Bistro 404

By John S. Kelemen

Bistro 404 opened up this past season after a long hiatus since Chester Restaurant shut its doors and left the location empty and forlorn for approximately two years. Since the restaurant opened we have been hearing both high praise and also some less than glowing comments about Provincetown’s latest member in the class of fine dining. The restaurant occupies the ground floor and front patio of one of the more elegant and stately buildings on Commercial Street. T for 3 actually was a party of three this time as I joined Michael the Blogger and his nephew Mark for our 7:30 PM reservation in a dining room that is definitely one of most comfortable and warm eating venues in town.

The atmosphere remained picture perfect as we ordered our drinks. Our waiter was professionally efficient throughout. We were not particularly taken aback by the prices on the menu which were in keeping with the old Chester Restaurant and the level of food preparation and attention. Starters included lobster bisque for Mark, and shared pate’ de foie gras and shrimp & crab cake for two of us. All were delicious and definitely not common fare. We had hoped to try the signature Bistro 404 roasted oysters but they were not available.

Entrees included filet mignon for Mark, lobster for Michael, who had to forgo his usual salmon which was not available, and the Halibut for yours truly. The seafood dishes were served with Tuscan bean and a roast asparagus combination that complimented them extremely well. Coffee was accompanied by desserts including a chocolate cake, NY type cheesecake, and a custard tart with blueberries. The presentation was highly artistic in the best nouvelle cuisine fashion.

There is no doubt in my mind that Bistro 404 is off to a really good start. A few minor criticisms include the small size of the portions for both appetizers and entrees. I respect the artistry and effort that goes into the preparation of a very elegant meal but with our financial world collapsing around us we also want the quantity with the quality. Three little pieces of bread served to three diners smacks of skimpy even when served with nice warm butter.

In summation Tfor3 found Bistro 404 to be a welcome new addition to our family of restaurants. Whatever kinks remain will surely be worked out by good management and an excellent chef. The food is outstanding, presentation excellent, service very good, atmosphere elegant and prices not too brutal. Compliments and welcome to Bistro 404 with four full Provincetown monuments from Table for 3. (IIII)

Ciro & Sal's

By John S. Kelemen

Now that we are well into the so-called ‘shoulder season’ I’d like to take the opportunity to follow up on a couple dinners during the summer outside of the Tfor3 schedule. During the visit of my nephew Drew (first time in Provincetown) we went to Ciro & Sal’s for an early 5:30 PM meal to accommodate my duties at a nearby gallery which began at 7. Drew is an excellent cook and the owner of Woodland Bakery in Chatham, New Jersey, so I knew he would not be easily impressed even by one of our landmarks.

Ciro & Sal’s on a Tuesday evening after carnival week was very quiet indeed. It wasn’t until we were leaving that the tables began filling up. Ciro & Sal’s has a celebrated history that makes for interesting reading on line or at the library. My first visit was in 1982. By then it was already an ongoing enterprise for over thirty years. I remember that meal as definitely living up to the legend. Subsequent meals over the following decades were less remarkable and I recall complaints over service and price topping the list of peeves. The current owners took over in 2002 and are worthy historical heirs of the restaurant’s place in the culinary and art history of Provincetown. There is plenty of information available for anyone interested in either topic.

Entrance was from the garden courtyard and we were promptly shown to our seats in one of the nooks in the old rustic brick cellar. The ambiance of this area is cozy with low ceilings and a plethora of old chianti bottles. This atmosphere seems little changed over the years with the more elegant dining rooms known for art display on the wall, picture windows, and high ceilings to be found upstairs. 

We started with the Caesar Salad which had a great anchovy dressing and also tried the special seafood ‘meatballs’ which we found to be unique and very good. Both of us selected veal entrees. Drew ordered the Vitello Scaloppine al Marsala while I tried the special Vitello Philomena. The entrees were both outstanding with the veal marsala eliciting bravos from Drew. By the time we finished our entrees there was no doubt in my mind that Ciro & Sal’s remains Provincetown’s one true source of authentic Italian cuisine.

As usual, dinner was followed by coffee and desserts. We tried the Chocolate Fondant Cake (a chocolate torte) and Cuore Di Panni (cream cheese sweetended with whipped cream and vanilla topped with strawberries). The desserts were fantastic. From starters to veal dishes to desserts the meal was of a class I have not found elsewhere on the cape. Ciro and Sal’s definitely comes closest to date in achieving a five for five Ptown monuments. JSK and nephew Drew award Ciro & Sal’s a big four and three quarter monuments. I’ll just keep where the quarter point was lost to myself. (.IV 3/4).

Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Court
508 487-6444

Front Street

By John S. Kelemen

Here we are at the end of high season and it does seem to have been an abbreviated one, or is that only because time accelerates with the advancing years. It has been many years since I dined at Front Street and hard to recall when or why I stopped going there. Was it intimidation generated by the aura of high Zagat ratings and the difficulty of making reservations too far in advance or the handful of detractors that claimed it was overrated, too expensive, and that they were subject to rude treatment by the staff? As I recall it was more a matter of a huge bill generated by my bar tab in days of olde. No matter, on this eve of Labor Day 2008, Tfor3 proclaims a tabularasa as we go forward to experience the real Front Street.

Michael the Blogger (MB) called several days in advance seeking reservations for 7:30 PM on Sunday evening and was told that the best they could do was 5:30. Using his silver tongue real estate techniques to best advantage he was able to get the time moved to 6:15 PM thus allowing 45 more precious minutes at tea dance. The group included three more people in addition to MB and JSK; meat and potatoes Rich (MPR), skinflint Mark (SM), and the return of MB’s long lost friend, crazy Tony (CT). We were all seated promptly and courteously at precisely 6:15 PM.

We had a corner booth in the rustic ground level dining room of a stately old Victorian house which is well hidden by the tourist shops along the street. The restaurant was crowded with early diners, however, the layout and structural separation between tables allows a good degree of privacy. Our waiter was fast and professional with quick delivery of beverages and warm bread and a rather skimpy little dipping dish of olive oil which was quickly sopped up by our table of five. Unfortunately the much praised Foccia bread was not available. Starters included the special Zucchini Florets for SM, Bruschetta with melted feta cheese for MPR, Pasta e Fageoli for CT, and Mussels Fra Diablo shared by MB and JSK. All of the starters were very good except for the mussels which were somewhat dry.

Service of entrees was timely but definitely not rushed. House salad was served with most meals. The feta cheese dressing was tasty but not enough to add interest to a basically uninteresting salad. Entrees included Salmon for MB, Veal Parmigiana for MPR, Sirloin Steak for CT, and the Tea Smoked Duck for SM and JSK. Everyone thought their entrée excellent. The duck was easily one of the best dishes I have ever had in Provincetown or anywhere else.

Dinner was topped off with coffee and two shared desserts. The Pear and White Chocolate Bread Pudding was very good and Front Street’s signature Coffee Toffee Pie is heaven for anyone with a sweet tooth. The dinner bill was similar to any of the restaurants in town of comparable genre. 

In summation: the food was good to outstanding, service excellent, presentation good, prices in keeping with a restaurant of its class and the atmosphere comfortable and warm. Tfor3 rates Front Street four and one half Provincetown Monuments out of a possible five. (IV ½).

Front Street
230 Commercial Street
508 487-9715