Don’t worry fellow foodies. We’re not going to start this recommendation off with Webster’s definition of the word Bijoux (incidentally n. a small delicate jewel) followed by a predictable reference to the restaurant truly being a tiny little gem or even a slightly more creative proclamation that it is a jewel to be treasured. We’ll leave the unimaginative and sappy clichés to those other guys. That’s not how we roll at snootyfoodie. Better said, Bijoux is a diamond not at all in the rough that makes other restaurants emerald green with envy (okay, that was incredibly hokie). How about this? Bijoux is a contemporary French restaurant that is churning out some of the most impressive food in the city.
Chef Scott Gotlich and his wife Gina opened Bijoux in 2006 and have garnered massive acclaim since day one. Fans of ‘small plates’ will not be surprised to learn Scott’s resume includes a stint as chef at Lola as well as famed spots La Bernardine in NY and Aubergine in southern California. Gina, following a successful run as the sommelier at the Dallas location of Capital Grille as well as a stint at Aubergine (where the two met), is in charge of the wine program at Bijoux and has comprised an all encompassing list of some decent, some diverse and (of course) some decadent wine pairings to match her husband’s culinary artistry.
Consistent with the not so recent trend in chef driven restaurants across the country, Bijoux has a prix fixe and a tasting menu to choose from. Both change regularly based on the freshest ingredients available. As an adventurous diner this pleases me to no end but it makes it a little difficult to recommend and highlight certain dishes knowing they likely won’t be on the menu when you go. Of course when the food is this good, there’s really no legitimate fear of anything resembling a bad dining experience.
So, your prix fixe choices are either 3 or 5 courses. And then, if you are in the mood to commit 2 ½ hours of your life to an incredible fine dining experience, a 10 course chef’s tasting menu awaits you. As I’ve said many times, I love giving a talented chef a blank canvas to show off his wares so I’m a sucker for any tasting menu. There are, however, a couple of downsides to going this route. First, I have come across more than a few restaurants that are real sticklers about substituting menu items. Now I don’t mean diners with food allergies or vegetarians. I’m talking about neurotic and incredibly hard to please people like me that are determined to get exactly what they want, even if it means the kitchen has to alter the play book a little bit to make me happy. If on course #6 I’m not in the mood for duck and want the pork belly instead, make it happen! Don’t tell me it can’t be done or frown and begrudgingly agree as you walk away shaking your head. If the chef is in the kitchen and you want this instead of that the kitchen should always do everything in their power to accommodate the request, period. Now, I do understand that sticking to the basic program is essential for timing and superior kitchen execution but those restaurants that are a bit rigid if you try to deviate from their script have become more than a mild irritant.
Okay, before I fall off my soap box I am extremely pleased to say that Bijoux has no such phobia and has been incredibly accommodating each time we’ve broken protocol. For example, on the 5 course menu the typical routine is to order a first course, a fish course, a meat course, a cheese course then dessert. On our last visit, I was so torn on the first courses I ordered three of them followed by a meat course and cheese for dessert while my dining partner followed the regular procedure. Not only did they accommodate but they actually encouraged my mix and match. On previous visits, tasting menu requests were met with similar flexibility - one time actually insisting that I try a new dish off the prix fixe menu instead of the one listed on the tasting menu.
The second potential pitfall is wine pairings. Most restaurants like Bijoux have conveniently put together a wine pairing option for you but let’s say you’re not crazy about some of those pairings or have a particular wine you want to order? Not a problem. The list at Bijoux is filled with interesting by the glass, ½ bottle, 750 mls, and large format choices. If indeed you decide to make up your own wine pairings, just let Gina know which menu you’re going with prior to ordering so she can make sure her team keeps pace with the matching wines.
In traditional French flair, each meal begins with an amuse-bouche. For those still intimidated by that term, unsure what it means, and struggle with how you pronounce it - let’s clear the air. (uh-MYUZ-boosh), translated literally, means “mouth amuser” and it is simply the chef’s way of giving your taste buds a wake up call and visual delight in preparation of the meal to come. On our two most recent visits, Chef Gottlich prepared a fine dice of wild raw salmon with caviar, parsley and chives on a waffle potato crisp and a tiny tower of sweet peeky toe crab and micro greens. Both were unbelievably fresh, showed great attention to detail, and also made us wish they came in larger than two bite portions. From there our visit for the chef’s tasting menu took us down a sublime progression of flavors and perfectly plated dishes.
Coddled egg. A classic French starter served in the eggshell, the soft yolk was kissed with just a suggestion of vanilla cream. Topped with caviar, this dish prompted a nod of immense satisfaction and a thought bubble that said simply, “you complete me”. Celery root salad. A perfect salad served with white and green asparagus tips and a not too truffly truffled vinaigrette. Wine: Tattinger Champagne.
