Who would’ve thought they could experience Paris, circa 1920, in the heart of St. Petersburg? The Left Bank Bistro wants to transport diners to the City of Lights, yes. But more importantly, back to a time when artists reigned supreme.
After doing some shopping at the forthcoming restaurant’s next-door sibling, Market at Left Bank (which debuted in May), you’re bound to work up an appetite anyhow, right?
The owner of both establishments — Susanne Byram, who’s originally from Copenhagen — was inspired by childhood memories to open the bistro; she spent time in Paris while growing up.
“I’m fascinated by the 1920s artists that lived in Paris, like Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Josephine Baker,” Byram says. “The restaurant is named after the Left Bank in Paris.”
The Left Bank Bistro has taken over the 3,200-square-foot property at 1225 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. in Historic Uptown. With all of that space, it’s no surprise the restaurant, featuring a wrap-around porch, offers more than 150 seats with indoor and outdoor dining areas.
Recommended by a mutual friend, executive chef Kate Gorr joined the bistro’s team more than a year ago. She started off consulting with Byram and her daughter, Danielle Dawley, while working at Stillwaters Tavern on Beach Drive before coming on full-time.
The menu spotlights accessible French-style fare, or as the chef puts it, “nouvelle French.”
“It has French influence, but also has colonial influence. We’re bringing different cuisines together, but there’s still the idea that it’s a bistro, so we still want to be accessible, which is the most important thing,” says Gorr.
For Gorr, it’s imperative to keep the fundamentals and classic nature of French cuisine intact at the restaurant, including the sauces, presentation and cooking methods. Traditional options like coq au vin, showcasing braised chicken and veggies, will mingle with sous-vide recipes — think escargot and fricassee, plus sautéed or braised meat served with a white sauce.
The Left Bank Bistro expects to serve lunch and dinner during the week, as well as weekend brunch. Service industry folks can look forward to a special brunch on Mondays, too.
At the bar, diners should sample the specialty drinks named after several of Byram’s favorite artists — among them The Baker (a refreshing combo of Old St. Pete Vodka, prosecco, fresh lime juice, ginger beer and mint) and The Hemingway (a sweeter creation that calls for Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum, fresh lime juice, sparkling water and sugar).
According to Dawley, bar and assistant manger for the restaurant, the cocktail list is a mix of twists on classics and new originals made with thoughtful ingredients. A fresh selection of sippers will roll out with every season.
“We will be focusing on locally sourced fresh fruits, edible flowers, herbs with fusions and bitters made in-house,” Dawley says. “For the summer season, we’re emphasizing more refreshing and mellow cocktails while allowing room for some of the more refined classics, including rye whiskeys and espresso martinis.”
The Left Bank Bistro’s soft launch is planned for late August. Four days of special happenings — including a couple of events for friends and family, plus a fundraiser with Keep Saint Petersburg Local — round out the grand opening in mid-October.
Anticipated hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday.
This article appears in Jul 19-26, 2018.