In a time when the city is full of French bistros, this one is unique. The menu is unlike any other hereabouts, using offbeat ingredients in polished recipes. The many regular customers give the place a clubby feeling, without excluding newcomers.
Harris spent some time in France in between gigs at Bayona and Gautreau's (he was executive chef at the latter), and picked up the inspiration for Lilette there. He was on the cover of Food and Wine Magazine in 2002 as one of the hot new chefs of the year.
The building is a fine old Magazine Street store, with high ceilings and many windows. The airy, loose feeling in the single large dining room makes the restaurant seem bigger than it is. The specials are written on a chalkboard above a few banquettes; both touches lend a convincing French bistro ambiance.
This is an unusually good place to try dishes and foods you never heard of or tried before. Plenty of them are here, and the kitchen's skills insure a polished version of whatever catches your eye.
| Attitude | 0 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 1 |
| Hipness | 2 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 0 |
| Wine | 2 |
