La Taverne

La Taverne Restaurant Review:

This French bistro, located in the tony Antara shopping mall, has high ceilings, brass chandeliers, and walls studded with stately clocks---the décor is a bit dizzying. The food is good, although rarely goes beyond that adjective, and the kitchen is sometimes careless, inexcusable at these price points. Among the best choices are from the seafood bar, which include oysters, clams and stone crabs flown in from Baja California, and boiled jumbo shrimp. There is also an exemplary tuna tartare, and a duo of standout salads: a pesto niçoise and a Roquefort with pears and walnuts. Among the entrées, the best choices are the least elaborate, such as spit-roasted chicken with an herb rub, or roasted sea bass in mustard sauce. However, roasted pork shank in rosemary and honey, listed among the specialties of the house, may be lamentably dried-out. The accompanying baguettes, baked in-house and served hot, are a highlight. Service is quite attentive, and there is an international, and overpriced, wine list.