Le Central

If you loved the recent biopic of Edith Piaf, you'll feel right at home with chef/owner Jesse James's French cuisine at LE CENTRAL (he even has Piaf on the CD player). Or, if you're merely looking for impeccably prepared and presented dishes made from local ingredients, this is the spot for you. James serves the delectable moules au feu (roasted mussels) in a small cast iron pot, the better to keep them warm from the oven. He puts vegetables through a French-style food mill for a nicely-textured soup; he braises lamb and fava beans with a good Beaujolais. And, yes, there's a cassoulet, a duck confit, French wines by the glass, crème brûlée, French onion soup, coq au vin, and salmon Niçoise. Even the décor has French touches, from the café curtains to the black-and-white tiled floor. La Vie en Rose, indeed. | 483 Hope Street, Bristol | 401.396.9965 | lecentralbristol.net