I do not want to discourage anyone from dining there it could have been one of the “little off” days we all have. He has been open since 1986 and has expanded the size of the restaurant several times to accommodate the demand. I would like to return when the Chef is actively involved in the preparation of the food. I am NOT complaining about the size of the servings, since it is offered only to offer a chance to sample 3 of their desserts. It consisted of small portions of Banana Croissant Bread Pudding, Chocolate Mouse and Crème Brule: all were good, but the portions were too small to accurately decide how they compared to the same dishes I had had elsewhere. We ordered the Trilogy of Indulgence for dessert. Maybe it was the “cooks” not being as accomplished or caring as the Chef/Owner. I never uderstood what the fried lemon slices added to the dish. Unfortunately the peppers were not properly charred, only a small seared mark on one of the peppers. As reflected by this dish, Bijou is not solely a French Restaurant. I ordered the Shrimp Piri Piri served with Charred Shishito peppers, fried Meyer Lemon slices and creamy Grits. ![]() The ratio of crab meat to filler was perfect. My wife ordered the Bijou Crab Cakes and was pleased with the amount of crab meat. The brothers ordered the Crepes D’Agneau which they said were wonderful. POOR KITCHEN MANAGEMENT!! He did agree that it was salty, but did not come out to apologize nor take the item off of our check. Our waitress took our complaint to the Chef who confessed that it was made by the “cooks” and he had not yet tasted it. I complained about the Vichyssoise which was so salty that I could barely finish the small portion. The servings were small as could be expected. The tasting trio was a Cold Soup (Vichyssoise), hot soup (tomato with goat cheese) and a cream soup (shrimp and crab Bisque). (2010) Downtown Sarasota’s popular Bijou Caf. My wife and I ordered the same appetizer: A Trio of Soups. Sarasota Magazine is your resource for Sarasota restaurants, news, events, shopping, party pictures, health, real estate and more. I could eat it every day and not tire of it. Both my wife and I wish that we had ordered the same salad. There was a variety of beets served with arugula, Chevre, toasted pecans and balsamic vinaigrette. Our friends (two brothers) both ordered appetizer salads of Roasted Beets. We all were attracted to different items on the menu. It was difficult to decide what to order because there were so many wonderful choices. Our waitress was alwas available and anticipated our needs without being intrusive. ![]() The art work, all original and for sale was wonderful and I could have spent hours looking at it. ![]() COVID may have negatively affected some restaurants in Sarasota-we are aware of two that closed-but Bijou appears to be thriving.He ambience and service was 5 Star. For dessert, we were delighted with slices of chocolate mousse cake and pineapple upside down cake with coconut mousse. I enjoyed a grilled filet mignon with baby zucchini, roasted red potatoes, lobster bread crumbs and espagnole sauce. ![]() For an entree, my wife had a roasted rack of lamb with spinach gnocchi, tomato confit and pistachio mint sauce. For starters, we had a colossal shrimp cocktail, Escargot Bouriguignon and a roasted garlic Caesar salad. Open from 5 to 9 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and 5 to 10 on Friday and Saturday, it remains a popular gathering place for business people while also attracting the theater crowd and out-of-towners like us who remember how good the lunch menu was. Established in 1986, in a restored 1920s gas station, the 134-seat venue also offers two courtyards for outdoor dining. Located at 1287 1st Street, in the heart of the city's theater and arts district, near the opera house, this upscale cafe features a mix of French and California cuisines. After COVID, Bijou became a dinner/only restaurant. Before COVID, Bijou Garden Cafe in Sarasota, Florida, was one of our go-to destinations for lunch.
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