Clark Gilbert, the one-time protégé of French master Jean Francois Taquet and the culinary driving force behind the memorable Narberth BYO, Gemelli, debuts Bisou to Manayunk’s Main Street.
It was just early 2013 that the chef announced he was reconceptualizing his Manayunk Euro bistro, Gemelli on Main, into Bisou, a warm, French-themed bistro. Gilbert came to Manayunk in June 2011 to introduce Gemelli on Main as his sophomore effort, flooding the former MangoMoon space with eye-catching Italian-French options and one particularly stellar dish—a hearty bowl of gemelli drowned with goat bolognese, golden raisins and Marcona almonds.
His fresh interior follows his new romanticized French theme, dressed in moody reds and equipped with a stylish lounge lined with black leather couches and a fireplace.
The revamped restaurant’s sharp, yet small menu includes an appealing lineup of starters, including a duck and foie gras terrine, French onion soup crafted with Gruyère and Comté cheese, and escargot accented with shiitake mushrooms and red wine sauce. Gemelli pasta proves to be a mainstay for this address—this time, prepped with a veal bolognese. Other entree teases include roast chicken with coq au vin sauce, rainbow trout with warm lentils and balsamic brown butter, and sea scallops with crispy pork belly.
Dinner service is available Sun.–Mon., 5–9 p.m.; Tues. –Thurs., 5–10 p.m.; and Fri. – Sat., 5–11 p.m. For reservations, call (215) 487-1230. Visit bisouonmain.com.
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