INDUSTRY INSIGHT: 
Cafe Provençal
Cuisine: French
Location: Thousand Oaks
Restauranteur: Serge Bonnet
by Andralee Offidani
For most men, getting intimate can be hard. For Serge Bonnet, restaurateur of Café Provençal, intimacy is just a matter of business. For 12 years Bonnet has been mastering the craft of creating romantic French cuisine. The food itself is an affair of love but the atmosphere is what really sets the restaurant apart.
Sheer drapes cascade throughout the entire space from floor to ceiling. The room is close and quiet. The dim lighting completes the ambiance perfect for the intimate, romantic dinner for two.
But Café Provençal is good for more than just date night. The Café also provides an ideal spot for executive dinners, corporate lunches, and even baby showers with an opportunity to close down the restaurant and cater to large parties. In addition, Café Provençal offers catering services as well as “room service” that deliver meals right to your home.
Once you’ve eaten at Café Provençal, you’ll want more and more. The attention to detail seems to be the key. The precisely concocted meals not only taste great but their presentation is immaculate.
Mouthwatering must-haves include a savory escargot with garlic, butter and parsley, perfect as a hor d'oeuvres to start off the evening. That can be followed by my favorite, the escolar with potato spinach cake and carrot sauce, a deliciously unique and subtly sweet seafood special. For the meat lover, delectable and succulent pork tenderloin with an apple balsamic reduction will create the sensation that your palate will crave the next day. Also tasty is the Magret de Canard à L’Orange, a duck breast with brandy orange sauce; a full flavor with a zesty punch that you’re sure to fall for.
Not only are the entrées at Café Provençal an experience of nutritious bliss, but they also take the time to compliment the meals by pairing wines that amplify the savory sensations. A strong smooth red is paired with steak, and a lighter peppy white paired with fish. Desserts are complimented with a sweet port or sherry.
All of the entrees can be supplemented with a soup or salad. My recommendation is the Soupe à L'Oignon, Uptown's best onion soup! However, you must beware as the bold sweet flavor is highly addicting and you may find yourself ordering bowl after bowl.
Finally, not to be forgotten of course is dessert. While all the dessert dishes are heavenly to say the least, my favorite is the lavender crème brûlée. This delicious sweet treat is unique, understated and light as air. You’ll leave feeling full and yet empty of guilt.
To enjoy these options and more, you’ll want to take advantage of the Wednesday and Thursday night 5-course Deluxe Menu which includes soup or salad, an appetizer, fish, meat, dessert, and three wines all for just $45.
For southern French cuisine with flair, the answer is Café Provençal. Bon Appétit!
