11/12/08

Love This Place!

by diningout101

I agree with tastetester that the food has been the best since Alex is back heading up the kitchen. He has a way with sauces and flavors that we have not found in other restaurants locally. Being a French trained chef, it shows through in each dish. When we were in last week, he was telling us about his recent trip to France whcih sparked some new creations. This bistro is the real thing. It's awesome!!!

• Pros: authentic ambience, best quality food, good value, great daily specials
• Cons: n/a

09/18/08

Sorry to see the chef go!

by jsnkndl13

My wife and I have frequented Alex's Bistro on and off for many years and generally we know what to expect. The food in the past was usually pretty good but a little inconsistent, likewise with the service. The bar is very limited other than some good wines , but if you're a Scotch drinker I'd find a place that had more than one option to choose from. My wife and I had all but given up on the place until some friends of ours recommended we give it another shot, that there was a new chef. We decided to trust their word and give it a shot and we were blown away. The food was excellent, I mean excellent. We have since returned to the restaurant many more times over the last six months and have had the chance to talk with chef Kirk on numerous occasions. Needless to say we were very disappointed when we dined earlier this week and found out that chef Kirk was no longer there. He will be greatly missed and we wish him the best of luck. With talent like his I'm sure we will be seeing his name again somewhere. As for Alex's Bistro chances are we will not be returning.

03/30/08

Better than ever!!

by tastetester001

My husband and I dine frequently at Alex's. Our first visit was when we first began dating. It is one of our favorite restaurants and that of many of our friends. It has never been better than the past two months since Alex took back the kitchen. You see, there is a huge difference when Alex is cooking, just ask his regulars. This first rate bistro servers honest french fare from Boeuf Bourgignon to Crepes, Leek Soup to Gruyere-laden Onion Soup, Chicken Parisienne and Veal Blanquette, Steak Frites, Filet Mignon Roquefort and Pasta to die for....and, the best Creme Brulee in town, not to underplay the outstanding Bananas Foster Crepe..yum!!!.

There is nothing pretentious here, just honest, non-experimental, high-quality food at a great price. The service is not always consistent, but that is part of the charm. The focus is on the food. No chef in the city creates & melds flavors in the way Alex can. Some nights the dining room has a clubby feel with guests stopping at tables to chat with friends or business acquaintances. This has been a well-kept secret by the regular clientelle. I really love this distinctive little bistro. Some times we stop by for wine and cheese after a movie. The bar is cozy and romantic. I could be in NYC or Paris once I walk thru the double doors, but it costs a whole lot less for a great meal. Alex's Bistro never disappoints in my humble opinion. Those who know good food, know Alex's Bistro.

• Pros: high quality bistro fare at a fair price, candle lit tables, feels established, good parking
• Cons: n/a

03/28/08

why go to paris?!

by nancypowell

I've dined at Alex's bistro several times and I find it to be the most authentic bistro this side of the Atlantic. The food and service are always superb and the menu is varied but well edited. I am suprised that this hidden gem is not featured more often in the press. It is an excellent place for a cozy meal that will take you away from it all.

03/19/08

First time visitor

by Liselotte

We went on a Tuesday night after 8p.m. The ambience is very nice. So dark you cannot read the menu easilly. The wine list is good and the glasses are FULL, not some stingy Euro half glass. They must have thought no one else was coming as when we showed up they quickly put some bread rolls in the oven. They came to the table burned and almost inedible. Pulled the unburned part off and ate. We like that you can get little mini entrees of interesting items. The seafood bisque was terrible, no bits of seafood and if you can burn bisque, I think it was burned. The menu clearly said on the Ceasar salad item it came with anchovy. Both salads came without and the server seemed surprised when we asked for it. The owner and server were both very friendly and attentive. Would we go back for dinner? Probably not. Maybe older patrons don't care about the way food tastes if they like "Mary" in the bar. Maybe for lunch, I will try it then and report back.

• Pros: Full wine glasses, good value, smaller mini entrees, good idea
• Cons: Too dark, burned rolls

09/01/07

Oh Mary, My Sweet...

by jaxom1967

Psst...

