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K & L Bistro in downtown Sebastopol couldn’t have opened at a worse time, October, 2001, when restaurants everywhere were struggling in the wake of September 11, 2001. Yet K & L Bistro not only survived; it thrived, hitting the right notes from the beginning. For the last two years, it has been awarded a Michelin star, one of only two restaurants in western Sonoma County to be so honored (Farmhouse Inn in Forestville is the other). The bistro, owned by Karen and Lucas Martin, is a classic neighborhood restaurant in the French tradition. The food is both predictable and infinitely appealing, in the way that good French food always is. There are personal touches but none that eclipses the spirit of bistro cuisine. There’s no foam, no architectural presentations, no gymnastic combinations of flavors, just excellent ingredients prepared and presented by talented chefs at the top of their game. Karen and Lucas share cooking duties.
Over the years, certain dishes have become so popular that the Martins don’t dare rotate them off the menu, not even briefly. Variety is added with a Plat du Jour and seasonal specialties.
The wine list includes good by-the-glass selections as well as both French and local wines from boutique producers, many with vineyards and wineries nearby. Cheeses and desserts are listed on a large chalk board that hangs from the old brick wall.
The service here warrants special mention. It is as close to flawless as you’ll find anywhere in the county. The servers are not young kids who view waiting tables as a stopgap between, say, college and a real job. They are professionals who are friendly enough that by your second visit you’ll feel part of the family but not so friendly that they interrupt your meal with too much familiarity. They do exactly what good servers should do: They take care of every detail and then somehow vanish, leaving you to enjoy your meal and reappearing the moment you need something.
Currently, K & L consists of a single dining room with a small bar at the entrance; tables are close together but not unpleasantly so. The Martins have acquired the space next door, previously occupied by a knitting shop, and there could be an expansion in the next year or so.

K & L Bistro Classics

Starters
Oysters on the half shell, $2
Fritto Misto with baby artichokes, shrimp, calamari, lemon, $9/$15.50
French Onion Soup Gratinee, $9
Spicy Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, $13.50

Charcuterie
Warm Rabbit Rillettes with toasts, green salad, cornichons, $11.50
Rabbit Liver Mousse, bacon-endive salad, sieved egg, $11.50
Breakfast Terrine with French bean and potato salad, $11.50

Salads
Baby Greens with Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette, $8
with warm crusted goat cheese, $9.50
Classic Caesar Salad, $9.50
Warm Caramelized Onion Tart, with blue cheese, apples, balsamic, herb salad, $10.50
Grilled Monterey Bay Sardines with frisee and roasted red pepper salad, oil cured olives, $9.50

Entrees
PEI Mussels Mariniere with fries and aioli, $18.50
House-made Boudin Blanc Sausages, $19.50
Steak Frites, $28.50
Dungeness Crab Cakes with remoulade and fries, $24.50
Meyer Ranch Hamburger with fries, $13.50

Sides
Bucket of French Fries, $5
Sauteed baby spinach with garlic and lemon, $6
Macaroni and cheese gratin, $8

A few seasonal dishes

Salt Cod Brandade, with zucchini, tomato and basil salad and toasts, $10.50
Prosciutto-wrapped figs with blue cheese, toasted hazelnuts, frisee salad, balsamic, $11.50
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Italian burrata, basil and croutons, $11.50
Sauteed Local Petrale Sole Meuniere, $25.50
Heirloom Tomato Risotto with grilled artichokes, haricot verts, basil oil and parmesan, $19.50

K & L Bistro is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Sunday.