You know you’ve lived in a place for too long when you start recalling places ‘new’ when they’ve been in operation for over a decade. Bistro 33 still seems like a ‘new’ place to me. I remember their opening and I remember despite being in what is probably the best location in Davis, in one of the most beautiful buildings in Davis (listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, by the way,) the service and food being disappointing. That was a long time ago and even though I went in to this review with some bias, I can’t deny that the burger I had there last week was great.
The Review
Patty (27/35) – Nice, thick, medium-rare patty. Lightly seasoned. Thick. Good beef. Not too greasy and not too dry. Perfect. I really am happy about it being medium-rare.
Cheese (25/25) – Tillamook sharp cheddar. Thick slices (as you can see), and more than one. Great melt. Went along well with the bun and patty.
Bun (15/15) – Fresh ciabatta bun. Lightly toasted. I would have happily eaten the bun on its own. Firm but not tough.
Toppings (14/15) – Whole grilled onion slice, thick tomato slices, crisp butter lettuce, and house pickles. It was all delicious. I thought the pickles were a little sweet worked well with the sauce, though.
Condiments (5/10) – House fry sauce, lightly spread. Tasty when it came through, had a little spice to it that went well with the patty and the house made pickles. Wish there had been more. No condiments on the table.
Ambiance (9/*) – Nicest location in Davis. Beautiful building, lovely patio space. Quiet, and peaceful on the inside.
Total (95/100) – As I said in the beginning, I was not expecting this. I haven’t eaten at Bistro in years and I regularly recommend other restaurants to visiting friends and family. I’m glad that I had the opportunity with this to give them another chance. This was a good burger. I ate the burger with a side salad and so cannot speak to the fries.
The fruit cobbler wasn’t bad though.
