Talk:Bistro

Health

People keep adding things about how bistro food is healthy. The current section is called "bistro eating". Has any one heard of this term? Does it really belong I enjoy bistro food very much, but I don't think the fare finds in one could be considered "healthy eating" under current dietetic guidlines; look at the quintessential dish, steak frites--red meat and deep fried starch.

I have added citation tags to the health claims, but perhaps they should be removed? If there is a legitimate food trend called "bistro eating" that is sourceable and verifiable, this section should either be expanded or given its on article.

This section was completely POV, there are many many many non-healthy bistro dishes. This POV concept has mostly come from its usage in commercial product sales and chain menus, not in terms of traditional bistro fare. In addition, if the information is added back, it needs citation from a reliable source, otherwise I will remove it again. Steak frites btw, is a brasserie dish more than it is a bistro dish.--Christopher Tanner, CCC 01:56, 29 May 2007 (UTC)

NPOV

I removed all the bits about the restaurant (not so creatively named "Bistro") and merged the bits concerning the origin of the word "Bistro". I removed the NPOV tag as I believe that those bits have been purged. Please amend this entry if you feel otherwise. RobLinwood 00:48, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

I would like to offer that the Russian word, "bistro" and the French word, "bistro" have the same pronounciation. (The only difference being that Russians stress the last syllable as is common in Slavic idioms.) It would be truly remarkable if this word was not of Russian origin and I find the doubtful tone of its's etymology in this article weak. Does anyone doubt if the English word, "no" comes from the Latin/Norman word, "no?" It is the same word.

Could we amend this weak passage to reflect the more obvious conclusion of etymology? Thanks, Dynamisto —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.90.128.25 (talk) 09:20, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

Cannot post this because it is first-hand knowledge from my education in France. Bistrot came from Cossack mercenaries in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War. Now find the reference...

Architect?

What does a Bistro have to do with an Architect? --Matejhowell 16:38, 20 March 2006 (UTC)

New subject?

The arg. band bistro should maybe be on it's own page?

Etymology

I just moved the etymology to Wiktionary, which is the appropriate place. Further, the Russian origin hypothesis is rejected by linguists (see discussion and links there).

Nbarth (email) (talk) 04:31, 20 January 2008 (UTC)

Description

I don't what it's like in other places, but where I live bistro means really small portions of food. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Blaylockjam10 (talk • contribs) 05:08, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure how accurate this article is; "Bistro" around here (Australia) is usually a synonym for "Trendy and a bit on the expensive side". I certainly wouldn't associate the term with small, quick, moderately priced meals. Commander Zulu (talk) 11:57, 13 January 2009 (UTC)

American understanding of Bistro

It seems to me that in American English, there is a very different understanding of what bistro means. While the French consider bistro to me a moderately priced restaurant, in American English, bistro seems to suggest a somewhat fancy and small restaurant that is usually French or if not usually European. Americans wouldn't consider a moderately priced Chinese restaurant to be a bistro. Can someone help clarify this or add to this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.146.30.255 (talk) 22:41, 9 June 2009 (UTC)

As one of the editors of this article, I totally agree that a Chinese restaurant is not a bistro on either side of the Atlantic. However, thinking of a few places in San Francisco in particular, I don't see that there's a specifically American interpretation of the term. To me, the essence of it is that the menu is very restricted and the waiters are not in uniform. The chalk-board menu as opposed to the printed version is also a common feature but not a sine qua non. --El Ingles (talk) 01:34, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

Im North American, and all the Bistros I've seen, Look more like small compact med-high priced restaurants. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.244.226.58 (talk) 19:54, 15 July 2009 (UTC)

Bistro prices are typically 50% higher than a diner or pub. In Seattle there are may restaurants large and small with most entrees under $9, but one rarely sees a bistro under $13. The difference is the chef. A bistro chef often buys the ingredients and oversees the kitchen personally, and adds unique touches or unusual side dishes to impress the guests, and may change the menu daily or frequently. In a diner, the cooks have less training and the menu is simpler and more standardized. Are there really other places nowadays where bistros are inexpensive, or is that just a historical anachronism? Sluggoster (talk) 03:53, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

50% higher than a diner or a pub *is* moderately priced. That means they are not the cheapest places, but cheaper than a restaurant. So it seems the view of what is a Bistro is the same on both sides of the pond. --OpenFuture (talk) 05:24, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

In Montreal, my experience is that French bistros generally offer more generous plates than other French Fine-Cuisine restaurants, with often a similar quality, sometimes at a slightly lower price and in a less impressive atmosphere/setting. Perhaps this is where "cheaper" may still make sense... but of course, any French specialty restaurant (bistro or not) is more expensive than Deli-type or fast-food ones. 66.11.179.30 (talk) 20:54, 29 September 2011 (UTC)

Chinese Bistro???

What is the picture of that chinese dump of a "bistro" doing in this article???--24.85.68.231 (talk) 06:43, 24 November 2009 (UTC)