Cuisine:

• French
• Continental
• European
• Californian
• Bistro

Bistro 45 Description:
A charming Art Deco bungalow has been transformed into a contemporary, art-filled restaurant that is both cosmopolitan and homey. After 20 years, ever-present owner Robert Simon continues to warmly welcome guests, keeping service standards high and maintaining one of Southern California's best wine lists (the restaurant is well known for its elaborate winemaker dinners). The menu always offers a few bistro classics, like bouillabaisse or cassoulet, but the cooking is predominantly contemporary French with California influences. Dishes that have become Bistro 45 signatures include seared ahi attractively coated in black-and-white sesame seeds with tamari-ginger sauce, and caramelized diver sea scallops in a seductive saffron cream sauce. Seared foie gras is paired with an addictive apple-fig compote and port reduction, and a steak arrives with a deftly prepared Madeira sauce. The cuisine is modern, but in an era of molecular gastronomic trickery, Bistro 45 remains grounded with dishes such as roasted pork chop with brandy-mango sauce, and lamb chops with garlicky aïoli. Some patrons looking for quiet conversation favor the outdoor terrace, with its retractable roof, over the bustling dining room. Clearly, this is one of Pasadena's best restaurants, and is worth a drive if you don't live in the Crown City.


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