Bistro Bleu, Parktown North, Johannesburg.

Despite its location on a busy corner in the gracious suburb of Parktown North, Ma Cuisine, the first incarnation of what is now Bistro Bleu, was one of the most professionally run and successful restaurants of its day. Then came the infinitely forgettable Montpellier. The only reason that it springs to mind is because of the food poisoning that I had after my singular visit to that place.

By inference, or by experience or both, a bistro to me is filled with bonhomie, (no fault of the present establishment, since they had barely opened when I visited) and has a blackboard menu of dishes made from available produce. The same applies to the wine.

No lovers or no neighbourhood folk filled with bon homie filling Bistro Bleu (bistro – traditionally more or less a social club as well as an eating place) for a meal and a gossip, no moody poets in shabby coats but, on my first visit at lunch time with restaurateur Fortunato Mazzone, three chattering designer-clad women.

On my second visit for supper, what seemed like a group of up and coming stock brokers and their partners at a nearby table. All the men were dressed in variations of khaki chinos and Gouloise-bleu shirts. One of the wives sported a designer-toddler, while the other showed off her eight month-old protrusion in the latest stretch-and-show fabric - a trend that begs, surely, anthropological scrutiny.

The minimalist décor is clever in that the traffic (viewed through floor-to-ceiling glass concertina doors) passing through the intersection makes for an interesting art installation. But perhaps I’m giving them too much credit on the side of aesthetics.

The money behind the place comes from the owners (Peter Aucamp and Christoff van Staden) of the boutique hotel Ten Bompas and its restaurant on the, ahem, side, Sides, in nearby Dunkeld. Bleu’s overall feel is not dissimilar to that of Sides. There’s a stylish minimalism, with white linen-covered mismatched tables and chairs. The mood is softened with deeply-hued wood and parquet flooring.

In a town where service is at best disinterested and often arbitrary, the service here is superlative. Joy Meyiwa, who served me for two of the three meals I had there, was a breath of fragrant air. Intelligent, attentive, warm and extremely professional. And in an environment where jobs like hers are not considered aspirational, Joy, not unlike the figurehead of a bistro, not only remembered me from my first visit, but also recalled details of my culinary questions and requirements.

Blue’s French chef Anthony Archambaud worked internationally (including at world famous Thomas Keller’s in the US) before coming to South Africa. Although his food, too, borders on the minimalist in presentation, I was impressed with the quality and depth of flavour. Starters on offer include Tarte au Chevre et a L’oignon (goats cheese and onion tat) at R30 and a French terrine (R30).

I loved the fish – both the Skate wing (with tomato, capers - one of my favourites to use with fish - and a heavenly lemon and burnt butter sauce) at R65 and the Thun Sur Salade Nicoise (seared Tuna on a nicoise salad of potatoes, French beans, black olives, tomato and quail eggs), possibly one of the most interesting versions of Salade Nicoise I’ve ever had, with perfectly pinked-inside Tuna perched on top, at R70.

The wider choices on the menu serve most tastes – seafood, red meat (an overcast day proffered a meltingly delicious Boeuf Bourguignon at R60) and chicken (the coq au Riesling designer-edged and hearty, R60) but sadly, a thin selection for vegetarians. Light meals come in the form of quiche Lorraine and the traditional croquet-monsieur (more or less a toasted ham and cheese sandwich). Side dishes – all at R15 per item – include Ratatouille, Puree de Pommes de Terre (coarsely mashed potatoes with butter and milk), the knee trembling, and cholesterol-challenging Confit de Pomes de Terre (potato slowly cooked in duck fat) and French beans served with onion and garlic). The salads are delightfully dense with flavour.

The menu, however, suffers by omission. I think it’s a mistake to have the permanent feel of a printed menu, because of the aforementioned reason of using daily-available produce.

The wine list is adequate although, again, I’d like to have been offered some blackboard specials in addition to the list. Having said that, I appreciated the reasonably-priced French choices. For instance, the choice of three Chardonnays included Louis Latour (from Ardeche) at R140. As a juxtaposition, the red wine blends, for instance, are Hartenberg Cabernet / Shiraz (R80), Warwick Three Cape Ladies R200), Black Rock (R140), Chateau Mrac Bordeaux Superieur (R165) and Guigal Cotes duRhone (R195).

Finally, in my experience a bistro also has a friendly, bustling personality who presides, advises and generally fills the place with his or her personality, much like my luncheon companion, Fortunato Mazzone does at his family-owned award winning family restaurant, Ritrovo in Pretoria. This person knows when to come to the table to let you in on the secrets of the kitchen and have you salivating in no time for the descriptions of the daily specials – thus neatly tying together all the strings that complete the almost indefinable package that makes for a good meal out.

This, in fact, might just be what Bleu needs – an addition of a personality – a heart to what borders on the clinical. If Joy were given more authority, what a delight it would be.

DETAILS
Open Tue-Sat lunch and dinner.
Phone: (011) 880-1946.
Corner 7th & 3rd Avenue, Parktown North.

Food: Tres bon.
Winelist: Good, but could be improved with specials.
Ambience: Light.
Service: Piece de Résistance.
Value: A pleasant addition.