Ohlala French Bistro — Restaurant in Las Vegas

Today we had the ultimate pleasure of dining at Ohlala French Bistro! We were trying to find another restaurant to benefit Three Square, and we discovered a hidden gem. Don't judge a book by its cover! We had no clue what we were about to experience from the outside of the strip mall restaurant, but after walking through the doors we were delightfully surprised. A small and quaint upscale atmosphere with French music playing in the background, transported us to France. We were greeted within seconds by the host/waiter and even though we didn't have reservations, he accommodated us. We did not drink wine since it was 11 am but they have a huge wine selection. They served us water with lemon. The table was set with cloth napkins. After we ordered our first course of escargot and French onion soup, the waitress Abby, brought 2 soup spoons and 2 appetizer forks. We were then served a sliced, warm baguette, with cold unsalted butter. Perfect for dipping in the soup and the fresh garlic sauce on the escargot. The first courses were delicious and the owner/chef checked in with a Bon Appetit! The waiter noticed our bread was almost gone and asked if we would like more. Of course! The timing of the meal was perfect. After we had finished the first course, the waiter said he would have the chef fire up our entrees. A wine bottle with water was on our table if we needed more water, but the staff was so efficient, we never needed to fill the glasses ourselves. Our entrees were La Croque Madame served with greens and dressing along with a Burger with Brie and Bacon served with shoestring fries. Food was delicious as well as the presentation. After enjoying the entrees, we still had to choose dessert. We had Creme Brûlée and Chocolate Mousse . The waitress cleared our entree dishes, wiped down our table to remove the bread crumbs and brought us dessert silverware. The Creme Brûlée was freshly torched because the sugar crust was still warm. The Chocolate Mouse was made with dark chocolate, topped with real whipped cream and caramel sauce. Delicious! Once again, the owner/chef checked in to make sure everything was ok. The check was presented in a glass jar. I placed my card in the jar and Abby took care of the payment. When she returned with the jar, my receipt was wrapped around my credit card so it was easy to locate the merchant copy, all clipped together with the pen. It's the little things in life. The service was phenomenal! The food and presentation were phenomenal! Thank you, thank you, thank you! We...

Ooh la la review

We totally appreciate the quality of dining experience at this intimate spot. It has the complete authenticity of a true French Bistro, but lacking any pretensions.

We try visit Ooh La La multiple times throughout the year. It has a simple yet diverse menu featuring rich, intense flavors at reasonable prices.

The atmosphere is spot on. French tunes, both modern and classic, are playing in the background. The decor is upbeat, a bit quirky and entirely soothing.

The wine list is very approachable, a page of selections that complements the cuisine without overpowering the pocketbook.

Service is always spot on. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable, efficient and down to earth. This includes the French born owner/chef, a former exchange student in the US during his teens, who is often in the dining room, quick with a smile and kind words.

Our experience is you can’t make a mistake ordering any menu item. Having experienced (with pleasure) most of the menu, I often choose the salmon with pasta, and my wife enjoys the hachis parmentier, a French turn on a shepherd’s pie. The French Onion soup is robust and satisfying. We take particular pleasure in enjoying the appetizer of warm crusted pistachio goat cheese with onion confit jam, pistachio, honey and crostini. The charcuterie platters are also a good choice.

Don’t skip dessert. The chocolate mousse has a depth of flavor, and variety of textures, that is deeply satisfying. A nice counterpoint to this is the lemon tart with almond crust and a browned meringue topping. The other desserts are equally enjoyable, and go well with the assortment of coffee or espresso offerings.

It should be mentioned that one of us has a garlic allergy, and they have no problem navigating that issue without compromise of choices or quality (which is often not the case in so many other dining establishments).

Ooh la la doesn’t leave a permanent dent in your wallet, and we always feel the experience has the ability to touch all our senses in a gratifying manner. Can’t recommend this comfortable and consistent spot more highly.

If you’ve read one of my restaurant reviews before, you would know I have had a half century of experience in independent restaurants on every level, front or heart of the house, including two decades each of ownership and outside consulting. My reviews aren’t written on a whim, but are reserved for food establishments that truly have earned and deserve positive comments. Ooh la la...

The Restaurant Week lunchtime menu for Ohlala French Bistro looked amazing for its multitudinous per course offerings for only $40. So I went to check it out.

Effusive greeting from Nikki who escorted me to a just-laid table and gave me all the menus.

As mentioned, the RW menu for a three course lunch was $40; there were also several upcharges depending on particular dishes. The regular menu had a three course lunch special, "Lunch Formule", Tuesday through Friday, for $35. As my lunchtime fell with those days, the special had all the courses I had wanted to try for RW, and Nikki confirmed all portions were identical plus the special was the better deal, I henceforth made all my choices from the Lunch Formule menu.

But first, Nikki brought out a complimentary sliced baguette and butter. It seems sad that I get surprised nowadays by free bread.

Lunch menu prices in parentheses.

Appetizer choice French Onion Soup ($11): Arrived piping hot. A different preparation using vegetable broth and, rather than the top being completely covered by cheese, two melty mild gruyère slices instead, merged with two baguette slices.

Entrée choice Burger ($20 for 1/3lb of beef; RW option, billed as the Ohlala Burger, was listed as 1/2lb, and had a +$3 upcharge): Closer to medium than the requested medium-rare. The two large thick slabs of brie topping the beef made for interesting eating. Crisp bacon and buttery buns. Came with crispy shoestring fries, ketchup, and a cup of complimentary aioli. It was a lot.

Dessert choice Chocolate Liégeois ($9): Very large scoops and cream in a glass jar. Overwhelming as a finish.

Famille Perrin 2019 Côtes du Rhône Réserve Rouge ($16): Large pour.

Value: Well. I suppose I hadn't communicated as clearly from which menu I had ordered as I had thought, as the food part of the bill was filed under Restaurant Week, complete with the $3 upcharge for the burger, bringing that to $43, or $8 more than the Lunch Formule, and $3 more than if I had ordered a la carte (for slightly less patty on the burger). Dammitt. The receipt also listed the burger as MEDIUM, which explains the doneness level. Wine got a large markup.

Atmosphere: Quirky. A place with chandeliers and photos of French landmarks alongside framed steer skulls and the restaurant name written in cursive as a gigantic mirror behind the bar. Music was techno pop funk.

Service:...