The food and drink scene that's blossoming at the juncture where University Heights meets North Park at 30th Street and Adams Avenue welcomed Et Voilà! French Bistro this week. Owner Ludo Mifsud is an industry vet, having worked in restaurants in New York, Paris and London and spending 10 years as the well-skilled maître d' of Tapenade in La Jolla. Mifsud helped Tapenade's owners launch Bistro du Marche before turning his attention to his first solo restaurant, which he chose to land in the neighborhood in which he resides.
He partnered with chef/owner Vincent Viale, an alum of North County's Bernard'O, and with design direction from local firm Point of Departure, turned a 2,700-square-foot space into a stylish twist on a traditional French bistro. Now open daily for dinner, with weekend brunch and a Sunday through Thursday happy hour, Et Voilà! seats 80 and showcases all the French classics — from steak au poivre, duck confit and coq au vin to soufflé and creme brûlée — while applying contemporary presentation and utilizing seasonal ingredients. With a small farm in Ramona is supplying the restaurant with eggs and vegetables, Viale plans to run frequent specials and change the menu quarterly.