Bistro West
4960 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad
760-930-8008
www.bistrowest.com
Bistro West, associated with West Inn & Suites in Carlsbad off Cannon Road, describes itself as “Contemporary Comfort Food,” and that is right on the mark. My family and our daughter’s friend dined there recently and enjoyed steak, hamburger, stroganoff and hearty salad, each with a high-end twist and great presentation.
While the restaurant doesn’t specifically cater to families with small children, they are well accommodated. Though we did not order from the kid’s menu, I made a note of their offerings: cheeseburger sliders ($6.95), pepperoni or cheese pizza ($6.95), macaroni and cheese ($5.95), chicken fingers ($6.95), grilled cheese sandwich ($5.95) or spaghetti with meat or cream sauce ($6.95) are available for children under 12 and include a soda or milk.
The layout of this good-sized restaurant breaks up into several more intimate spaces, which serves to separate the lounge and bar from the more family-friendly dining areas.
When we dined there on a Friday evening with a 12- and 13-year-old, we were impressed by our server’s attentiveness and knowledge, and enjoyed a delicious meal beginning with warm, chewy sourdough rolls.
We then ordered the fried calamari strips appetizer ($10.95), which came with a tangy dipping sauce that was a nice change from the traditional mayonnaise-based sauce.
For entrees, our daughter ordered the Bistro West burger ($12.95) with caramelized onions, mushrooms and Swiss cheese and a side of French fries. A lemonade was $2.75. The burger was quite large, and she ended up taking half of it home to eat the next day.
When her friend ordered the Bistro baby mixed greens salad ($8.95), I said, “Is that all you’re going to eat?” but I needn’t have worried. The salad, comprising mixed baby greens, caramelized walnuts, roasted tomatoes, a generous sprinkling of bleu cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette, was just the right size for her. You can also add chicken, shrimp, or salmon to any entree salad for an additional $4.
My husband ordered the seared New York steak ($27.95), opting for a fruit bowl and sweet potato fries—crispy on the outside and sweet and tender on the inside—as side dishes.
I opted for the stroganoff, billed as a West Signature Classic. The large, juicy mushrooms and flavorful strips of filet mignon covered in creamy, tangy sour cream gravy over homey egg noodles did not disappoint. We’re glad we saved a little room for dessert, because it was extraordinary. My husband and I ordered the special, a mango flambé ($8.95). Fresh chunks of mango in syrup with a hint of coconut rum enveloped a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. My daughter ordered the cherry cobbler ($8.95), warm cherry filling with a macadamia crumble topping, and her friend got the lemon and apricot tart ($7.95), filled with lemon curd and apricot marmalade and topped with meringue.
For a nice dinner in the Legoland area in an environment where kids are welcome, Bistro West is a good option. Skip the appetizer and order an entree salad, sandwich or pizza for a good way to make your meal very affordable, but leave room for dessert; you won’t be sorry!
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Louise Julig is a freelance writer from Encinitas.