Paris Bistro Restaurant   

3586 Aloma Ave
Winter Park, FL 32792
407-671-4424

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French bistros, those unpretentious cafes where simple meals and understated environs are the norm, are a centime a dozen in the City of Lights, but here in the City Beautiful, they're about as rare as a French flag flying over a Texas hoe-down. Roselyne Marlot, the charming owner of the appropriately named Paris-Bistro, is taking strides to alter the course of Gallic cuisine in Central Florida, placing the emphasis on the food, not the frills. You can find her behind the counter concocting creamy sauces that envelop such traditional French dishes as the veal Normandy -- morsels of tenderloin served with potatoes au gratin, breadcrumbed tomatoes and a square of quiche -- and the ballotines de volaille -- succulent chicken breast rolled with provolone and prosciutto. Just watch out for the tongue-piercing toothpicks camouflaged in the rolls -- they can quickly turn your pleasant meal into a French kiss of nightmarish porportions. Traditional starters like frog legs, escargot and French onion soup are also offered, while the ground beef with brie sandwich makes for an ideal grab-n-go lunch item. Desserts are whipped up on-site, with the flaky peach tart served with chocolate sauce, shaved almonds and fresh cream being a toothsome a capper as the creme brulee. And don't worry about spilling crumbs, sauce or wine -- the tablecloths are made of vinyl. -- Faiyaz Kara