Bistro SK
“The food really is superb with a very thoughtful, concise menu that Chef Stephane has honed over his many years in the business.”
“A gem of a French bistro on City Island, which the (native French) owner believes to be the only French restaurant in The Bronx.”
“The food is old fashioned french and is just wonderful, especially the cream of celery root soup and the coq au vin, which I had.”
Bistro SK
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
4 reviews
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Thousands of people flock to City Island every summer to sample the many seafood restaurants this neighborhood of the Bronx has to offer. However, I've found the true culinary gems of the island lie beyond the neon-lit signs that line City Island Avenue.
Bistro SK boasts on its website that it's the only French restaurant in the Bronx, and I definitely believe them – I know of no other one in the borough. The decor of the restaurant is truly charming; it's quirky, cozy, and classy all at the same time – they really cinched it. As we entered we were greeted by the owner Stephane who showed us to our table.
The menu had a good selection of items. I decided to start with a simple mesclun salad which came with a dijon dressing – fairly simple but a nice start. For my main I had the pan-seared salmon which came with mashed potatoes and some string beans and julienned root veggies. The salmon was very tasty – crisp on the outside and tender on the inside; it was topped with a light cream-based sauce which complemented it well. The mashed potatoes were a little rich for my taste but still good – it's a French restaurant so I guess it comes with the territory.
Overall I had a pleasant experience at Bistro SK – solid food, good service, and great atmosphere.
Pretty cool spot in an area otherwise dominated by mediocre seafood places. Bistro SK is located about halfway down City Island Ave. Parking was such a chore; there are only a few spots on the avenue, so you basically have to go to one of the neighboring side streets and park a good ways down (at least on busy days that is).
As for the look and feel, the bistro is a bit run down but charming and cozy. I loved the tree that they built around in the middle of the dining room. Pretty neat. I have to say though, the decor made us suffer from a bit of Eiffel Toweritis. Jesus, We get it, it's French. You don't need Eiffel Towers everywhere to drive it home.
That aside, the food was pretty solid. For apps, we got the frisee salad with bacon, croutons, and poached egg and the tuna tartare. As for mains we went with the sauteed striped bass which came with basmati rice and a provencale sauce and the chicken breast stuffed with mushroom and spinach, basil mashed potato, and apple brandy sauce. The apps were quite good, especially the tartar which was fresh and vibrant and served with a light cream cheese and seasoned cucumbers. As for the mains, we loved the perfectly cooked fish, but the chicken was quite under-seasoned. I got no apple brandy flavor and even the basil in the potatoes was hard to detect. Additionally, the meat was a tad overcooked so it came out a bit rubbery. I generally don't like rubbery chicken 🙂
Staff was competent and professional, but it was also definitely a bit French; they took their time getting to us here and there and seemed to forget us a few times. But hey, our kids made a mess and they didn't bust our chops so that was nice.
Overall, four stars. Not my favorite French spot but I would definitely go back to explore some more of their menu.
So in all fairness I have only had wine at this place (and as true to being a french restaurant all their wine is from france and nice selection), but the amazing owner duo Stephane and Maria and their clientele will make you feel like you are sitting in your own living room sharing a glass of wine with friends. I will be back, this is for certain.
Quality food although the servers could be a little more friendly, especially when there is no lack of restaurants close by. Perhaps they think they can skate by because they're "THE ONLY FRENCH RESTAURANT IN THE BRONX !!!" (as proudly/boldly displayed on their homepage).
Started off with a salad with shrimp and I ordered the braised lamb shank as my entree. They also served bread to accompany everything.
Salad was just fine but I enjoyed the lamb shank which was beautifully presented, was fall-off-the bone tender without being too soft, and was very flavorful. Bread was also pretty decent though nothing unique or that jumps out at you.
It's not huge inside so makes for a more quaint/romantic ambiance. We were pretty much the last folks to leave and were pleasantly sent off by well wishes of folks who may have been the owners…or some very happy patrons, after sipping on wine.
Street parking available but I can see how it can be a bit more challenging during busier hours.