CONNECT TO PARIS VIA BURBANK AT FRENCH 75 BISTRO.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

ARE BISTROS supposed to be inexpensive?

One of the Valley's best, Pinot Bistro, isn't.

And its newest, French 75 Bistro in Burbank, can set you back some hefty bucks for a couple of dinners.

To its credit, French 75 has done itself proud as the replica of a Parisian bistro. In fact, it's so French-looking down to the last detail, you feel like there's something radically wrong when you hear all those staffers speaking English.

So, believing it made sense to go along with the ultra-Gallic surroundings, we ordered oysters ($13) and a bottle of chilled chablis (2004 J. Moreau, $31) to start our first visit, plus an onion soup ($8.95) as the second starter.

The oysters turned out to be excellent Hama-Hamas from the Northwest, deliciously crunchy and moderately briny with a hint of natural sweetness and accompanied by a smoked tomato mignonette.

The onion soup in a small crock arrived piping hot, rich and full-flavored, coated with baked cheese.

Similarly rich and flavorful are French 75's wine-steeped, boneless short ribs ($23.95), a generous portion of meat accompanied by pureed potatoes and horseradish cream.

Lighter but just as savory is an old-fashioned favorite, filets of sole meuniere ($19.95), a simple and effective treatment of the soft petrale fish, flour-dusted and quickly cooked with hazelnut butter.

Nicely handled green beans (haricots verts) and mushrooms also grace the plate.

For a down-to-earth, homey, satisfying French entree, coq au vin (chicken in wine, $17.95) appears to be one of the superior choices here.

Delivered in a pot and served tableside, the tasty, dark-toned, red wine-braised chicken fortified with bacon and herbs is mixed with vegetables to boost its flavor and served with pommes puree.

For a higher form of main-course gratification, duck done three ways on one plate ($28.95) provides a trio of poultry pleasures at this attractive new restaurant.

It's a mouth-watering presentation of slices of rare duck breast (fat untrimmed) surrounding a meaty duck leg confit with a thick piece of seared duck foie gras neatly perched atop.

Different textures. One bird.

Prior to experiencing either of these two meaty entrees, a half-dozen escargots ($12.95) swimming in garlic butter specked with tiny bits of ham and diced mushrooms can be a worthy beginning.

Or a thinnish version of a creamy lobster bisque ($11.95) faintly spiced with a hint of smoked paprika should be considered as a soup alternative.

For a meal finale, I prefer the deep-dish, warm blackberry crumble here over a chocolate souffle ($12.95), the latter seeming rather stiff and cakey in texture one evening.

After two visits I remembered I missed something.

So the next time I get to this restaurant, I'll try to summon enough courage to try the cocktail it's named after, the champagne, cognac and lemon juice mixture that honors a World War I field gun, both known as a French 75.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com

FRENCH 75 BISTRO

Food: Three stars - Service: Three and one half stars - Wine: Three and one half stars

Where: 3400 W. Olive Ave., Burbank.

Phone: [phone].

Meals/hours: Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, for dinner and late supper from 4 p.m. to midnight nightly, to 1:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Food type: French.

Cost: Starters from $9 to $22, sandwiches and crepes from $13 to $19, entrees from $18 to $38, desserts from $9 to $13.

Credit cards: All major.

Patio dining: Yes.

Parking/valet: Valet ($3.50) or street.

Full bar: Yes.

Wine/corkage: Impressive six-page list includes 35 wines by the glass ($7 to $29) or carafe ($12 to $42). Wines run from $19 to $420 per bottle. Recommended: 2003 J. Moreau chablis ($31) and 2001 Arrowwood Grand Archer cabernet sauvignon ($31). Corkage: $15.

Music/entertainment: Yes. Live from 8 p.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday.

Takeout/delivery: Yes on takeout, no on delivery.

Reservations: Suggested.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 3) The attractive and skillfully prepared offerings at French 75 Bistro include filet mignon au Roquefort, above, a butter lettuce salad, left, and chocolate souffle.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer