The owner of the defunct Bliss Bistro has just opened up a new restaurant on Queens Blvd (between 44th and 45th streets, on the north side). It’s also a French restaurant, although the chef is new. We stopped by this evening – the very first day they were open, although the real opening is tomorrow – tonight they were just serving some introductory wine and pasta dishes (for free!)
Tapenade bistro
The space looks decidedly smaller than at the old Bliss Bistro, but supposedly there is an outdoor area out back as well. There is a bar and a TV. We were seated right by the windows, where it was a little chilly. The table itself was the wobbliest table I’ve ever seen in my life! It was almost comical – it wasn’t just at the base that it was wobbling – it was somehow independently wobbling at the tops as well – it was a bit like eating on a ship during a storm.
Vegetarian pasta
I was a little surprised to see pasta, since it’s more Italian than French, but given that it was all complimentary tonight, it makes sense. This vegetarian pasta with a tomato sauce was delicious.
Pasta with ham
The other available option was the same kind of pasta, but with a different sauce, and some ham. I definitely preferred the vegetarian one. I am not sure if they will be serving these pastas as part of their regular offerings; maybe as side dishes? We saw a glimpse of the actual menu, and it looked to be filled with traditional French dishes, as well as some lunch fare (sandwiches, and even burgers). We will revisit Tapenade at some point in the next few weeks to do a real review.
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Thanks for confirming that this place is French. For some reason I thought it was a Spanish Tapas place. I look forward to coming here!