Review by Ray Hankamer, Jr

Looking for a very affordably priced gourmet meal in a unique atmosphere to entertain: your significant other, your boss, your client, your children, your out of town guest? Located inside the LeNotre Culinary Institute, Kris Bistro & Wine Lounge is part of the institute, and one of the delightful aspects of dining here is the presence behind large glass windows of many chef-teachers and chef-students hard at work learning classical cooking, AND, preparing YOUR meal.

Alain & Marie LeNotre, the owners, are of the famous LeNotre family in France, which is a household word in that gastronomy-oriented country. Bistro KRIS is a first class restaurant with first class service, but since it is an adjunct of the school, the wines and Bavarian designer beers which are paired with the menu selections are extremely reasonably priced, with no wine bottle over $35.

Check out these menu items: Mussels in garlic, shallots, cilantro, white wine with reduced cream; Hunters style Belgian Ardennes meat loaf, with potato puree, vegetable du jour, white wine, and veal reduction sauce; Classic beef bourguignon, country ragout of beef with glazed mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon lardons, side of tagliatelli pasta; Pan seared Mediterranean rouget, steamed mussels, poached shrimp with ratatouille tomato broth with Pernod and saffron; Chicken and olive, pan roasted organic chicken stuffed with goats milk feta, red peppers, toasted Fez couscous with dried cherries, sauce picholine, and green olive; Pork and the peach, cattlemen’s reserve pork tenderloin slow-poached then pan-roasted, bourbon glazed Fredericksburg peaches with slaw and polenta corn cake, pan reduction of veal glaze and Belgian Lambic peach beer (mmmmmm!).

For dessert, Chocolat noir, chocolate cream ganache caramelized almond tuiles, buttery financier almond biscuit; Raspberry lemon parfait, lemon & raspberry custard, raspberry coulis, crushed pistachios, fresh raspberries; and Trio of crème brulee, milk chocolate lavender, honey vanilla, and raspberry mascarpone.