blue dahlia bistro

we met up with friends here and sat outside on the bijou patio. it has an authentic french feel. service was good.cheeseplate outstanding! hummus tartines sensational. friends recommend the nicoise salad. also the quiche, which looked great. good wine selection. didn't try the desserts but they looked yummy. could maybe spray for mosquitoes! but all in all had a wonderful time.

great food and people. we met several friends there last night for a really fine dinner. the waitperson was fun, responsive to our needs, and friendly.

we enjoyed hummus and acheeseplate for appetizers, all delightfully presented. i like the fact that blue dahlia is gluten-free friendly, which makes it way easier for me to eat there.

i'm not sure what everyone at my table ate, but i had a fine pork stew - the night's special - and my partner had coq a vin, which she seemed to enjoy a great deal.

the wine list is small, but the bottles we selected were just fine.

the environment is cozy, warm and subtle. as a neighborhood restaurant, parking is simple and getting there is not a challenge (a big plus in the well populated and traffic-rich version of austin we now live in).

welcome addition to westlake. the blue dahlia bistro is a very welcome addition to the paltry restaurant choices available in westlake. a demanding neighborhood that does not support many new restaurants.

i have eaten at this location once for dinner, once at happy hour, and several times at breakfast. at each meal i have been served a really fresh salad of field greens with perfectly ripe tomatoes and a delicious lemon vinaigrette. the bouillabaisse and the salade nicoise were very good if not the best that i've ever had. the fish was generous and not overcooked in the bouillabaisse but the broth could have been a little richer. i missed the addition of haricort verts in the salade nicoise. the salted caramel gelato was every bit as delicious as it sounds.

happy hour was a little less successful. the dining space is quite small and was exceedingly loud due to a large raucous group. when we asked to be seated in the quieter back space our request was denied because they lacked a 2 person table in this space and would not separate 2 small tables pushed together to accommodate 4 people. we ended up sitting on the outdoor patio which is lovely but rather hot on a august day at 5 pm even with the misters and fans going. when i reentered the restaurant a bit later, i did see that they had separated these tables to seat other couples. their delicious wines are priced affordably at hh but the meat andcheeseplate that we ordered was nothing special. i enjoyed an egg salad tartine with generous capers.

they are open at 8 o'clock for breakfast on weekdays and this seems to be a well kept secret as there is hardly anyone there. the frittatas are outstanding. the waffle andcheeseblintzes and croissants are delicious. somewhat less satisfying was the soft boiled egg and bread basket. the egg was perfectly cooked but the bread basket contained on a couple of slices of a whole grain bread and cold baguette. the plate was dominated by a large salad that was very good but not what i'm in the mood for at 8 in the morning. salad also accompanies the frittatas. i would prefer fruit or potatoes. they serve wonderful raspberry jam and orange

pricey but good. we were invited to join a friend at this lovely place...beautiful, comfortable interior and nice cool patio with effective misters made for an enjoyable july afternoon. the food is awesome, but a bit pricey for the value. the meat &cheeseplatter for $15.95 was meager and while the goatcheesesalad with pine nuts, parmesan, and olive oil was delectable, i felt that $9.95 was a bit high. still, this is a very nice place, the food is well done, the wait staff is appropriately attentive, and it is a relaxing establishment.