Love Spanish food, but often it’s really nice to branch out a little.  French food is always a good option, but it’s hard in Madrid to find authentic bistrot food…and impossible at a good price. 

A great French bistrot experience can be found at Le Petit Bistrot. 
Two locations: 
Calle Ponzano, 60
Plaza Matute, 5
http://www.lepetitbistrot.net/

The menu is classic bistrot…check out the web site for a complete list.  The food is seasonal though so the menu varies.  We started with some escargot in garlic sauce, some fired brie croquettes and a baked goat cheese salad.  All were excellent.  I hadn’t had escargots is ages…everything tastes so good int hat garlic butter sauce!   The salad was really memorable…a great mix of greens, some jamon bits, a huge slice of baked goat’s cheese…all topped with the typical French vinaigrette that I love.
The main courses were equally well done:  Duck magret with boletus mushrooms, a classic and delicious steak tartare, a smoky sweet duck confit, and perfectly seared fresh foie with caramelized apple.  These are some tricky dishes, but all of them were really well executed. 
The desserts were maybe the best of all:  a lovely tarte tatin, a spiced hot chocolate soup with ice cream and the piece de resistance…one of those chocolate bouchon cakes…firm on the outside…meltingly chocolately on the inside!  These are the type of elaborate desserts that you have to order at the beginning of the meal to give them time to prepare them!

The wine list is so interesting…a wide selection of little known French producers at very reasonable prices.  We enjoyed an outstanding AOC Jasnières (Chenin Blanc from the Loire) from the producer Kharaktêr, followed by a very good Côte du Rhône Villages (Rochegude) from Vinumentis. 

The service was excellent, really attentive, by an all-French staff.  The décor is very intimate, smoky bistrot-style. 
Really my only complaint the whole night was the bread…very mediocre…should be easy to fix!

Best of all is the price:  for all this we paid only 35 euros per person!  In Madrid it is hard to beat that for this quality and complexity of food.  The best deal is to come at lunch and get the 3 course menu del dia for about 18 euros.  Even the more pricy items are available on the menu del dia for a supplement.

I shall return whenever I am craving delicious French comfort food!