A new restaurant in Lumina Commons is inspired by the culinary bounty of the French countryside, a passion project for owner Robert Shapiro.
 
Epicurean Bistro is a nod to Shapiro’s love of the “elegance and complexity” of French cooking and the sensory experience of savoring an hours-long dinner at restaurants in France.
 
“Dinner is a two- or three-hour affair,” Shapiro said. ‘You’re going to share a bottle of wine and then maybe a second one. You’re going to go through three or four courses, and you’re going to enjoy an entire evening out where no one’s on their phone, no one’s in a hurry.”
 
Shapiro also owns nearby Sweet N Savory Cafe.

The first of many courses coming from the scratch kitchen at Epicurean Bistro is freshly baked bread. Shapiro said the pastry chef has been rotating different varieties daily, with bakes ranging from a classic baguette to challah, focaccia and other twists on tradition.
 
Other options to start the meal include crepes and terrine, a traditional loaf of molded meat served cold or room temperature to accompany the bread course. Like many classic French foods served at the restaurant, Shapiro said the kitchen has added their own interpretation of the dish to make it fresh and appealing for local diners. Instead of organ meat or wild game, the terrine at Epicurean Bistro is crafted with country ham, pork belly, mushrooms and aromatics like garlic, shallot and onion and wrapped in prosciutto. 
 
“We make something that looks like a pate, but it has texture and flavor more like something people in America would like,” he said.
 
For the main course, the menu features traditional French dishes like beef bourguignon, coq au vin and ragout, all of which offer the kind of complex flavor profile that comes from a long and slow cooking process. Although the preparation of these dishes will be tweaked each week to experiment with new flavors and textures, Shapiro said the flavors will be consistently layered and rich.
 
“They’re typically fairly bright, balanced, and elegant with layer after layer of flavor as you’re eating the dish,” Shapiro said. “It’s kind of like a good French wine.”
 
The wine, of course, is a key component of any French meal and Shapiro has amassed a collection of French wines to offer customers. Many of the wines on the menu are from small, family-run operations from the Burgundy region of France. Some of the older vintages Shapiro has procured aren’t on the menu, though they are available for guests who want a more curated experience.
 
“As guests show interest in going beyond our basic by-the-glass bottle list, I’m working with each of them individually to pick something out to make their meal perfect,” he said.
 
Shapiro said he hopes that as the restaurant becomes more established, it will also function as a wine bar where people can enjoy his collection of wines alongside dessert.
 
The restaurant, located at 1978 Eastwood Rd., quietly opened its doors Sept. 24 for a soft opening, and Shapiro said they will slowly open to full capacity over the next few weeks so that staff can train while still providing the level of quality and service integral to the concept. Reservations are strongly recommended, he said.