MARCO EAGLE

Bonjour, bonsoir – Bistro and Petit Soleil cover breakfast, lunch and dinner

Lance Shearer
Correspondent

Over eight years, many Marco Islanders have come to know that for a memorable and delectable dinner featuring French cuisine, they can head to Bistro Soleil in Old Marco and trust their taste buds to co-owner and executive chef Denis Meurgue.

But Bistro Soleil doesn’t open until 5 p.m., and sometimes hunger strikes earlier in the day, along with a yen for something beyond the ordinary. So Denis and his co-owner and wife Lisa Meurgue opened Petit Soleil next door in the Shops of Olde Marco, where one can enjoy petit dejeuner or a leisurely lunch in a wildly whimsical collection of eateries, galleries and shops.

When they take a holiday from Marco Island and French food, Denis and Lisa head to France, but don’t stray too far from their specialties. This summer, last summer, and many years before, they have led groups of gastronomes and Francophiles on culinary tours of various regions of France, visiting Michelin star-rated eateries, leveraging Denis’ knowledge and connections to offer their guests an insider’s view of the glories of French culture and cooking, in the land of its birth.

Chef Denis Meurgue creates a burst of flame over the hot stove. Bistro Soleil serves French-inspired cuisine in the Olde Marco Inn, an historic 1883 building at the northern end of Marco Island. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent
Dan Vass switches from baby grand to pan pipes at the piano bar. Bistro Soleil serves French-inspired cuisine in the Olde Marco Inn, an historic 1883 building at the northern end of Marco Island.
Denis Meurgue prepares a dessert of key lime mousse with raspberry coulis. Bistro Soleil serves French-inspired cuisine in the Olde Marco Inn, an historic 1883 building at the northern end of Marco Island.
Lisa Meurgue shows a bottle from a vineyard her France tour visited over the summer. Bistro Soleil serves French-inspired cuisine in the Olde Marco Inn, an historic 1883 building at the northern end of Marco Island.

“People were always asking us where they should go, so we decided to show them ourselves. Denis and I enjoy sharing our love of food, wine and the culture of France with our guests. There really is an art and passion by the winemakers for what they do,” said Lisa. “They explain all the rules that are involved – for example, they are not allowed to water their vineyards, they must rely on the weather which plays a part in the taste of the wine from year to year. They exude a passion for what they do and it’s great to see and hear that. One vintner last year told us, ‘wine is not meant to be drunk, it is meant to be discovered.’”

The gastronomic tours not only delight the guests, they also inform the dishes and the wine list back at Bistro Soleil. This year’s trip, for instance, went to the Burgundy region, and the restaurant is now offering red and white Bordeaux from Chateau Fonbadet, one of the vineyards they visited this summer. New or reimagined dishes on the menu are also a possibility. Previous years’ excursions have explored the Burgundy and Alsace regions, and the Loire Valley.

At Bistro Soleil, while the food is paramount – essentially all of the dishes are delectable, and the customers are effusive about the quality of their choices –the location presents a lovely traditional backdrop to your meal. Over a hundred years old, and the oldest large structure from Marco Island’s pioneer days still standing, the building features statuary, fountains and lush landscaping outside, and period touches such as embossed tin ceiling panels, an elegant cherrywood buffet, and a chandelier once owned by Guy Lombardo inside. Uneven wooden floors, stairways to nowhere, and eclectic antiques such as Chinese urns and carved wooden birds lend credence to the rumor the place is haunted. It is certainly charming.

But beyond the atmosphere or even the food, the attraction most often mentioned by patrons was the welcoming atmosphere from the owners and longtime staff. Lisa said guests are stunned when she remembers the particular wine they enjoyed on a previous visit.

“We were delighted to have the chance to open our bistro in such a beautiful spot,” said Denis. “Every restaurateur would be happy to have a location like this.” He and Lisa met when they both worked at Club Med Ixtapa in Mexico, and Denis has served as executive chef at some renowned resorts, including Caneel Bay on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Little Dix Bay in the BVI, and the Biltmore in Coral Gables, Florida.

Perhaps even more charming than Bistro Soleil, the Petit Soleil breakfast and lunch spot just steps away allows you to eat al fresco in a courtyard surrounded by shops painted in bright pastel colors, as though someone to match the colors of a bag of salt water taffy, under aerial awnings and market umbrellas. And on Wednesday mornings, the Bistro Soleil booth at the Marco Island Farmers’ Market offers a tempting sampler of Denis’ pastries, quiches, and precooked dishes for the savvy shopper to take home and heat up, or perhaps consume on the spot.

However you try Denis Meurgue’s cooking, just one bite will tell you this are dishes prepared by a man with a deep and abiding love of fine food.

If you go

The group Lisa and Denis Meurgue led to the Bordeaux region over the summer at one of the chateaux they toured. Bistro Soleil serves French-inspired cuisine in the Olde Marco Inn, an historic 1883 building at the northern end of Marco Island.
Guests enjoy dinner in the main dining room. Bistro Soleil serves French-inspired cuisine in the Olde Marco Inn, an historic 1883 building at the northern end of Marco Island. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent
A tuna entree comes with chargrilled pineapple chutney, seasonal vegetables and roasted potatoes. Bistro Soleil serves French-inspired cuisine in the Olde Marco Inn, an historic 1883 building at the northern end of Marco Island. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent
Bistro Soleil serves French-inspired cuisine in the Olde Marco Inn, an historic 1883 building at the northern end of Marco Island. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent

Bistro Soleil

100 Palm Street in the Olde Marco Inn

239-389-0981

bistrosoleil.net

Reservations recommended

Open Tuesday – Saturday from 5:30

Petit Soleil

210 Royal Palm Drive in the Shops of Olde Marco

239-970-6072

8 a.m. – 2 p.m. seven days a week ­­– breakfast served all day