Go on a Tuesday, Wendesday, or Friday.

Sit at the bar.

Allow Mary, and only Mary to pour your drink and serve your food. Mary is part angel and part institution. She has been tending bar in Columbus for almost 40 years. She poured drinks at Hai Lai, during the Wood Hayes era; oiled the locals at that now defuct Arlington staple, Da Vinci's throughout the Reagn and George Sr. administrations; and has moved across the street to Alex's Bistro, bringing with her, like a pied piper armed with a martini shaker; the livliest, thirstiest, randiest group of 70 year olds you will ever meet. Picture Spice on Geritol. This is much more fun than Hyde Park on any night. (And much, much less expensive. Happy hour top shelf is only $5!!!)

The duck is always good. Ask Ali, head dining room server what is good on the menu that night. Trust his call.

Her bar nights are packed for happy hour. Come afterwords for the real evening. It will cost $2.50 more per drink, but the tales as of one of Columbus' most infamous bartendresses will more than make up for it.

Happy dining. Johnny O.T.S.

09/07/06

Above-average food, solid wine list, but not a home run

by faltas

I was really mixed on this place. The decor and intimate feeling is quite nice, and I must admit that food was quite good. The wine list could use a few more by-the-glass selections, but it was fairly priced and didn't seem to be too outrageously marked up over retail. Our server seemed knowledgeable and recommended a very decent bottle of Cotes du Rhone under $30. On the other hand, the menu was pretty limited, with probably less than 10 entrees. No website made it hard to pre-scout. The cuisine has a few French-inspired dishes, but it seemed more Italian in influence. Finally, at age 37, I'm not used to being - by far - the youngest patron in the place. It seemed like a fine neighborhood place, and I might go back, perhaps more so for lunch, and it was admittedly a good value (about 2/3 the price of other French restaurants in the city). But certainly nothing that will knock your socks off.

• Pros: Food quality, parking, value
• Cons: Limited menu selection, overall experience

08/16/06

Hidden Gem

by nysouthernstyle

It was a recommendation that got me there - but it is the food that keeps me returning. Alex's has become one of my favorite restaurants in town. The atmosphere is charming. Go there after work to relax and feel like a regular in the cozy front bar or dress up for a romantic date and be tucked away in an intimate booth. The menu is equally versitile - with a great combination of lighter (and less expensive) fare balancing out some truly extroardinary meals. I've become addicted to ordering the bistro salad and one of the pasta dishes (the tortellini, when it is on the menu, melts in your mouth!). On special occasions, I've splurged and ordered everything from filet to lobster. Alex's menu entices gustatory risk taking because everything is phenomenal. But, make sure you save room for dessert. The tart tartin tastes like home... and the chocolate cake - like sin. Take your time, savor each mouthful. The service at Alex's is impeccable: the perfect balance between attentive and obscured.

• Pros: It is just like eating in a little bistro on Ile St. Louis; the food IS the reason to go!
• Cons: Not in the "restaurant district"; not much to do off Henderson Rd.

12/23/03

A Favorite

by gililan

GO....You won't be disappointed.

This is a one of a kind restaurant in Columbus.

• Pros: romantic, good value, excellent food
• Cons: crowded weekend nites

This romantic spot proves once again that French is the language of love.

by Contributor

The Scene
It's surprising to find something so quaint as Alex's Bistro in this bland, suburban strip-center location. Once inside the door, however, you're transported to the cozy world of Parisian cafes-a sweet little cocktail bar, dark wood panels, brass railings and dainty curtains.

The Food
Chef Alex Gosetto is half French, half Italian, and it shows on the menu. The crepes, both chicken and seafood versions, are served hot and bubbly en casserole. Veal, fish and pastas are given typical European preparations, nicely accomplished by this veteran chef. No fancy fusion cuisine here, just good cooking. Best of all, the chef uses hormone-free meats, free-range chickens and veal, and organic produce. The wine list includes both French and California vintages, available in full or half bottles.