement and sophistication with the uniform table settings, the low lighting, the quietness, and the overall light colors of the décor. The ambiance is cozy and comfortable, and intimate and romantic. Definitely an excellent place to take a special someone on a special date.
Looking through the menu, it consisted of mostly Vietnamese dishes than French dishes, and most of the French dishes are appetizers, so don't expect Coq au vin or souffles all around.
We started with the Foie Gras that's seared with cognac and served on toast with papaya slices and preserved cherries, and a mint leaf. The fatty duck liver was rich, decandent, creamy, and just melt in your mouth goodness. The papaya was very sweet and really cut into the savoriness of the foie, and the preserved fruit added the acidity to balance out the richness. The mint really rounded out the whole dish because it added a much needed brightness. I wish there was more than one leaf! As good as the Foie was, I was more astonished with the toast! Not sure if the Foie made it more flavorful or what, but the toast was ridiculously good and had a very nice crisp on the outside.
Next was the escargot served in the typical herb butter with bread. This was very disappointing. The escargot was overcooked and ate tough and chewy, and the pieces I had were small. The button mushrooms were larger! The biggest disappointment was the lack of flavor. The herb butter lacked any herb flavor or aroma; the butter lacked the buttery taste. Odd, I know. The only positive of this dish is the bread. The bread was simply amazing. The inside was soft and pillowy, the crust had a nice light crisp, and the bread was tasty. I could just eat a meal of this bread with the toast in between and be totally satisfied.
The Butter Lettuce salad was very good. All the ingredients were fresh and well prepared, and the vinagarette was nicely seasoned and was very tasty.
The Steak Saigon is NY Steak is cubed and served in a "French Shoyu," and it was below average. On my very first bite, I was in a bewilderment because my first thought was how it tasted exactly like "American Gravy." I took my time smelling it and eating it, and I was still confused! Why does this taste like gravy? I'm trying to pick out any distinct flavors and aromas, but each time, it smelled and tasted like gravy. I got nothing "French nor Shoyu." The cubed steak was bland. It desperately needed salt and pepper. This dish is a definite pass.
The Rack of New Zealand Lamb was another disappointment. The lamb was overcooked to medium and medium well than medium rare. The meat was tougher than I prefer. It also lacked salt and pepper, and severely lacked char. I'd guess they were just basting and basting and basting their arm got tired. With all that said, the sauce was delicious. It was light and subtle, which is odd considering it's supposed to be a red wine demi-glace. This dish could have easily been better.
Next we had the Steamed Chilean Sea Bass. The fish was either not very fresh, just taken out of the freezer to defrost, or just overcooked. I'd say it was just defrosted. The fish was firm, but not moist, not rich, nor was it tender. The sauce was your basic soy, ginger, and hot oil combination, so nothing special at all.
We had the Saffron Rice. It was tasteless and lacked aroma.
We also received a bowl of Pho. This was a very simple Pho with just raw beef, onions, scallions, and cilantro. The broth was very rich with strong and heavy flavors, and thicker than what you find normally. It was good overall, but it needed something to cut into the richness of the broth.
Finally, we ended the meal with dessert, Crème Brûlée with a madeleine on top. They nailed this one. It had the perfect hard sugar crust at the top that nicely cracked with your spoon. The custard was light and creamy with the perfect sweetness.
Overall, the food was okay. It wasn't very refined or impressive, but still acceptable. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and ambiance of this place. It felt cozy and comfortable, and intimate and warm. The staff here are friendly and very attentive. The owner is even more friendly and attentive. He's very hospitable and personable, and will make sure you are having an excellent time.
This place has been unique to Chinatown for decades. Definitely a nice place to have a special meal with a special person or persons. read more