Pan Seared Prawns. These guys were served with sautéed fingerling potatoes and got a great little kick from bits of Spanish chorizo sausage. Wine: Laforet White Burgundy (this was their house chard at the time).
Eastern Hake. Hake is a member of the cod family with a sea bass like consistency. This delicate fish was served with chunks of rustic Chaucuterie and golden raisins. Delicate, tangy, and sweet. Dynamite. Wine: Trinbach Riesling, Alsace.
Braised Pork Belly. Tired of seeing pork belly on menus? Then you haven’t had it here. If it’s possible for Bijoux to have a signature dish, the pork belly has to be the frontrunner. This version had a nice crust and was ridiculously fork tender and served with heirloom baby carrots and a thai curry sauce. Remarkably good. Wine: Doubt you’ll see this one by the glass again but they happened to have a lovely 02 Chorey-Les-Beaune Burgundy open and were kind enough to pour us one. My kind of place!!
Foie Gras. Is any French experience complete without a little foie? I think not. This perfectly seared medallion was served with lingonberry sauce and sat atop a meyer lemon brioche. Can’t go wrong with fruit and duck liver. Wine: What else? Sauternes.
Filet. It almost seems anti-climatic to eat a plain old beef filet after the exotic preludes above. Unless of course it’s a Kobe beef filet topped with shaved truffles and served with truffled mashed potatoes and al dente haricot verts. Wine: Chateau Haute-Brion (obviously not part of their wine pairing, we splurged for a ½ bottle). Someone help me…how do you say, “you gotta problem with that” in French?
After the sorbet course, we were bombarded with a sinful chocolate sticky pudding and an apple caramel crisp with walnut ice cream. Port and a Muscat were offered but we opted for an industrial strength French press coffee instead. And, as if that wasn’t enough they brought us a small tray of house made candies to take home with us. Whew! What an evening!
On our most recent visit, we opted for the 5 course prix fixe menu. We double dipped on several items (albeit very different preparations) including pork belly – over polenta and English peas this time, foie gras with plantains and caramel espresso, and the prawns with the same chorizo but with wild mushrooms instead of potatoes this go around.
Home runs not previously tried included an amazing agnolotti (pronounced anneeolottee) pasta. It’s basically a fancier ravioli. Chef Gottlich filled this with a sweeter than usual purple sweet potato grown in Hawaii. It was laced with a brown hazelnut butter (noisette for your purists) and topped with shaved parmesan reggiano and black truffles. No doubt this one vied for top dish of the night.
We’ve long been fans of monkfish but were pleasantly surprised by the preparation of Bijoux’s version. Served over a brawny gathering of braised short ribs, swiss chard, and smoked tomatoes this was without question the most winter friendly fish dish we’ve ever had.
It’s often hard to find a wow factor in seared duck breast. I’m not crazy about duck smeared in fruit glaze or asian spices so, to me, if it’s from a quality purveyor, seared to medium rare and has a nice crust, I’m good. So, the wow factor for me often comes in the sides and how well they work with the star of the show and this is where Bijoux shined. Their Long Island bird came with a tasty wild mushroom spaetzle topped with a poached quail egg. Simply a perfect combination of textures and flavors.
A creamy Morbier cheese with tulip honey and quince chutney served with baguette crisps highlighted the cheese course but the hands down winner for dessert on this trip was the Port steeped Fig Napolean. Oh my goodness, layered with rich chocolate crème and macadamia nut brittle this is one of those desserts you MAKE room for regardless.
The wine list was mentioned earlier but to highlight it further, it is a superb compilation. Gina’s training focused on French wines and it shows but there are also splendid offerings from the U.S. It is also very accommodating to the ever changing menu and small plate focus with a myriad of interesting by the glass and ½ bottle offerings. Of course, you can also just sit back and enjoy a bottle of your favorite Bourdeaux, Burgundy or Napa Cab. Either way, we have found Gina to be one of the most knowledgeable and helpful sommeliers in the city.
Gina also designed the space with two beautiful dining rooms...one masculine and one feminine. Special details are everywhere in the chandeliers, draperies, oil paintings, fresh flowers and porcelain centerpieces.
The waitstaff works in teams, has been carefully selected and the patience and attention to that detail has really paid off. The group is comprised of both industry veterans and eager yet even paced newbies. We had one captain tell us he’d interviewed almost a year prior but was told they had no captain spots available at the time. The point is, they clearly saw talent in this guy, kept the resume and when they called him again he leapt at the chance to join the team. That speaks highly of both the discerning screening process and how valued a position at Bijoux is within the industry.
Bijoux is in every foodie’s top 5 for a reason. The food and presentation are creative and flawless. The atmosphere is refined yet relaxed. The wine list is off the charts and the wait staff is top notch. A restaurant like this truly epitomizes the mantra of our website and screams to other culinary destinations across the country that Dallas is home to some phenomenal restaurants too.