L'oursin

Fantastic little restaurant. The food is amazing. The drinks are delightful. Service is top notch. Really can't complain. Menu is small, which is great because with such wonderful choices it makes it that much easier to decide. The dessert menu is equally as excellent. Really cannot go wrong. Try it out, you won't regret it.

The main dish (cassoulet) was delicious but both desserts (strawberries ice cream and mousse au chocolat) weren’t very good. They charged 20% service fees automatically and on top of that, they also asked for tip on the receipt so just be careful. And try not to sit at the bar because the washing machine the staff uses can spilt on your face and food. That was not pleasant.

As a French bistro, L'Oursin is not what one would expect in terms of atmosphere and feeling. From its location to its accommodations it comes across more as an American upscale, jazzy brunch spot. The space is ample, comfortable and gives off a vibe of sumptuousness. They offer a list of classic cocktails with a creative twist of one or more added ingredients. They are resonant of their classic cousins, but not necessarily made better by the twists, at least to my taste. But that is where the differences end. The food, however, is spot on in its comparison to French bistro fare. My dining companion and I had a couple of the classics. I love the chewy earthiness of escargot in a garlicky butter sauce. L'Oursin did not disappoint. The cassoulet was an ample serving containing sweet Toulouse sausage, silky melt-in-your-mouth pork belly and a crispy, tender duck confit hindquarter nestled in a base of buttery rancho gordo beans. As good if not better than any I have had - here or in France. In addition we ordered Flatan Poche - halibut with a seafood sauce of spot prawns, scallops, and muscles in a bath of seafood broth, flavors balanced to support the main ingredient. Excellent. We also had the bread basket, which was not inspiring, and the crab fritters which would have been made better with 1 tablespoon more of crab. But all-in-all it was a very tasty meal perfect for sharing with someone who has an appreciation for bistro food.

This restaurant has an authentic French bistro vibe. Staff so kind and attentive and the wine is great. Love their Hawaii grilled shrimp, and dipping bread into the garlic butter is such a enjoyment. I do like the scallop crudo and their creativity of raw scallop paired with morel mushroom, but I don’t think it is realized very well. The mushroom is too strong that is overwhelms the delicate flavor of the scallop. And the dish is a bit flat and would be better off with a bit of crunchy texture. The crab fritter is crispy and I love them adding the fish roe to it. I like their salad dressing and the garlic croutons so delicious. But the salt was not eventually distributed and I had bite of endive with a chinch of salt…

After our most recent trip here this place is going in the regular rotation. Perfect blend of neighborhood brasserie and dinner seating. The chef's flavors are amazing, and the focus on seasonal herbs has noticeably improved. We had a scallop and morel dish that rivals some Michelin starred dishes. The cocktail menu has also elevated the stories that go with each drink.

I’m so serious, this was the best chicken I’ve had in my life ❤️ get the half chicken with morels in sherry sauce, it is so, so delicious. My mom had the french onion soup and said it was really yummy. The atmosphere is super warm and cozy, we even loved their playlist. The wine list was creatively described and had us ordering multiple different glasses just to give them a try. All in all we had a wonderful dinner and will definitely be recommending to our friends and returning when we can! Highly recommend!!