Sophie's Bistro
Location & Contact:
700 Hamilton Street
Somerset, NJ 08873
732-545-7778
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Description:
a bistro is a place for good times with friends. Our goal is to produce an atmosphere where people can come for lunch, a full dinner, a late snack, a glass of wine or a big cup of coffee and feel comfortable and at home. Our menu is diverse enough for everyone, yet simple enough so the average person will not get overwhelmed with numerous menu choices and complications. Our basic premise is to provide quality food and good service at a fair price in an unpretentious atmosphere. The decor is modeled after classic French Bistros. French country antiques, large open shuttered windows, dark woods, soft pastel colors and walls covered with family pictures make Sophie's an intimate cozy environment.
Serving lunch 11:30-3:00 Tuesday through Friday, Brunch 11:30-3:00 Sunday
Serving dinner starting at 5:00 Tuesday through Saturday and at 3:00pm on Sunday ~ Closed Mondays
The New Brunswick Jazz Project offers live Jazz on some Friday nights!
Hours:
Monday: closed
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Type of Meals Served:
Gourmet French Cuisine in a casual setting.
Price Range:
$$ up to 20 per meal
Reservations:
recommended
The owner was very welcoming and the waiter did not blink when we ordered tap water and eschewed the Evian on the table. Neither of us drink, so he took the wine glasses away too. Goodnaturedl...y. Sophie’s is a “special occasion” place for us because two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts usually cost around $100 (including tax and tip). Not that this is unreasonable – the food is excellent. But our usual dinners out cost half of that. I’m not apologizing for my “frugality,” just explaining that this is considered an expensive meal for us. We shared a dozen escargot, which were delicious and sweet. Sometimes you get an almost mildewy taste, and I’m not sure if it’s the snails or the garlic, but at Sophie’s, the garlic and butter are in the right proportions and there is not that strange aftertaste. We also shared a three-cheese fondue, and after the accompanying bread and “melba crisps,” I was actually pretty full. This was rich stuff. The bleu cheese in the fondue (along with emmental and muenster mixed with baked potato slices) is VERY rich and served with toast rounds. Our entrees were really good. I had a pork shank osso buco with mashed potatoes and the usual diced veggies, and Jim had lamb shank that was prepared almost the same way, but with cous cous, which I can’t stand. The pork shank was bigger, but the lamb shank was tastier. Both fell off the bone. I would have preferred the lamb, but I just hate cous cous and did not want to insult the chef by asking for a substitution. Then came dessert. We usually get Chocolate Sophie, which is sinfully delicious with a molten center, a chocolate lover’s dream. However, we were feeling experimental, and Jim had the Crème Brulee, which we rarely order. I had a particularly moist pumpkin cake with vanilla ice cream. We were going to split our desserts, but there was an after taste with the crème brulee that almost tasted a bit burnt. I didn’t like it, so we just had tastes of each other’s desserts. Jim liked the crème brulee, so all was not lost. The pumpkin cake was delicious, but after I ate about half of it, it started to taste cloyingly sweet. I think this was because I was just too full to enjoy the whole thing. I should have brought some home. As it was, I took home half my osso buco. Just too full! It made a wonderful dinner tonight when Jim worked late. Let me add that all we drank was tap water. We did not even order coffee with dessert, because I seemed to remember that their regular coffee was a bit weak. All in all, it was a wonderful meal. Service was friendly, and the owner was extremely welcoming. The décor is quaint Parisian, yet very chic. Does that make sense? The bathrooms are spotless, which is important to me. I was impressed. The music set a mood, but was not overpowering, and from what I hear (though I don’t drink), the wine list is pretty good. Don’t let the fact that its appearance on the main drag of Somerset is unimpressive from the outside steer you away from this restaurant. It’s connected to a club called “The Den,” which sounds decidedly seedy, but when you walk inside the door of Sophie’s Bistro, you enter France. It’s wonderful. One small quibble: Lots of people love bread because they use it to soak up all sorts of good juices and sauces. The bread here is described as “crispy French,” but it has a lot of air spaces in it and is practically without taste. I KNOW they can find a better quality bread than this. It’s the only thing that detracts from the meal. Too much crunch and not enough taste. The small crock of butter helps, but not enough. Other things we’ve tried here and enjoyed: Duck dishes, Coq a vin, Coquille St. Jacques. Jim likes the cassoulet de Toulouse (confit of duck, andouille sausage, white beans and tomatoes), though one reviewer found it to be “dry.” I prefer the duck with raisin sauce. Sophie’s website is www.sophiesbistro.net. There are MANY online reviews at different sites.
Report CommentDecember 07, 2010 by Minx
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