Frommer's Review
< Goodbye laundromat, hello great dining deal. When the owner of Bistro
Vatel opened a casual Italian eatery just a few doors down from his French
restaurant, he stuck with his winning good-food-at-good-prices formula --
and then some. In this open, cheery storefront, with its tongue-in-cheek
tributes to the business that used to reside here (exposed ductwork, an old
washing machine), you select from dishes in three price categories. For $6
you can opt for a salad or sandwich (perhaps a tomato, mozzarella, and pesto
panini); $9 nabs you one of the pastas, thin-crust pizzas, or lighter
seafood and chicken dishes; while for $12 you might enjoy such hearty
entrees as a quail and mushroom risotto or pork loin scaloppine parmigiana.
Daily specials such as osso buco tend to fall into these price categories,
too, although a few dishes go for $15. Everything's fresh and delicious, and
the portions are geared toward a normal human appetite, not supersize. A
nice selection of (mostly) Italian wines enhances an already optimal
experience.
