Restaurant Review: Leonardo's Bistro 1245
Restaurant Review: Leonardo's Bistro 1245
By MIKE WALKER
About a month ago I reviewed Leonardo's Millhopper, a Gainesville institution and part of the Leonardo's family of restaurants that includes Leonardo's other pizza place, the upscale Leonardo's 706, and Bistro 1245.
The Bistro is the newest of the Leo's clan, having opened sometime around 2002 in a space next to the Leo's By-the-Slice pizza joint which has long been a Gainesville and University of Florida tradition. As 706 has been a longstanding example of Gainesville's finest dining and the two pizza places under the Leo's banner have been more typical family and student-oriented places, Bistro brings forth the quality of food found at 706 in a less formal and pircey environment. Located close to the UF campus-only a proverbial stone's throw away across 13th Street-the Bistro has become a popular place for students, professors, and others associated with the school. It's not uncommon for me to see someone I know when I go there, or at least whom I think I've seen before either on campus or at the Bistro itself.
If anything, comparing the menus of 706 and Bistro indicates Bistro to not only be the fairer-priced but also the one with better selections save some of the pasta dishes over at 706. The maple-roasted chicken and hoisin glazed duck at Bistro are two outstanding poultry dishes, both served with tender new potatoes and root veggies and priced at $13.95 and $16.95. Most entrees at 706 cost a few dollars more but I've never felt the quality was any higher while Bistro seems to be faster in whisking the dishes out of the kitchen if you're in a bit of a hurry, also. The penne pasta with shrimp ($10.95) and the pasta roma ($8.95) are also great deals and very tasty: while entrees such as the chicken and duck are only available after five in the afternoon, the pasta dishes, like the salads and sandwiches, are available from opening onwards.
Speaking of sandwiches, these are where Bistro really shines: the restaurant possibly does a greater business at lunch than dinner and in any case, their sandwiches are top-caliber offerings which are as varied as they are impressive in their quality.
A seared salmon, smoked turkey club, flank steak, or even a simple yet superb grilled cheese are all grand selections for lunch or a light dinner out of Bistro's variety of sandwiches. The prosciutto mozzarella and the roasted chicken are also good choices and the sandwiches are served with a choice of either a caesar or mixed-greens salad or half a cup of soup. Overall, it's a good deal given that most sandwiches range from around $6.50 for the grilled cheese to $10.95 for a seared tuna club.
The salads include a large version of the amazing bistro caesar ($5.95) and an over-the-top salad nicoise ($10.95). Bistro also has, for $4.95 each, a selection of quality, home-made, desserts: the raspberry velvet tart being my own personal favorite.
Bistro 1245 is also known for their wine selection and they hold wine tastings-which is run really as a tasting menu of a few different wines-on Tuesday and Sunday nights. Their wine list, for a small restaurant of their size, is impressive and probably is of such a high standard due to the long tradition of fine wine at their sister institution, 706.
Were I to say anything is less than ideal at Bistro, it would be these valid complaints: while there is nothing wrong with the food-high quality always-the service is lacking in contrast to the skill of the kitchen. All the Leonardo's restaurants are known to have a kind of alternative attitude and often young, college-aged, staff who carry forth business in a care-free manner, but at the two pizza joints this translates to a welcoming atmosphere. Bistro, alas, has a staff which often seems curt at best: the first time I noticed this trend I assumed it to be a bad day for some reason, but then noted it happens time and again and getting even a slight smile out of some of the waitstaff is next to impossible. While they are in general effective if not exceptional, it makes me uneasy to feel like the waitstaff would rather be anywhere else than doing their job: it just makes it difficult to fully enjoy the dining experience.
My other complaint, and really an even larger one, is the situation with the restrooms: these are placed on the external backside of the restaurant by the parking lot, which means you must walk around or through the entire place to get to them and then, only to find they are the size of a Russian jetliner's bathroom and rather dirty oftentimes. Since these two bathrooms, one male and one female, serve not only Bistro but also the pizza joint also, they are also often occupied. I at first wondered if there were not other bathrooms somewhere for Bistro but if there are, they have these hidden away and my searching for these has only been in vain.
If somehow Leo's could get their staff and facilities up to the same level as their food, Bistro would possibly be one of the most exceptional places to dine in Gainesville. As things are, it is still a good value and has great food with a diversity of dishes varied enough to please most everyone.
Leonardo's Bistro 1245
1245 West University Avenue,
Gainesville, Florida, 32601
352-376-0000
Monday-Thursday, 11-10
Friday & Saturday 11-11
Sunday 12-10
MIKE WALKER is a writer and journalist based in Gainesville, Florida. He writes for this and other regional, national, and international publications on music, ecology, travel and other topics. He may be reached at: cloudrace@prontomail.com
