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Longboat Observer Review

Ooh la la!: funny name for fine dining
Dining out
By Elizabeth Vassar, Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 29, 2001

Admit it. You don’t want to say, “I’m going to Ooh la la! tonight.” It sounds funny and to a
person not familiar with the place, it sounds somewhat risqué. However, say that same sentence
to someone who does know the fine French/European Bistro on Anna Maria and you will impress
him or her instead of embarrassing yourself. For 11 years, Ooh la la! was formerly known as Chez
Andre. Chef/owner Damon J. Presswood bought the restaurant and changed its name in November
1999. Presswood has plenty of experience preparing fine fare. He has 13 years experience at the
original Café L’Europe on St. Armands Circle and three years at the Bradenton Country Club. His
menu contains continental specialties with a heavy French influence.

Ooh la la! is almost hidden within the Island Shopping Center. For one, the cursive “Ooh la la!” is
dwarfed and almost invisible due to the large, bold “Bistro” printed in capital letters above the
restaurant. It is misleading but attention getting. I had made prior arrangements to meet my
dining companion at the restaurant. Because I arrived first, I perused the menu while a server
placed a basket of warm French bread in front of me. My guest arrived soon after and we both
enjoyed the crusty bread with butter while making our selections.

Looking around, I noticed that while the room seemed a bit bare initially, closer inspection told
otherwise. There is great attention to detail in order to maximize the shape and space that is the
dining room. The dining room is a long, narrow rectangle. Right away decorating options are limited.
However, light colored walls and the clever use of mirrors and glass are a start.

The walls are textured in a stucco-like pattern, so as not to seem flat. Artwork, while sparse, is
carefully chosen and not limited to paintings on the wall. Multicolored, stained glass starfish hang
from fishing wire above the bar and sparkle as they catch the light. Creative lighting also diverts
the eye around the room. White Christmas lights are draped around the front window like captured
stars. Above each table, hanging lamps with pieces like oversized light bulb filaments look like
industrial abstract art. The tables are double draped, first in a white tablecloth and then in a colorful
Bohemian print. Glass is then placed over these to preserve the pattern. The solid color cushioned
chairs have a wooden frame with tightly woven backs.

For my appetizer, I chose the Smoked Salmon, which came with hearts of palm, sour cream and caviar.
Two cylindrical hearts of palm were each wrapped in smoked salmon and placed in a “V” on the plate.
Between these was more salmon fashioned into a blooming, peachy-pink rosebud. A white, generous
dollop of sour cream was placed in front of this and topped with a scoop of large, orange caviar. A half
lemon tied in a yellow cheesecloth was placed on the side. The two dominant tastes were salty and sour.
The portion was large. My guest chose the Gazpacho to start with. Although she enjoyed it, there was a
bit too much pepper for her taste and she would have liked a dollop of sour cream on top.

For my entrée, I chose the Tournedos Henri IV. The twin tenderloins came with sliced artichoke hearts
over the béarnaise sauce and sliced carrots, potatoes and asparagus on the side. The meat was tender
and flavorful, one of the best beef tenderloins I’ve ever had. It was even preferable to filet mignon due
to the fact that there are two smaller filets instead of one compact one. I ate the first tenderloin and took
second one home. The thinly sliced potatoes were tender and the carrots and asparagus, while not in
heaping amounts, were just enough to color and vary the dish without cluttering it.

My guest chose the Grilled Tuna Dijonnaise, which came with beurre blanc-wasabi mustard sauce. The
delicate white butter mixed with the biting wasabi gave kick to the tuna without giving the diner a
coughing fit. However, the beurre blanc and wasabi seemed to bury the mustard part of the sauce.
The tuna, ordered rare, was very fresh and cooked perfectly. Included on the side were au gratin
potatoes, her favorite. They were delicious. A nice little medley of vegetables were also present.

The desserts were brought to our table on a tray by our server. It is always nice to preview what you
are going to eat beforehand. It is always more accurate than a written description. I chose the
Macadamia Nut Caramel Pie. The bottom layer is composed of whole macadamia nuts, topped
by a layer of chocolate. It was very rich, sweet and filling. My guest contented herself with the Raspberry
Amaretto Cheesecake.

Service overall was friendly but the staff needs to be refreshed on basic menu items. I asked
what the “Bourguignonne” in Escargots Bourguignonne meant and neither the server nor kitchen
staff could give me an answer, which is why I ordered the smoked salmon. Otherwise, our dining
experience was unblemished. There are many restaurants that offer “continental” or “international”
cuisine. Ooh la la!, while modest in appearance, makes this type of fare bistro style and does an
impressive job.

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