Chez Francois Restaurant & Touche Bistro

Probably one of the best restaurants in the area! The tea options were fantastic. For starters, we mainly ordered a variety of appetizers, including escargot, lobster Bisque, and artichoke hearts. The escargot was a favorite, and the bisque was generous with its lobster portions. We ordered the shrimp and scallop fettuccini which had great jumbo shrimp and delicious scallops. Lastly, our table had two different risotto’s, both of which were spectacular, with the vegetable risotto being an unexpected favorite.

Eating here is definitely an event. I attended a wine tasting and dinner, which was extravagant to say the least. Six courses of delicious food, accompanied by almost a dozen wines, made for a night that I won’t forget. The owner of the winery that we tasted spoke at length about each bottle, and my table left with several to take home.

Wonderful evening and a unique food experience. An impromptu stop on the way home from Toledo and we were able to get a table for 2. Beautiful presentation and delicious food. The meal also included a chef sampling of cherry tomatoes and chickpeas in a white sauce and bread. House salad - mixed greens surrounded by cucumber with a vinaigrette. Roasted Maple Leaf Farm Duck Breast, Cherry Glace de viande A lightly peppered duck breast served over a hazelnut sweet pea mousseline cake, topped with Montrachet goat cheese and sauced with a Frangelico and cherry duck glace de viande. Assiette de Coquillage au Basilic A medley of shellfish including, cold-water shrimp, Maine sea-scallops, Prince Edward Island mussels, Middle Neck clams and Sampies served over saffron tagliatelle noodles with mushrooms, diced tomatoes, Calamata olives and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, basil infused olive oil. We brought home two chocolate cupcakes for dessert. They came with a fresh blackberry and have a tart cherry in the middle. Voted one of the top 100 restaurants in the US.

Chez Francois epitomizes the world-class dining experience; the presentation is impeccable, the staff incredible, atmosphere impressive, and the experience inspiring. The amazing cuisine and extensive wine list speak for themselves. Upon entering the beautifully enhanced historic space, we were greeted with heartfelt welcomes from the staff. Casual banter between my dad and the owner immediately put as at ease. And the hospitality expanded as we met our wait staff, enjoying engaging conversations with Oscar, our waiter. Admittedly, we were initially apprehensive about dining at this award-winning establishment in Vermillion; it's a fair drive from the East Side, we're not that comfortable in formal attire, and the current economy has not worked in our favor as of late. But we had a milestone birthday to celebrate, and we wanted it to be memorable. And it was! I share Matthew's enthusiasm and pride in placing Northeast Ohio on the culinary map.