The Rabbit Bistro and Bar - Restaurant Review

For Father's Day, Pop requested a meal at one of his favorite new bistros in Eugene.
A small, intimate French bistro situated in an old strip mall on Willamette Street? You betcha!?

The Rabbit Bistro and Bar offers a well-balanced menu that won’t sting your wallet (the most expensive main course at $17, appetizers/small plates around $10)! The menu is divided into two sections with a large array of starting points.....French onion soup, salads, cheese plates and unusual small plates such as chicken livers, pheasant and pig trotters.

I was thrilled that their special small plate of the day was Foie Gras - which was beautifully presented and very tasty.The rest of the menu runs the gamut but is heavily influenced by local ingredients cooked in the classic French style highlighting seasonal fare.

From Brian's simply prepared Free-Range Chicken to Pop's Trout with English Peas - each dish was thoughtfully seasoned and elegantly presented. One could easily say that each dish probably didn't have more than 5 to 6 ingredients, yet each ingredient was used to its absolute cooking potential.
I must say....desserts don't seem to be their strong point (there was no menu - the waiter just gave us 3-4 options). I've had a better creme brulee elsewhere and the chocolate cake (more like an English pudding) was bitter and bland and I didn't quite understand the hunks of cherries inside (were they cherries or grapes)? The fact that they served individual French Press coffee made up the uninteresting desserts.

The service was wonderful (I've read other reviews to the contrary) and our waiter was attentive, knowledgeable and friendly - as was the rest of the front of the house staff.

The front dining room was small, quaint with three or four tables and a line of several booths. A larger dining room in the back of the restaurant also hosts a bar area. For a Saturday night - the restaurant was packed, but not crowded and the noise level was intimate and comfortable.

It was a wonderful meal and I'll be returning the next time I am in Eugene.

*** 1/2 (Three and a half out of 4 stars)
The Rabbit Bistro and Bar
2864 Willamette Street #300
(541) 343-8226
Mon-Sat 11:30-10:00
Sunday 11:30-9

Enjoy!
Stacy