Le Bistro Goes Heavy on the View and Light on the Sauces

Le Bistro in Newport Beach is everything one could want from a harbor-side cafe. The view of Newport Harbor is great. There’s free entertainment from the ducks that waddle along the boardwalk and the cats that pester the ducks. The checkered tablecloths add a European flair. But the best part is the tasty and affordable food.

Owners Jack Balik and Joseph Bergci were restaurateurs in their native Istanbul and Athens, respectively. They met in Turkey through a mutual friend and hit it off so well that they decided to join forces and immigrate to America to open a restaurant that would specialize in both their cuisines.

Le Bistro opened 11 years ago and offers an eclectic mix of Mediterranean dishes (including Italian) along with French and American specialties. Balik calls the menu “light Mediterranean. We don’t have any heavy sauces, and everything is made fresh.”

The atmosphere at Le Bistro also is a mix. An awning was recently added to the outside seating area on the boardwalk to protect patrons from not only the sun but also the fine mist that often covers the harbor at night. The interior is small, with posters of Turkey and Greece gracing the walls, and has two distinct seating areas. From tables lining three large windows that face the harbor, diners can enjoy the view without being completely exposed to the elements. The other area is surrounded by racks of wine and bookshelves that almost make diners feel as if they are in someone’s home.

Appetizers include an Armenian pizza with ground beef, tomatoes, onions and spices for $4.75. There are eight salads including a huge Greek variety with diced tomatoes, Bulgarian feta cheese and an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing ($7.75). A generous portion of that salad accompanies the lamb shish kebab, tender pieces of lamb with chunks of grilled onions and cherry tomatoes, a bargain at $11.95.

For those looking for something lighter, there are 13 pasta dishes and six cheese plates. All the cheese plates come with an ample amounts of cheese, seasonal fresh fruit and slices of French bread. One of the more exotic cheese plates includes a Greek combination of dolmades (grape leaves stuffed with rice and lamb), sardines, feta cheese and Greek olives.

Desserts, with the exception of the baklava ($2.25), are the only things on the menu not made by Le Bistro chefs. It probably comes as no surprise that the baklava is the best choice.

The other desserts, made by a friend of the owners, are passable but pale in comparison with the quality of the rest of the menu. The chocolate bomb, alternating layers of white and dark chocolate mouse covered in a bittersweet chocolate shell, is not bad, but pricey at $4.50.

There is a large wine list, and the beer list features a fair mix of domestic labels from small breweries as well as international brews.

Le Bistro is not the place to choose if you are in a hurry. Although the service is always attentive, it’s often slow. There doesn’t seem to be enough waitresses. But no matter: This seaside eatery lends itself to a leisurely pace.

Le Bistro, 3446 Via Oporto, Lido Marina Village, Newport Beach. Open daily, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (714) 675-9747.