Salads come in a wide price range, and I believe not all are included in the dinners that offer free salads. One that was, though, was the Bistro Salad made with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and grapes. This was the type of fresh and flavorful salad that relies as much on quality ingredients as the creativity of the chef, something that I think is essential in a top notch restaurant. The dressing, like the salad, was nothing earth shaking--just good quality ingredients prepared well. However, this is something found far too infrequently in restaurants.

Onion Soup is available as an appetizer. The one I had was about average, with the cheese layer on top being burned to the point that I left much of it unconsumed.

On my initial visit the Chicken and Mushroom Crêpes looked like a good bet. As fond as I am with ethnic food of all kinds, I am generally in unfamiliar territory when it comes to French food. The crêpes, though, looked like one of those "must try" dishes if you want to discover the essence of French food. The ones here were done very well, and the cream sauce was delicious to the point that I tried to soak up every bit of it into the food. The dinner came with a relish on the side that added a little flavor to the crêpes, but it was equally good eaten by itself. The mashed potatoes were excellent. The crêpes were served on top of fresh green beans, but in what is probably typical French fashion, only about five were served so that there was barely enough food to provide anything more than an adornment. In any case, this was an excellent entrée into the world of French food at La Baguette.

Chicken confit Méditeranée

Chicken Confit Méditeranée was another excellent choice of food at a moderate price. Made with baked chicken with olives, garlic, proscuitto, shallots, tomatoes, and fresh herbs, there seems to be very little from the restaurant that is not included in this dish. I think some of the worst dishes happen when the chef tries to combine too many ingredients, but this one was excellent. It came on a bed of couscous, which I appreciated because it made the dish more filling (although in this case there was enough chicken to make it a substantial dinner). I think the term "Méditeranée" was appropriate because it tasted like the delicious and healthy Mediterranean dishes that are popular at many restaurants that serve southern European and Middle Eastern food. In other words, if you think you are not in the mood for French food, La Baguette is not limited to the more traditional French dishes (in fact, it even serves hamburgers).

Petit filet

The Petit Filet really changed my way of thinking about the restaurant by demonstrating that there are a number of different choices that are not just based on fancy sauces. The filet is available with Béarnaise and other sauces, but is also available plain. At four ounces, this is a rather small steak. In terms of quality, though, it was one of the best steaks I had tasted. I have a high regard for Red Prime and other steak restaurants in the city, and the petit filet here tasted just as good to me. La Baguette, though, has so many excellent choices to go with the steak that to me this is more in line with my conception of "high end" dining than some of the steak restaurants. What La Baguette is missing is a large selection of different types of steak. I usually end up ordering a filet anyway, though, and in this case I think La Baguette is one of the best choices.

A bakery offers a large choices of desserts, including cakes, tartes, and cheesecakes. These are the same cakes served at many of the city's other fine restaurants, so I definitely think they are worthwhile.

I tried a Crème Brûlée dessert, though, that was a little expensive and disappointing. The one served me was cold, as if it had been refrigerated but was not fully returned to room temperature before serving.

The wine seems to be a good value but I have not tried any.

La Baguette seems to be a case of contrasts. Overall it was quite enjoyable and good quality. Some aspects of the restaurant seemed to fit the stereotype for French food--overpriced, in small portions, and food that is not as enjoyable as at American or Italian restaurants. Much more of it, though, was what I consider to be some of my best restaurant experiences in Oklahoma City. I do not mind paying for high quality, and for the most part that is what La Baguette delivers. As far as the prices, I do not think they are as high as would be found in most other cities for the same food.