Menus & Dishes
A bistro menu is a test of whether a kitchen can do simple things perfectly. Bouchon's answer is a roast chicken that has been on the menu for two decades for good reason.
By The Reservation Desk Editorial Team · Published August 11, 2025 · Last updated · 9 min read
Oysters, shrimp and the seafood plateau are handled with the precision you would expect given the group's standards, and they set up the rest of the meal better than a heavy starter would.
A half dozen oysters and a glass of something sparkling is the correct opening here, and it is not an expensive one.
Poulet rôti is the dish the kitchen is judged on. Brined, roasted properly, served with what the season provides — it is the clearest expression of the group's philosophy at a bistro price.
If it is your first visit and you order one thing, order this.
Steak frites, moules marinière, quiche and croque madame form the backbone of the menu, and each is executed at a level that makes the familiar worth ordering again.
The frites deserve specific mention: cooked twice, salted immediately, and gone before the main course arrives.
Seasonal vegetables come from the same supply chain that feeds the tasting-menu restaurants, and ordering two or three sides for the table is the cheapest way to eat Napa produce at its peak.
Whatever is listed as the market vegetable is almost always the right call.
The bistro desserts are classical — profiteroles, crème caramel, tarts — and entirely worth staying for. If you would rather walk, the bakery next door offers a different pleasure entirely.
The macarons and the TKO cookie are the two things to buy for later.
Oysters, one shared starter, a chicken and a steak, two vegetable sides, one dessert and two glasses of wine will feed two people generously.
This is a bistro. Ordering three courses each is a way to leave uncomfortable rather than a way to see more of the menu.
The Reservation Desk Editorial Team — Independent research and editorial team
Our editorial team researches fine-dining access, booking windows and menu formats across the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. Every guide is compiled from restaurant-published information, official reservation platforms and first-hand dining notes, then re-checked before each update.
This guide is compiled and checked against our verification process and editorial policy.
Availability at Thomas Keller's restaurants moves quickly. Check what is open now, then use our guides to prepare for the release.