Bistro 767

By Richard Foss

Note: Written in 2008

When a new chef takes over a restaurant, the urge IS to change everything, to boldly announce a new personality is at the helm. This approach has its pluses and minuses – it generates excitement, but scares existing patrons of the restaurant who like it just the way it is. The smartest strategy may be to ease new items onto the menu and allow patrons a little time to adjust.

This is exactly what John Dailey has been doing at Bistro 767 in Rolling Hills Estates since founding chef Deanna Kaiser has departed; keeping the eclectic style of the restaurant intact while gradually introducing his explorations of New Mexican and other cuisines. A recent meal showed that the transition is going very well indeed.

We had been intrigued by the wild boar chili, but alas, they were out so we started with fried oysters served with a zingy remoulade sauce. I had ordered these for my wife, an East Coast transplant who delights in shellfish, but ended up devouring half of them myself. They were easily the best I’ve had, rolled in a light herbed batter that had plenty of crunch and served over a napa cabbage slaw. The combination of flavors was perfect, the cool, fresh mix of cabbage and carrots in miso rice vinegar a counterpoint to the rich, hot oysters. This is a new addition to the menu, and a very worthwhile one.

The green goddess salad was a classic in modern dress, creamy, lush old-school flavors with a contemporary wedge-style presentation. It’s a simple mix – lettuce, fresh tomato, dressing, avocado slices, and bacon – but it shows why classics become classics. Green goddess dressing may not be fashionable at the moment, but it’s due for a revival; the tangy, creamy flavors are comfort food even to people who haven’t had it before. 

We asked our server to suggest wines to pair with our starters, and after conferring with the sommelier he brought glasses of Adelsheim Pinot Gris and Merryvale Starmont Chardonnay. The Merryvale was a good but unexceptional wine, but the Adelsheim was a treat, light and spicy with the oysters, but with enough body to pair well with the sour cream and mayo in the dressing. I continue to be amazed by Oregon white Pinots, which have the crispness and fruitiness of their Italian cousins with added spice and herb notes. I’ll be ordering this more often, and maybe picking up a few bottles to see how well it works with the products of my own kitchen.

We continued with entrees of seared duck with asparagus-parsnip risotto and a plate of jumbo scallops in a Venetian raisin and onion sauce called soar. Venice traded with the Middle East even during the era when they were nominally enemies, and there is something very Moroccan or Turkish about the mix of onion, capers, raisin, and spices, a dash of sweet and sharp that goes perfectly with seafood. The plump, lightly done scallops were rich and delicately flavored, but not just mops for the sauce; they would have been good even without it, in fact. They were served with simply done spinach and a potato gratin, simple pairings that complemented the seafood and made it shine.

While the scallops have been on the menu for years, the duck is one of Dailey’s ideas – and on the face of it, a peculiar idea. Duck is so fatty that it’s usually slow-roasted so it’s basted as the fat drips off, and a searing is a fast cooking method usually reserved for steaks. Dailey sears the duck breast with the fat side down and doesn’t flip it, allowing the meat to be rare while most of the fat drains off. It’s a novel idea, and it works – the meat is pink, ducky, and tender. No strong spices are used – it’s all about the natural flavors, though a blueberry reduction and some braised wild mushrooms are served on the side for those who desire adornment. The most complex flavor is actually the accompanying parsnip and asparagus risotto, which was delicious. Parsnips are polite vegetables, usually content to be in the background, and it is so here – the asparagus flavor is more pronounced, but you’d miss the parsnips if they weren’t there. I mixed a dab of risotto with the mushrooms and found it a delightful combination, one worth further investigation. Our server suggested a Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir to complement the two entrees, and though neither was the delightful surprise of the Pinot Gris, both were solid pairings.

From the descriptions, the desserts are mostly heavy and sweet items that I don’t favor, but we decided to try a flourless chocolate cake with crème anglaise, raspberry coulis, and capuccino ice cream. This was a pleasant surprise, the cake and ice cream both made to balance chocolate and coffee bitterness with the creamy and fruity flavors of coulis and cream. I’d happily order this again, but it would be nice to see something a little lighter on the dessert menu next time.

We departed with the feeling that this restaurant is in good hands, the new chef keeping the best traditions of his predecessor and bringing in some novel and compelling ideas. Our bill was $140.00 before tip for two meals and four glasses of wine – not at all unreasonable for top-caliber service and food on the Peninsula and comparable with the best the South Bay has to offer.

Bistro 767 is at 767 Deep Valley Drive in Rolling Hills Estates. Open daily except Monday, dinner only. Full bar, wheelchair access OK to part of restaurant, advise when reserving. Some vegetarian/vegan items. Phone 310-256-0914