If you've been following our blog here for a while, you know we love our local Oakley and Brentwood restaurants! Cypress Self Storage is Oakley, California's newest self storage facility, currently under construction. While we build our facility, we have been spending a lot of time acquainting ourselves with our wonderful new home. We hope you enjoy today's review of Oakley Bistro Punahele Tonnelier. Let's jump into today's restaurant review!
From the moment you walk through the tall wooden doors with long, iron door handles, you immediately feel that you've been transported to another place, far, far away, unlike any bistro you've been to before - at least around these parts of East County.
Maybe it's the decoratively exposed brick on some of the inside walls, or the beautiful wood paneling in the dining area, or maybe it's the aroma of le French Burger sizzling in the back of the house, making it's way to the front of the house, but whatever it is, Oakley Bistro Punahele Tonnelier in historic downtown Oakley is worth visiting and staying awhile.
Owners Sydney and Stéphane Tonnelier creatively combined their individual cultures - Sydney's Kahalu'u, on the island of O'ahu and her husband Stéphane's Paris, France - to create an inviting space for those looking to feast on contemporary yet traditional French and Hawaiian flares.
From the Main Street Burger, giving homage to the bistro's locale, to the Kahuku-style prawns, featuring shrimp marinated in olive oil, freshly chopped garlic, thyme and lemon butter, served with rice and an Asiago cheese roll - is your mouth watering yet - the husband-wife duo have designed a beautiful eatery for the entire family to enjoy.
If you're feeling a little on the calorie-wild side, try the Loco Moco Fries, which really, if you add it all up, has more protein than you ever thought possible, with fries swimming in house-made brown gravy, topped with a ground beef patty, all topped with two eggs cooked any way you'd like.
Bathrooms are located outside the red brick brasserie, in order to make full use of the real estate inside for diners, and so is an outdoor patio area on the west side for those hot summer nights we will see next summer. Nestled just yards from the train tracks, ample parking is behind the bistro and a wrap around porch made of attractive steel beams allows a waitlist of patrons to gather, mingle and build up a strong appetite.
Thirst quenchers include mimosas and Punahele Sangria by the glass or carafe, Atlas Wines from Oregon, Napa and Monterey, and bottled beers to include Longboard Island Lager, Big Wave Golden Ale, Hanalei Island IPA and more. You can also bring your own wines, with a corkage fee of $15 per bottle.
If you save some room in your tummy and have the servers put your remaining dinner in an earth-friendly to-go container, which is always nice when restaurants offer this service, you can indulge in the Fondant au Chocolat, a homemade chocolate fondant with strawberry coulis, or the Vanilla Crème Brûlée, the Coconut Haupia or the Coconut Chocolate Macaroon.
Altogether, it's a warm, beautiful culinary experience for your taste buds, while your ears are tickled with the melodic sounds of Hawaii overhead. The bistro décor offers eye-candy and you walk away full and fancy, wondering when you will return again to try what's next on the menu.
You can learn more at www.OakleyBistro.com Open weekdays from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 am - 3:00 pm, closed on Wednesdays. Bistro Punahele Tonnelier is located at 3530 Main Street, Downtown Oakley, California.
Here are the Beautiful Kalua Pig Sliders
Here are Oakley Bistro's Famous Moco Loco Fries
