CLT Eats – A Charlotte Restaurant Review

Main Seating Area

I couldn’t help but notice that Cafe Monte French Bistro & Bakery has been ranked pretty high on Urbanspoon lately and so I had to check it out. French bistros don’t rank high on my must-visit list but after looking at the menu online I saw loads of options I wanted to try out. I’ve been disappointed in the past with high-flyers on Urbanspoon so I’ve become a bit suspicious of them but after giving it the once-over I was ready to give this place a whirl.

When pulling into the parking lot I was amazed at the number of Land Rovers in the parking lot. You would’ve thought there was a Land Rover Owners Club meet going on inside. The inside is very classy but not overly upscale. This isn’t a place you’re gonna drop $100. it’s not what I would call cheap but it’s not too painful on the wallet.

I had trouble deciding what I ultimately wanted but ended up with Quiche Lorraine. This was really good stuff. I should also mention that we were served bread while waiting for our food to show up and it was pretty tastey stuff and came with honey butter. Back to the quiche. Again, really good stuff and probably the best quiche I’ve had. I need to get back over here and try some of the other menu items. If they’re as good as the quiche this place is going to have to make the regular rotation. While I love quiche, it usually doesn’t quite fill the tank so I seized the opportunity to check out their creme brulee. Another home run. As for service, our waiter did a commendable job. Most noteworthy was his brief attempt at singing an excerpt from the B-52′s song “Quiche Lorraine”. Bravo!

To help paint a complete picture, I should also mention that men were the minority at this place. It sort of has the anti-sports bar atmosphere going on. I’m not into the sports bar scene personally but there were only a handful of guys in the entire place and it was pretty busy. The guys that were there looked to be with significant others. There were no guys hanging out with their buds and grabbing a good meal. If there’s such a thing as the restaurant equivalent of a “chick flick” this is it. Despite not necessarily feeling like I fit in I’ll definitely be back. The food was phenomenal and I’m excited to see how the other dishes turn out.

Pros

• Excellent Food
• Great Menu
• Good Service
• Good Atmosphere
• Good Value

Cons

• If you have an aversion to Land Rovers be careful in the parking lot

Rating: Recommended