Bistro Vida

We stop here often, brunch, lunch, dinner. It is exactly what you want in a little French Bistro. The atmosphere simple, comfortable, clean. The food straight forward, unpretentious and hardy. All the basics are here and all done well. — omelets, Moules Fries, French onion soup, salad nicoise, croque monsieur, and their yummy Vida burger. Even better in good weather with a table street side, open aire. Service is pleasant although at time slow. This is a small place with a small staff. We will keep coming back.

When I arrived, the hostess told me that my friend, who had made the reservation, had not yet come in, so I was seated in the front — as I asked. It turned out that she WAS there and had been seated already, in another section. If not for cell phones, we might not have had dinner together at all.
Our dinner was disappointing. My friend ordered the mussels in cream. The sauce must have been brought to a boil with the cream in it; it had separated, and had then been poured over the mussels as they were transferred to a soufflé dish for serving (not a bowl?), leaving curd-​like blobs of cream all over the mussels — NOT attractive or pleasant to eat. I had the nightly special, which was duck, and the scanty sauce badly needed reducing and some seasoning. The polenta was quite good. The «vegetable» was a large piece of lettuce, draped over the whole. Who is doing the plating???
I have liked this place for years, but if this is what the new chef is doing, please bring back the old one. I would be very reluctant to return. Time to explore other options in Menlo Park.

Wonderful restaurant — food was amazing, atmosphere was great and the owner was super friendly. A+.

The escargot was tasteless, they don’t even put bread on the table and when you ask for water with no ice they bring it with ice. When they do bring the bread it’s just the sawed of corner of a baguette that really isn’t enough for two people. We both ordered steak and frites. one was thick. the other was a skinny, sad steak. The bernaise was ok. At the end they didn’t even offer desert or coffee. the table next to us did get asked… not coming here again

First time to this place and have to say I had an amazing time! Very simple but absolutely delicious food! Their head chef is amazing and you want to get there early to get a chance at her limited number of dishes!

Was craving salmon… called ahead of time since I was on the clock (working)…the first person you see is Ahli… making conversation with his customers. I ordered the grilled salmon with mash potatoes and veggies again… delicious!!! I can assure you that you won’t leave disappointed! Ahli takes very good care of his customers. Charming man.

— ordered Pinot noir and it was not good, in my experience they’re smooth but this was a full bodied Pinot and was hard to swallow
+ the appetizers were probably the best thing: calamari was good along with the dipping sauce, the cheese plate with the apples and Brie were delicious and the gnocchi plate was tasty, although the Brussels sprouts could’ve had a little more seasoning
— the poulet roti (roasted chicken w/​mashed potatoes and vegetables) was very sub par. The chicken was very bland and the vegetables were slightly overbooked, but the best thing about the dish was the mashed potatoes which they hardly gave me much of.
+ crème brûlée was pretty good
I was initially very excited about this place and am convinced that maybe I ordered the wrong food items because my team of 8 others enjoyed their food. I just wouldn’t get the same entrée again.

This restaurant is the closest to a real French bistro that I have ever seen a restaurant decorated.
The tall windows, the half walls, and the red accents were all very indicative of a French bistro.
The owner, all smiles, was sitting down, enjoying a French awards show when we entered. He quickly stood up to ask us if we were his reservation, and when we told him we hadn’t made a reservation, he smiled and sat us quickly anyway.
The selection here is very superb, and they gave us a lot of bread, practically a half baguette. The server continuously came by to refill our waters as soon as they were half empty.
The food itself was extremely hot, but delicious. I ordered the couscous royal, which came with various vegetables and three different types of meat: a lamb chop, chicken, and a sausage. Everything was cooked very well, but there was some sort of spicy spread that was on top and it was way too much for me, so I removed it all.
If I hadn’t been too full, we would have had the crème brûlée.
The owner was again very friendly and wished us a good night.
This was an extremely enjoyable experience and we will definitely be back for brunch.

Really great service, our server who seemed like the owner was chatting up a storm with my dad throughout our Thanksgiving meal. We brought our own bottle of wine, which they bonded over.
I ordered their ribeye steak in medium rare. It’s not as juicy or tender as I would’ve preferred but it wasn’t bad. I loved their French fries and bread, very simple but good. The mussels we ordered as appetizer was to substitute for the escargot they ran out of last night, but they were very flavorful and made a nice substitution. The lamb chops my uncle tried looked good but I didn’t get the chance to try it.
Overall, good service and good food. Prices were a little steep and I wish they didn’t run out of the escargot which we were all looking forward to, but the service and quality of the food we did get to order made it okay.

This is our third time here and my opinion hasn’t changed. Pricy for the mediocre food you get. Service is supper slow even if they have only two tables to seated.
The only thing nice about this place is the atmosphere.

Used to come here and the food was good.:I came and got the Salade Nicoise… I could smell that the Tuna was not fresh from the moment it landed on my table. I took a small bite and indeed it was super old and fishy…
Just two doors down, Left Bank has an amazing Nicoise! Anyway, I won’t come here again. Staff and server seemed nice, but food is way below par, and the damn salad was $ 17!

