“The restaurant was excellent. The staff was welcoming, service was prompt and the food was delicious. The restaurant offers a nostalgic charm, the kind of place for special occasions that you went to as a child. But the menu was extensive and offered selections that were varied, perfectly prepared and charmingly plated including seafood, beef, chicken etc. I went with a few friends and each of us was thrilled.The restaurant is that kind of place that insulates you from the pace of the outside world and makes your night out special. Highly recommend.“
“Before going to Plouf Plouf, I looked at the Yelp reviews. All but one (dated several years ago were 4-5*. But one, dated 2 months ago, was horrible. I wondered whether the restaurant had deteriorated over time but decided to go anyway. It has NOT deteriorated. The food was excellent cooked in the French way to perfection. Four of us all were pleased with our Lobster Bisque and Onion Soup, followed by wonderfully grilled lamb chops, duck and Pernot mussels. A grand evening. Thanks to the chef and his super efficient and effective wife. We will return.“
“Bottom line: a delightful French bistro with absolutely delicious food, a casual, cozy vibe, and an excellent value. Something different in the East Bay. An underappreciated gem.We’ve been going to Le Central for a few years and recently rediscovered just how good it is. The vibe is French bistro, complete with black and white checkerboard floors. It’s casual, relaxed, and cozy. It feels like French comfort food.The menu is thoughtful and amazing for how truly delicious the offerings are. It’s a ‘who’s who’ of some of the best French dishes, without pretense or weirdness (no snails or frogs legs). Starting with the table bread, half of a baguette, perfectly toasted and partly sliced, with soft butter and some olives on the side.The onion soup is full of melted Guryere cheese, caramelized onions, rich beef stock, and toasted baguette slices, served in a ramekin. It’s perfect and utterly irresistible. Pair it with a salad and it’s a meal.The Salad Nicoise has perfectly cooked green beans, roasted fingerling potatoes with butter and parsley, roasted red peppers, a bed of arugula, a nice filet of perfectly poached salmon, and a mouth-watering lemon-caper compote. It’s hearty enough as a main course for lunch or dinner, and is deliciously satisfying (and I’m not usually a salad person).The hamburger might be one of the best you’ll have. A hand formed patty of organic beef on a toasted Brioche bun, served simply with tomato and lettuce, cheese (cheddar, Guryere, or Roquefort) and applewood smoked bacon optional, and a side of ultra-thin and super-crisp potato frites (too good to be called mere ‘French fries’). We love burgers, and both think this is hands-down the best we’ve had in the area (it’s the spiritual opposite of Chomp burgers which are excellent in their own right but very different with many heavy, spicy additives that make for a ‘wet’ burger). Le Central’s hamburger stands on its own simply with the highest quality ingredients prepared perfectly (like the rest of the food).Coq au Vin (chicken with wine) was a revelation. A half of a Cornish game hen (breast, leg, and thigh), braised in burgundy wine, served in a crock brimming with mushrooms, sauteed onions, and bacon, in a rich, thick, velvety stock, and a side of roasted fingerling potatoes. Just the smell made my mouth water before even taking the first bite! It was heavenly, deeply satisfying, and very hearty and filling.There are always some specials, often including an omelet. Recently we’ve had asparagus and brie, and mushroom and Guryere, variations. They were spectacular, served with a side of potato frites. They turn brunch into a special experience and feel decadent despite the modest price. They offer a full brunch menu that looks yummy, though we haven’t (yet!) tried it.Desserts are homemade. Our favorite are the Rochers (“rocks”), chocolates like turtles. Dark chocolate filled with the specialty of the day, various nuts and fruits. Order at least one if you’re stuffed and don’t think you can fit in anything else, but a plate of 4 goes down easily with tea.The drink list is massive. In the spirit of a French bar there are dozens and dozens of liquors of every kind. A nice offering of about 20 wines (French of course), every one we’ve ever had has been a winner. Some beers, and even several ciders, apple and pear varieties, from Normandy!This area has tons of typical bars/pubs/taverns, seemingly one on every block, along with Portuguese (Portuguese-ish) and Italian restaurants. Le Central stands out, both for being unique in offering a great selection of the best of the best of French foods, and for the amazingly high quality and reasonable prices. It’s one of the great, underappreciated secret gems of the East Bay area. If it was in Boston the prices would be more than twice as high and people would be raving about it.We’ve been finding it hard to go more than a week between visits.“