Step into California Bistro and you’ll feel like you’ve entered someone’s kitchen. Yellow lighting, black and white photographs and rattan chairs. The trance and rock tunes don’t exactly go together, yet they do create a strangely casual feel for the restaurant. American food is the hallmark of the restaurant, with pasta, pizza, ribs and cakes making up the menu. We ordered Caesar salad to kick start our dinner. Fresh pieces of lettuce, slices of grilled chicken, bacon bits and parmesan shaves greeted us. The salad was tangier than the usual offers elsewhere, and we liked it that way. Next, we ordered their signature chicken cordon bleu. A fried cocoon shaped fusion of chicken, ham and melted cheese arrived. We devoured this golden brown gem with gusto, loving every bite. Their tenderloin forestiere didn’t enjoy as much attention though. The beef wasn’t as juicy as hoped, and the accompanying cauliflower and mashed potato were mediocre at best. There were more onions than mushrooms in the peppery sautéed mushroom sauce too. We expected better. For dessert, we ordered the gateau au chocholat. Along came a slice of chocolate cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and strawberries. Nothing mind blowing, just another commonplace dessert to round off our meal. In sum, one finds mostly average fare in this casual eatery.
