R Bistro and Pastry
Downtown Fairhope
Surprisingly outstanding little storefront in the middle of downtown Fairhope AL.
Went on a Saturday night on a whim when our first four choices (Sunset Pointe, Pinzone's among them) required an hour wait. Had heard a few good things and we were able to snag two outside tables. Was a little chilly, but not bad.
From the specials menu, we picked
Filet in bourbon glaze with pomme fritas and green beans
Grilled chicken with gouda mashed potatoes
Glazed salmon with parmesan crusted baked tomatoes
Every bit of it was astoundingly good. The filet was so tender you could cut it with a butter knife. Expertly cooked and the glaze -- while a little heavy for my taste -- was delicious. The chicken was as good as any I've ever tried. And the salmon? Tomatoes schmotatoes. It was fantastic.
One of the best overall meals I've had in a long time.
On top of that we shared a caramel cake that was diabetic-coma-inducing good.
It was a touch on the pricey side for the nightly specials (filet was $35), but the regular menu was also available. It had some great looking dishes and wasn't as expensive.
I was pleasantly surprised and definitely recommend giving R's Bistro a shot if you're in the Fairhope area. It puts a lot of the more well-known options to shame.