This past weekend, my husband and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary and wanted to enjoy a celebratory dinner date somewhere we hadn’t eaten before. After a little Yelp research, we decided to try L’Aperitif, a French and Italian fusion bistro “with an Asian touch.” The reviews were very strong, and it was highly rated for date night spots. Plus, it allowed reservations, which is always a plus in my book to avoid waiting around in a lobby for extensive periods when hungry.
When we walked in, we were greeted by a friendly hostess who turned out to be our server as well. She provided truly exceptional and friendly service all evening. The dining room was dark with warm sconce lighting, creating an inviting feel. The mood in the room was bright and happy—it was filled with other diners when we arrived, with every table occupied. (I snapped the photo below as we were leaving and most diners had finished their meals as well, hence why to room is less filled.)
The drink menu was extensive, featuring house cocktails and classics, along with an expansive wine and beer selection. There were specials on the blackboard near the bar, but they also had a copy for each table titled “Blackboard Specials” on paper, which was a nice touch and made it easy not to forget the limited-run selections.
The standard menu featured a considerable selection of appetizers and tapas, including a variety of seafood proteins prepared in multiple ways such as seared scallops on the half shell, shrimp ceviche, tuna carpaccio, and spicy baked mussels. There were also traditional French delicacies like escargot with butter and parsley and Cuisses de Grenouilles à l’Ail (frog legs).
We decided to try a special appetizer that was a twist on French pizza from the chef’s hometown region of Alsace, France. It was made on a cracker-thin crust with crème fraîche, bacon, and thinly sliced onion.
The main course menu featured seafood, pastas, handmade gnocchi, cioppino, paella, lobster tail truffle risotto, and various chicken and steak dishes (including a massive 54-ounce “cowboy steak”). Sides included garlic roasted potatoes and buttery rice pilaf. I opted for a special from the Blackboard, Lac Luc, which was a sautéed steak served with grilled jalapeño peppers and onions and grilled lemon for drizzling. I chose the pilaf as well, which was very good. My husband enjoyed the lobster tail risotto and kindly shared a few bites—it was excellent.
Since we were celebrating a special occasion, our server generously treated us to a dessert on the house. We were offered tiramisu or crème brûlée, and we went with the crème brûlée, which was served with fresh berries.
It was fun to see Chef Thomas emerge from the kitchen and socialize with patrons throughout the dining room while we were there. He had a great sense of humor and joked about how, when he was growing up in France, his father told him, “Either you’re good at school, or you learn to work in a kitchen.” Chef Thomas said, “I went to the kitchen!” A stroke of luck for his diners, no doubt!
As shared on the restaurant’s website, “L’Aperitif Bistro Fusion is the culmination of Chef Thomas Nouantanouvanh’s culinary career, an expression of lessons learned from different cooking techniques. Thomas uses his background as both a sommelier and a fromager to pair foods with drinks. ‘Simplicity’ and ‘Less touch, Big flavor’ are his mottos.”
We enjoyed our time at L’Aperitif and would recommend it to anyone looking to try a new date night spot, especially lovers of French cuisine.
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