Bistros are remarkable in that they somehow manage to be both fancy and casual at the same time, much like a necktie with Taz on it. Feel gussied up without too much fuss with today's Groupon: for $18, you get $40 worth of new American fare at 25 Forty Bistro and Bakehouse.
25 Forty’s chef, Mark Pellicia, puts his extensive restaurant expertise (he’s worked in Italy) and love of pastry making to use by updating the compositions of classics with fresh, seasonal produce and international flavors. Brunchtime selections include French toast with peanut butter and strawberries ($7), and savory lunchtime sandwiches include an open-faced white albacore melt adorned with fresh tomato ($8). After the sun chases the moon around the Earth and into the sky, request a plate of pillow-light homemade gnocchi slumbering in an edible featherbed of pesto and ricotta cheese ($13) (all 25 Forty’s pastas are homemade.) Traditional dishes given elegant updates include the pork chops, which are served with Fuji apples and sautéed spinach ($16). Fold a dessert crepe ($5) like a paper airplane and send it sailing down your esophagus to complete the meal.
Like its menu, 25 Forty Bistro and Bakehouse’s décor melds classic and modern. Dark cloths draping tables give them an aura of aloofness from the serene white walls and natural light bathing the dining room; black accents, such as a painted wall chalkboard for specials, a dark trellis laced with white branches, and a bowler hat filled with copies of Rodney Dangerfield’s memoirs, complete the chic look of the chic spot.
Reviews
Yelpers give 25 Forty Bistro & Bakery an average of 4.5 stars.
