Dynamic Duo, Figaro Bistro
I once broke up with a boy who said he didn’t like French food. “It’s too rich,” he told me. What a dud. I was less brokenhearted by his absence than by the knowledge that there are people walking this world who think centuries of cooking traditions that have been crafted into a cuisine that most agree reigns supreme could be easily dismissed as “too” anything but pure perfection.
Surely, you don’t need an Edible article to tell you that decadence and French cuisine have had a lifelong love affair; that’s pretty standard information. It’s part of the basics: One plus one equals two, the sun rises in the east, and the French are the experts on epicurean indulgence. But it’d be a real shame to only equate French food with butter and cheese and to discount the influence and integration of surrounding cultures, their love of the simplicity of seasonal ingredients, and the culinary heritage of their countryside’s most rustic dishes.
Though you may not need this article to tell you about the history of French food, you might need it to learn about an exceptional French restaurant not too far from wherever you are (so long as you’re in city limits) that’s taking traditional French recipes and introducing a slightly more modern twist. Don’t worry, they still promise “just as much emotion and pleasure as their old-fashioned counterparts.”
Figaro Bistro, nestled into that familiar restaurant row on Hillview, is as French as French gets—minus that whole being in France part. Geography aside, Figaro offers an all-French menu (French wines included, bien sûr) made by a French chef, served by a French staff , and owned by a French couple. The space seats only 38, lending itself to that perfectly charming cozy bistro feel—bistro chairs included—complete with French art and French music to round out that whole “you may not be in France but you’re going to feel like it” vibe.
That French couple, by the way, is David and Camille Albanese, who also take on the roles of chef and sommelier, respectively. They were familiar with Sarasota after vacationing here several times and decided to open a local place of their own on the suggestion of another local restaurateur in the area. Having owned multiple restaurants in France, including in the Alps, it wasn’t a stretch to bring that extensive expertise here to our warmer, flatter town.
“We came here for the new adventure,” says Camille. “We love Sarasota and where we are in the South Village. Everyone in the neighborhood is very nice, very good people. And it’s also nice because the customers travel and understand what we do.”
They may have come here for adventure but you’ll go there for their delicious Dover Sole, the dish famed for making Julia Child fall in love with French cuisine. I highly suggest you try it, but if you aren’t a fish fan, it’s not a problem. Figaro’s menu has a bit of everything and a lot of it you can top with foie gras (God bless the French).
The menu boasts all the classics you want in your local French bistro from boeuf bourguignon, sweetbreads, and steak au poivre to seared duck breast, fresh mussels, and salmon pâté. Each dish is done with the nuance and attention to detail that the French have hung their culinary hats on. I’d be happy to divulge each ingredient of each dish, but it really it boils down to understanding that, when it comes to culinary aim, the French simply don’t miss. Either you’re already a French food lover and you know the classics by heart or you’re not (yet) and listing the dishes simply won’t do it justice. French food is fun to discuss, but there’s no defining the divinity of Magret de Canard aux Framboises or Bouchée à la Reine, at least not for me. I’m not Bourdain, after all. Besides, I’d much rather you just make a reservation to see how beautiful and delicious classic French food always has been and, thankfully, continues to be.
“When the pleasure of the eyes meets that of the taste buds, the magic operates,” they tell me. And though Figaro does opt for a touch more modern flair, Camille is thrilled that “we are very traditional and offer the favorites.”
Anyway, I have no clue what ever happened to that boy. He’s probably somewhere enjoying a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, bless his heart. I do know this: You simply cannot deny the oh-so-very-rich culinary history the French brought to the table and its unquanitifiable impact on all things edible. French cuisine may be way more than cream, but thank the stars they use it so ubiquitously anyway.
À votre santé, Figaro Bistro. We’re thrilled you came to town.
>Figaro Bistro: 11944 Hillview St, Sarasota; 941-960 2109; figaro-bistro.com
