San Diego Metropolitan Magazine

Martin Woesle, executive chef at Mille Fleurs, offers a Beef Tartare, Sweet Onions and Grilled Baguette dish ($21) to sample. (photo/alandeckerphoto.com)

I know, I know. Many of you have been to Mille Fleurs at least once. The gourmet restaurant and its venerable proprietor, Bertrand Hug, are local and national dining icons. Over 25 years, Hug and Executive Chef Martin Woesle have received nearly every award and accolade offered by their industry. The magnetic Hug has been splashed on the covers of magazines and written about in society columns and is still photographed at nearly every party he attends. But this is old news.

What’s new is that on any given Wednesday night, things are just a little bit different in The Ranch. This is “Bistro Night” at Mille Fleurs. The waiters’ blue blazers stay in the closet while Woesle and company offer a lesser-priced menu with more casual, traditional French fare.

I was totally jazzed when I heard about it and thought, what a great idea, two restaurants in one — fantastique!

Equally delightful is the new interior design. Hug hired longtime friend and noted restaurant-designer David Robinson to head the makeover. Robinson’s work is well known in San Diego with the cozy yet cosmopolitan Bertrand at Mister A’s and the sexy-at-the-beach Jack’s La Jolla.

Robinson nimbly marries French traditional with California contemporary. Bold shades of burnt orange, gold and cobalt blue meet up with new, clean-lined chairs and banquettes fitted with fabrics in softer shades of the same. Robinson covered select adobe walls throughout the dining room with acoustic panels that add not only a layer of softness to the room, but also mute voices and outdoor noises, thus creating another layer of intimacy.

The Bistro menu changes each week and offers starters such as mussels mariniere, pumpkin soup and duck crostini. I was disappointed the night I dined and Woesle had no escargot. I had heard it was on the menu and had been jonesin’ for it all day — buttery, salty, garlicky and with parsley chopped so fine it gets caught between your teeth. You with me? I was told it makes regular appearances on the menu, so call ahead just to be safe.

I had no problem making another starter selection as several dishes wooed me. I decided on the Beef Tartare, Sweet Onions and Grilled Baguette ($21). The jewel-like, finely chopped beef glistened atop my chewy, thick-sliced bread. It had wonderful flavor and I was quickly smitten.

Bistro entrees are priced about $5 to $10 less than regular menu items (depending on what you choose) and the selection is wide. The Frog’s Legs with Garlic, Parsley, Dried Tomatoes and Brown Butter ($23) drew me in, but I jumped at the last minute and ordered the Grilled Calf’s Liver with Shallot-Balsamic Vinegar Sauce ($25). Served with tender Chino Farm vegetables, the liver was perfectly cooked, sweet and melted in my mouth. I soaked every last drop of the sauce with my bread and departed Bistro Night thrilled with my food and completely satisfied.

Oh, and a little side note: The place was packed, so call ahead to reserve a table. This thing is really catching on.