Really enjoyed my first visit here. Our friends come here often and we felt like family!
The beef bourguignon was really yummy! Some parts were a little dry and needed the sauce. M liked it a lot. The portion was hearty and I liked the mashed potatoes with it. In other restaurants I’ve had it with pasta and I definitely prefer the potatoes.
Calamari with that dipping sauce was my favorite appetizer. The batter was light and crispy. The sauce was so good!
M had the duck confit. Didn’t really care for it the way it was prepared but he liked it. It was presented in what looks like a beggar’s purse and was very tender. I would prefer the whole piece of duck.
The scallop and asparagus risotto looked amazing but I didn’t try it.
Can’t wait to go back to check out the rest of the menu!

I’m not sure if it’s just been that kind of week, but it seems like every meal out has been quite disappointing these last few days.
Bistro Vida looked quaint and promising as a pleasant outdoor brunch experience, but I really should have just listened to my bf’s first instinct and eaten elsewhere because this place just followed en suite and has been the lowlight of this week’s dining experiences.
We were seated somewhat promptly the second time we stopped in. They had completely ignored the bf the first time he went in to look at the menu.
After ordering, the food took a seemingly exorbitant amount of time to come out, but that could have just been because I was starving.
$ 5 for a might-​as-​well-​have-​been McD’s not-​quite-​medium-​sized serving of fries. (This was the better dish!)
$ 22 for penne with clams in a garlic pesto sauce with orange tomatoes.
Initial bite of pasta… It was alright! Or I was just so ravenous that I inhaled a bunch of the pasta before it registered that… it was getting worse as I ate it. Why was it sour??? The sourness kept increasing and honestly, I would have just dealt with it… If the clams weren’t spoiled.
I had given one to the bf, and he said it was «strong». I tried one and… Yeah, «strong» is definitely a qualifying word for it. I thought it was just that one or maybe it’s the seasoning, but nope. The second one was strong, third was ok. Another was broken and I poked at it… Then at that point… I gave up on eating it for fear of getting sick.
Pushed the plate away and sat there discussing the food w bf.
The waitress came and asked if we wanted the check. I told her the clams in the dish were bad. She paused and said brb.
A different, tatted waitress came back to collect the dishes and made some really unnecessary comment about «oh. The other waitress told me you said the clams were bad. If you had said something sooner, we could have made you something else.»
THANKS!!! WHO DOES THAT HELP??? What was the purpose of that effin comment besides leaving a shittier taste in my mouth than is already there from your crap food???
I wasn’t expecting you to make me something else or even comp the dish. But I don’t need your «too bad» comment for dessert.
$ 30 for a terrible food and even worse service. We really would have been better off just going to McDs, mystery meat and all.

Tonight it is a quick bite, escargot and a beer at the bar. Doesn’t disappoint, tasty and served piping hot.
The onion soup is another of my favorites! His burger (moms recipe from the old country) is a winner!
Have been coming here for years, now I live in so Cal. so a test to come back and see Ali and his crew.
Great atmosphere and delicious food at fair prices.

After walking by this absolutely adorable restaurant, we cancelled our reservations at a much better rated restaurant. With it’s classic café tables and chairs and big red umbrellas, it felt being in Paris at a sidewalk café. The waiter even spoke French and it was lovely.
It was a hot summer day so we weren’t terribly hungry. My friend ordered sangria (I forgot to ask how it was) and the French Onion soup and enjoyed it though it was super salty (as it tends to be when you get it at a restaurant). If you love this soup, it’s really easy to make and Julia Child’s recipe is perfection. Buy beef bones and make your own broth for a really perfect cup.
I ordered the tuna tartare and it was okay though a little bland. I’ve had it better at other places with a little avocado and a touch of horseradish. This seemed like a purist version that just didn’t taste like much. But it was okay.
We ordered a crêpe for dessert and a cappuccino. The coffee came out first — I’d wanted it with the dessert — and it was practically cold. The crêpe was a soggy mess filled with globs of chocolate and swimming in a disgustingly sweet caramel «sauce» that was hardening like candy and stuck to our teeth. It made us feel a little ill and we didn’t finish it. The French would not approve.

I love the cheerful and charming décor of this café/​bistro. I like to think of the style as French Bohemian meets elegant. It’s one of those places I would spend a breezy afternoon by myself at one of those little sidewalk tables with a very serious and very old book but thus far, I’ve yet to dine there without a companion. I also appreciate the fact that the cuisine is far more authentic than the sort-​of-​French-​ish Left Bank next door (I may be crazy but it seems «Corp French») The portion sizes are appropriate and in my opinion, really well-​priced although I can’t recall ever considering Menlo Park as a value destination in terms of dining. I would recommend they give thoughtful consideration to introducing a Happy Hour menu (Le Happy Hour? Prix réduit? Le cinq à sept? Who knows?) because *cough* Le Left Bank has one *cough*.
My friend and I popped in on a holiday weekend and it was pretty quiet (although let’s be honest, downtown Menlo Park is super quiet unless there is some festival going on. I have yet to experience anything loud on the Peninsula and no, I’m not deaf.) My friend ordered the Salade Nicoise which he fully devoured and I had the Coq au Vin which was quite lovely. Like, I ate every last bit of it, lovely. I may just be really lucky but I haven’t had a bad experience yet. Full disclosure: I do tend to stick with classic dishes so maybe that’s the trick?
RECOMMENDATIONS: Just a little more love into the service and attention because it really is a bit hit and miss and when they miss, well, they do that well… although maybe they’re striving for that authentic French feel? It just means you have to flag someone down. Also, expanding the wine list would not be a bad idea in addition to considering a Happy Hour with maybe some live music? Just a few thoughts. In the meanwhile, I’ll be back soon for another lovely afternoon and this really charming French café.

