A&E

The new Andre’s Bistro blends classic French recipes with more casual fare

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Don’t skip Andre’s braised lamb shank.
Photo: Mikayla Whitmore

It was a sad day last year when Andre’s at the Monte Carlo shuttered. The French fine-dining hub, which featured a friendly and anachronistic cigar lounge and comfortable high-backed booths, had long been a favorite for both locals and tourists. But change is the only constant on the Strip, and a forthcoming resort remodel forced Andre’s to close.

Luckily for Las Vegans, the restaurant team behind André’s quickly unveiled its next endeavor: a casual bistro in the old DW Bistro space on the southwest side of town. And right from its opening, the new Andre’s Bistro & Bar ranks among the best restaurants on our local scene. If Marché Bacchus and Bouchon had a love child, it might be Andre’s Bistro, its classic French preparations commingling with more casual fare to cater to a wide swath of tastes.

Simple dishes like well-seasoned crispy calamari ($12) are available alongside garlic-laden frog legs Provencal ($10), the latter hearkening back to the old Andre’s menu. The meaty and satisfying burger ($12) begs to be ordered with buttery escargots de Bourgogne ($12). And braised lamb shank ($28)—falling off the bone atop orzo swimming in a rich lamb jus—can be paired with a lighter Lyonnaise salad ($12), frisée accented with a flavor-forward warm sherry vinaigrette, smoky bacon lardons and a poached egg. The variety allows meals to be as palate-challenging as you’d like, and as heavy as your appetite allows.

Classic moules frites.

Don’t miss the golden trout amandine ($22), a hauntingly good dish that has the California fish arriving in an immaculate beurre noisette and garnished with almond slivers. In case your junior high French is a little rusty, beurre noisette is brown butter sauce, but you needn’t know a word of Français to appreciate its quality. It’s the stuff of which dreams are made.

Andre’s Bistro isn’t just about the food. Beverages are well-thought-out, with a trio of gin and tonics (get the cardamom-laced Piney) leading the way. More alcohol-forward drinks, like the smoky Oaxacan Sour and the coffee-forward Afternoon Joe, are available in the High Proof section of the menu, but even more interesting are the easy-drinking Low Proof options. These minimal-ABV cocktails are crafted with an afternoon on the patio in mind, an outstanding plan as the weather gets nice.

If you’re missing the original Andre’s, the inviting and comfortable new version could be your new favorite spot. Andre’s Bistro & Bar is destination dining no matter where you reside.

Andre's BIstro & Bar 6115 S. Fort Apache Road; 702-798-7151. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Tags: Dining, Food
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