Tournesol Restaurant: Bistro fare found at delightful flower of LIC

By Robert Stanley

Tournesol Restaurant

Vernon Avenue
Long Island City, NY
472-4355

Tournesol in French means sunflower. This tiny sunflower bistro is a garden of culinary delights tucked away on Vernon Avenue in Long Island City. Just six months ago owner Pascal created this wonderful escape to France. From the traditional to the exotic, Pascal’s brother-in-law and chef Kristoff Morvan’s creations are blossoming Tournesol into the must-visit restaurant class. As Tournesol sits quietly next to the Vernon and Jackson Avenue subway stop it will not take long for the Manhattan crowds to discover this taste of France just across the East river.

My visit was on a Friday night with reservations for 8 p.m. When I arrived, every square inch of this delightful bistro, which seats only 40, was buzzing with people, food, music and wine. Don’t let the size discourage you, reservations are honored in a timely fashion and the crowd makes this a truly fun dining experience.

Before being seated I discovered the bar has a limited selection of liquors. The choice of Scotch was limited to one selection which can be frustrating to a Scotch drinker. I’m sure they will be offering more selections in the future. On the other hand, the wine selections are extremely impressive. Pascal is well versed on all the wineries from the south of France. Order some wine. As you might suspect, the selections are très bon!

The entire wait staff at Tournesol is French. Their passion for the menu, the daily specials and wine is very obvious. If you are in any doubt about a menu item or need a wine suggestion, ask the waiter — they are extremely well-versed.

After carefully considering our appetizer choices we selected the mixed greens salad along with an order of mussels in white wine sauce. Sharing this sampling proved to be a great idea. Although the salad was quite unremarkable it proved to be a nice balance for the luscious steamy mussels. Floating in a delicate white wine sauce this heaping order of mussels was perfect in size and flavor. Add to this combination a fantastic baguette and you have a great appetizer sampling.

Dinner selections were much more difficult. Making a choice between the specials and traditional bistro menu proved to be a real mind twister. My companion’s choice was one of her favorites, rosemary roasted cod. I selected the seared skate with red cabbage and mango sauce.

The cod fish accented with rosemary was wonderful. Accompanying the cod was a gratin of cauliflower with a light touch of scallions. The cod was moist and obviously very fresh. This blend worked perfectly making my dinner companion savor every bite. It was delicieux.

The seared skate was incredible. It is almost impossible to describe the flavor combination of these three distinct taste sensations. Like the commercial says, “mm, mm good.” That is the best way to describe the feeling this dish bring to the palate. The bitter red cabbage offset by the wonderful sweet flavor of the mango sauce takes a simple seared skate dish to a new level. Understandably this is one of the most popular dishes at Tournesol.

For dessert we selected a pear tart and crème brûlée. The pear tart was served with crème fraische accented by a melody of fruit. My crème brûlée was smooth offering a sweet light vanilla flavor. The crisp scorched top was perfect. Relaxing and enjoying espresso and American coffee proved to be a perfect ending to a wonderful meal.

It should be noted Tournesol’s wine list offers several unique selections. For this little trip to France you may want to explore some of the reds and whites from the south of France. Sip them slowly and savor their flavors. Who knows, you may feel a little touch of Provence right there on Vernon Boulevard.

The Bottom Line

A must visit. Experience this wonderful French bistro as it blossoms into a major destination in Long Island City. The friendly service and creative menu make it a superior choice when thinking French.

Chef’s Choices

Salad of lardons with poached egg…$6.50

Sautéed calamares with beets…$7

Mussels in white wine…$6.50

Seared skate with red cabbage and mango sauce…$14

Grilled chicken with garlic…$13.50

Eggs Benedict with prosciutto (brunch menu only)…$8

Hours of Operation

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Dinner: 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Brunch: Sat and Sun 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Saturday dinner: 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.