A bistro is defined as a restaurant that serves French-style cooking. The bistros in Central Oregon have French influence but can also be described as modern American.

Not all of these eateries have bistro in their name. What they have in common are the menu items they offer, and highly trained chefs able to put together unique and sophisticated dishes.

Fine bistros can be found outside the Bend city limits. I visited Chops Bistro in Sisters (370 E Cascade Ave.) and South Bend Bistro in Sunriver (The Village at Sunriver, 57080 Abbot Drive, No. 26), as well as 900 Wall in Bend (900 NW Wall St.). Along with similarities of food offerings, they all have another commonality. The food was a rich culinary experience. Ordering from bistros may have been my favorite takeout tasting so far. Note that all of these restaurants are offering limited dine-in seating as well as takeout.

South Bend Bistro Located in The Village at Sunriver, the South Bend Bistro is a treat for locals and worth the drive for those who live in Bend and around Central Oregon. Chef Kelly Day uses Northwest fresh ingredients in her sophisticated, fine-dining recipes.

The small dining room offers an intimate experience, but limited seating right now. So, I opted for takeout.

We began with the sea scallops. Three generous, beautifully tender sea scallops sit atop brown sugar parsnip puree with asparagus tips and thick-sliced chewy bacon. The sweetness of the scallops is enhanced by the parsnip puree, which plays against the salty chunks of bacon. It was mouthwateringly satisfying.

The baked brie sounded too decadent to resist. Softened brie (that I reheated at home) was accompanied by sliced dates, apricots and cranberries. The hearty sweet and sour fruit choice stands up to the rich, creamy brie cheese. Toasted almonds added a touch of nuttiness and wildflower honey coated the medley for sweetness with a hint of floral woodiness. The brie is served with toasted crostini made from the bread served with meals.

It was the perfect crostini, toasted enough to be firm yet still soft in the middle with a crunchy crust.

To balance the rich starters, we shared a berry salad. Peppery arugula was mixed with blackberries and slices of strawberries. The berries’ fruity sourness played against creamy chevre cheese. Candied chopped hazelnuts boosted the sweetness as berry poppyseed vinaigrette dressing pulled it all together.

Our entree was the Wild Alaskan Pistachio Encrusted Halibut. Halibut can be the true test of a kitchen. Done well, as it was at South Bend Bistro, it is flakey, tender and buttery with a mild flavor. The lightest, sweet and nutty pistachio flavor coated the halibut, sealing in a moist center. A white butter sauce filled with sweet charred corn kernels, chunky crimini mushrooms, and juicy pearl onions balanced the delicate fish. Anaheim peppercorn puree helped bring out the flavors. It is served with tender asparagus tips.

900 Wall900 Wall does not describe itself as a bistro, but its food subtly hints at modern American bistro food. Talented and nationally recognized Chef Cliff Eslinger is on the advisory board of the Cascade Culinary Institute. His expertise and experience are evident in many of the dishes offered at 900 Wall.

One of those unique, subtle, yet delicious entries is the duck confit. Rather than serving it over rice, Eslinger chose nutty farro (emmer wheat). Farro is a grain with undertones of wheat and barley that lacks the heaviness of other whole wheat grains and adds elegance to the dish.

Chef Eslinger explains that he is “always looking for different kinds of grains. We toast the farro to make it crispy and caramelized,” which brings out the sweetness of the farro’s brown, nutty and dense chewy texture.

Some of the farro is lacquered with the cider gastrique that covers the duck. Instead of a sugary fruit sauce, the cider gastrique is used for a sweet but subtle flavor. Gastrique, which is made with caramelized sugar (or honey) and vinegar, gives the dish a balanced sweet and sourness that works well with the rich duck and nutty farro. Caramelized, locally-grown, king trumpet mushrooms and leaks complete the sauce.

We also chose crab fettuccine. Fettuccini is tossed in a soubise (a Béchamel cheese sauce with onion puree) with Dungeness crab and a hint of tarragon, paprika and jalapeño. Herb bread crumbs coated with thyme, oregano, and parsley tarragon lemon butter add flavor and crunch. Delicious and satisfying, I might only nudge the chef for a little more crab.

Chops Bistro

The dishes we chose at Chops Bistro were not as complex as those at the other restaurants. Still, as soon as I took a bite, it was apparent that this food was far from ordinary.

We started with three medium-sized crab cakes filled with crab and covered in a generous crunchy crust. While fried, there wasn’t a hint of grease. The sweet crab taste predominated and was complemented with citrus aioli. Yellow, red, and orange peppers and arugula added bite and spice.

Our entree was a tender rack of lamb. The perfectlycooked, moist meat came with gravy and mashed potatoes, and buttery green beans with the medley of peppers. I may be traditional, but I prefer my lamb with a hint of mint.

Bistro dining may be a notch below fine-dining in price. Still, the dishes have all of the flavor and originality that you’d find at any restaurant.