Rendez-Vous Bakery and Bistro — Restaurant in Florida

I often go for brunch after church on Sundays. It's not far and the food is wonderful. It's a small place, but they also have some outdoor seating. Sometimes there is a wait. Depending on how many people are waiting, we decided to stay or go elsewhere. Usually we wait. I have been going here for years. It's part of our regular rotation of places to eat. It is genuine French cuisine, but nothing overly sophisticated.

Since we usually go for brunch, my choices are usually quiche, a variety of crepes, different choices of Eggs Benedict, or of course French toast made THEIR way. 😂. I love their croissants and jams... Their desserts and pastries are just great. The wait staff is nice. They are very attentive and work together as a team. Every now and then there will be someone new, but we know the menu and what to expect so well, we can always nurse their newbies through their growing pains.

So yes, it's small and it's quaint. The decor is more of a French country farmhouse vibe with lots of small textured reproductions of impressionist artwork depicting Parisian street life. Just note that the booths on the north side (the Oakland Park side) of the restaurant are a little tighter than all the others. I guess there was an issue with measuring things when the place was put together and the north side lost a few inches, so keep that in mind if you like ample space between you and the table.

Prices are moderate and they offer a separate brunch menu with plenty to choose from. Dinner menus are more sophisticated and are usually accompanied by a number of specials that are not part of the regular menu. I must admit that I have not had dinner there in quite a very long time, but as memory serves, I once had a delightful seafood crepe that was out of this world. I also recall a wonderful crepe that was filled with chicken and mushrooms in a sauce that was divine. I'm a sucker for a good crepe whether it's my entree or dessert.

So, for lighter French fare, I would recommend Rendez-Vous. If you like more sophisticated, haute French cuisine, you must go elsewhere, but I doubt you would be disappointed if this was the only place in town. They have an online presence, so...

It's a little touch of France on Oakland Park. Even the staff and guests were speaking French....I started looking for my passport.

We decided to try a Rendez-vous for a late lunch, around 2pm, although they do serve lunch until 5, with a dinner menu after 5pm. The menu featured many of the classic staples of French bistro repertoire. In addition to the menu there was a feature board highlighting the day's specials several of which I may have to come back and try ( beef bourguignon!).

We both decided on a guilty pleasure - Ham Croque Monsieur. For those un familiar with this little gem, it's basically a grilled ham and swiss filled and topped with béchamel sauce. Well it was 2pm and they were out of ham, so we tried turkey...oops, they only had one....ok I'll try something else....oops, change of plan our lovely server (name unknown, she's new) negotiated for us both to have turkey.

First things first, it's odd that they were "out" of something, but then it turns out they had it but just didn't want to make it fresh. Big strike. What ever the reason it comes across badly. Anyways - we had the turkey and it was quite good, maybe a little more nutmeg in the béchamel but it was tasty none the less (as a side note, this is a knife and fork sandwich).

While we both had the same entree , we started with different soups. I had the tomato basil, while my companion had the French onion. The verdict is they were both outstanding. The onion soup was full- flavored with a heaping portion of melted cheese on top The Tomato soup was thick and rich, it almost verged on tomato sauce thick, but that is a welcome change from the thin watery soups I've come to expect in local restaurants. There was just enough sweetness and cream to balance the tomato acidity. A success on all counts.

Before we left, we decided to check out the dessert case which was full of pastries, cakes and other goodies and according to the Frenchman behind the counter, everything is made there. Maybe next time will be soup and dessert...,maybe some beef stew...hmmm, too...

I’m a pretty big fan of the simple things in life. Good living, good wine, hearty bread, fresh baguettes and good cheese. Since the common denominator to all of the above is France and since France is a plane trip and 7 hours away, I decided to go to Rendez-Vous instead.

It's a cute little place, perfect to catch up with the guys or take your girl on an intimate date.

Ordered the Cabernet in the picture, to begin with. That damn bottle complemented the bread, the appetizer, the soup, the main course and the dessert all at once effortlessly. Full bodied, not too dry or sweet, honest to goodness Cab. 10/10.

The French onion soup was very hearty and cheesy. Extremely satisfying. Oh, along with the complimentary bread basket. I wouldn’t say the bread was the freshest but I can’t really complain.

The Assiette Campagnarde was very good. The Country Pâté had a nice livery taste which I like and the Brie which is my favorite cheese ever sealed the deal.

Ordered the Beef Bourguignon for the mains. It was hearty, seasoned well and the potato gratin was absolutely delicious.

The chocolate dessert was fabulous.

Now, I really regret that I didn’t get the name of the lady who waited on us tonight - 2/19/22 (the nice blonde girl) but she is a superstar. She was always smiling, presented everything well, her service was attentive and quick and it was on the whole a job very well done. Such a refreshing rarity which I’m sure other South Floridians would agree with me given that we generally have mediocre service all around.

I thoroughly enjoyed her patient professionalism and the pace of presentation and was more than happy to tip her well. Upon which she returned to clarify if I had tipped her the said amount by mistake.. I had to assure her I didn't and that I enjoyed the experience. Add ethics to a long list of what turned out to be an overall extremely satisfying experience. Well done guys....