Best of the East Bay
Best French: The place for cuisine à l'ancienne
Claude and Dominique's Bistro
Whereas all the other French cooks in Berkeley and Oakland spout heresy according to the One True Church of La Varenne and Carême with their nouveau-California-fusion-global-mishmash cuisine, Claude and Dominique LeJeune are still keepin' it real in Pleasanton. And by now, some of those dishes that the others have forgone in their quest for the perfect Caesar salad or tartare d'ahi -- classics such as duck à l'orange and tarte tatin -- are tasting fresh and exciting again. Mme LeJeune runs the front of house, basically the patio and dining room of a two-story house, while M. LeJeune keeps putting out solid, consistent French bistro food. His passion for game meats makes this one of the few places where you can reliably find rabbit, pheasant, and venison.
