Venue Review: Bistro La Belle

MIDWAY --

This Woodford County burg has long since made its name on the restaurant scene, offering more than charm and a quaint small-town atmosphere. Among the mainstays in Midway's thriving culinary tradition is Bistro La Belle.

You probably will find two things difficult at Bistro La Belle. Parking is likely to be a challenge because downtown Midway is so busy in the evenings, full of people drawn in by the many food and entertainment offerings. And, because this restaurant is open for dinner only four nights a week, you might find it a little challenging to work it into your schedule. I did, but it was worth it.

Generally speaking, it is clear Bistro La Belle is not on autopilot. The menu is small and interesting; there are some surprises, even where the standards are concerned. Things I didn't order but that intrigued me included the sweet potato ravioli appetizer, pork loin on sweet pepper-basil polenta, and shrimp and grits.

But with the time and budget for only one visit, some things had to be, wistfully, eliminated. My companion and I settled on a couple of appetizers, a special of shiitake mushrooms (from local producer Sheltowee Farms) on crostini and Caesar salad.

The salad first. I often order a Caesar salad on review trips because it is a cooking barometer for me. It's my experience that a Caesar in most restaurants is little more than some chunky Romaine lettuce with croutons and mediocre Romano cheese grated on top, all drowned in a thick industrial dressing. No anchovies, no subtlety. Not so at Bistro La Belle. We didn't see any anchovies, but the flavor was there in the dressing that the menu says (and I believe) is made on site. The salad included Romaine and baby spinach, and the croutons were fresh and garlicky. Try it; you'll know what this salad is supposed to be.

But even that very satisfying salad was trumped by the mushrooms. Local, fresh, very flavorful and cooked perfectly, these were great. It was a special, but I notice that Sheltowee mushrooms seem to turn up regularly on the menu. Don't miss them.

We weren't quite so lucky with the entree special of sea scallops served on a bed of black beans. Scallops can be wonderful when they are fresh and cooked just right. Although rich, they have a very delicate, almost sweet, flavor. The kitchen didn't do quite so well by these huge, fresh scallops. They were just a little overcooked, which diminished the texture and flavor, and the black beans just weren't the right accompaniment. The chef might have been going for contrast, but what we got was a fight between the dish's elements.

The duck, a regular offering, was another matter. A roasted half duck with sweet Thai chili glaze, it was a success. The skin was crisp, the meat was moist and tasty, and the glaze held its own with this full-flavored fowl. Served on fried wild rice with sautŽed baby spinach, the whole dish worked.

Pretty well satisfied, we choose to share a dessert. We selected bread pudding, which was a nice wintertime treat. Rich, almost creamy, it was laced with bourbon and quite delightful.

Some final notes: A small pet peeve is that the Web site is hard to find and not exactly up to date. The specials menu posted this week was for Nov. 7. Many restaurants fail to update their sites regularly, thereby giving up the key advantage of the Internet -- immediacy.

The servings were generous but not overwhelming, a nice break from the laden plates too common these days. Service was excellent, efficient but not obtrusive. The wine list is reasonably priced and interesting.

Dinner for two, without wine and tip, was about $80.