I had the calamari appetizer, which although not very original, was very well executed and I liked the remoulade sauce they had for dipping. Also the salad verte, which was very French — just perfect, sweet butter lettuce with a few marinated red onions and a good vinaigrette.

This place is amazing! It is definitely our favorite restaurant downtown. Ali (the owner) is great and very friendly. Antonia is amazing and our daughter loves seeing her. Family friendly for early evening and great date spot after 7. Bar is beautiful! Authentic French options for food and drink.
You must come here! The ambiance is blissful as well.

This is a lovely little bistro in downtown Menlo Park. It’s right across the street from SusieCakes (which frankly is the best thing in town), making it extra well-​situated.
Pros:
— You can make reservations online
— Service was good (I especially appreciated the patient waitress splitting our bill six ways)
— Some dishes are delicious (the quiche and french omelets seemed to go over well)
— The baguettes are fresh and tasty
— Decent ambience
— Steps from the best cupcakery in a 100 mile radius
Cons:
— What I ordered was a bit meh (linguine with clams)
— The takeout carrier I was given for a pasta with sauce was insufficient and quickly leaked. I tossed it soon after exiting the restaurant to avoid a mess.
— Most items on the lunch menu were overpriced (about $ 25−30pp if you don’t order any appetizers, dessert or alcohol)
— The public parking lot behind the building is hyper-​patrolled by overzealous meter maids. It clearly states FREE PARKING FOR TWO HOURS, yet I got a ticket after parking for one hour. Not cool.
Overall, it was pleasant enough but until I have a better experience I will go with a solid 3 stars.

Once in a while, although usually not by choice, I have a chance to dine solo. I don’t dislike it as it allows me room and space between my food and me. Nothing will detract me from the enjoyment of my food as I have plenty of time to stare at it, sniff it, dissect it and perform the final test of tasting! It also gives me a better chance to be more attuned with the ambience. On a whim, I decided on French, one that will not cost me a pretty penny. BV happened to be within walking distance from my car and the cute antique lights that dimly lit the dining room beckoned me in. The bar area was bright and looked glitzy against the dark red wall and the dark mahogany furniture. The quaint and charming vibe is just what you would expect from a French Bistro. Seating in the sidewalk gave the restaurant a laid back Parisian feel as you people watch with the traffic moving slowly by.
I am a pâté freak. Before I even sat down, my eyes were fixated on the Mousse de Canard au Porto ($ 11.00), a creamy duck liver mousse with port wine. I am not quite sure of the correct etiquette to eat this and so with your permission, I did it my way. The pâté had a smooth consistency and I spread it like jam on the crispy baguette. The accompaniments like salty black olives, sour red onion pickles and tart cornichons were piled high on the baguette as I enjoyed the blending of these distinctive flavors with every bite. The taste of the pâté itself was certainly not too shabby but it did lack the strong and robust flavors of some better pates that I had before elsewhere.
French Onion Soup ($ 7.50) is as French as Miso soup is Japanese. Soup by its very nature is so soothing and comforting. French onion soup with its beefy broth enriched by the soft onions hits the spot every time. Add on the melting bubbly cheese on top and magically the soup morphed into ‘soul’ food… soul-​warmingly yummy I mean. BV’s soup in this regard was no exception. Being by myself, I closed my eyes to savor the sweet and salty flavors of the caramelized onions and broth. Oh, at times like this, I just love to be left alone to relish every sip at an unhurried pace!
Continuing on with the French classics, Coq Au Vin ($ 17.50) was posted everywhere from the black boards to the menus. The chicken was tender and well infused with red wine and herbs with a side of fluffy mashed potatoes. I must say the sauce was a good rendition while the baby carrots, pearl onions, button mushrooms and a little smokiness from the smoked ham added some depth to the flavor. The negative for this dish was in the piece of chicken thigh itself. Without beating around the bush, the chicken had been dead for too long! Hence, the texture of the meat was soft and mushy while a firmer chew from a fresher chicken would make this dish perfect. The whole dish relies a 100% on the taste of the sauce, as the old chicken meat itself was bland and no longer succulent.
The server while attentive had very little knowledge of French cuisine. Since he wasn’t able to help, I was hoping I could get an answer from the kitchen through my server. No such luck as the chef was already gone for the day and this was 6 pm!