The Bottom Line
- Convenient to #7 subway at Vernon-Jackson in Long Island City
- Gracious service
- Daily specials
- Full (antique) bar and wine list
- Reasonable prices
- Haphazard #7 subway schedule on weekends
- Service can be slow
- Weekend brunch and dinner can be very crowded
Description
- Tournesol Address - 50-12 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101 (between 50th and 51st Sts, Hunters Point) (Google Map)
- Hours - Tue-Sat 11am-3pm, 5:30-11pm; Sun 11:30am-3:30pm, 5-10pm; closed Mondays
- Phone - 718-472-4355
- Subway - 7 to Vernon-Jackson Blvd in Long Island City
- Menu - French bistro: steak frites, sandwiches, salads, soups, daily specials
- Prices - Appetizers $6.50-$9.50; Entrees $13.50-$17; Cocktails $7-$9; Specials $20+
- Brunch - eggs benedicts, 2 eggs with fries and salad, grilled chicken salad, steak frites, cheese plate, more
- Desserts - Tart of the Day is just a bit too cute to pass up. Bread pudding is surprisingly good. All for $6 a pop.
- E-mail newsletter keeps Tournesol diners abreast of special prix fixe menus
- Reservations Recommended - 718-472-4355
Guide Review - Tournesol - Restaurant Review of French Bistro
The dining room is smallish but airy. Expect close, neighborly tables. The ambience is cheery and distinctly French, with a well-appointed bar, mirrored back wall, tin ceilings, and accented waitstaff. Artwork by an LIC artist decorates the walls, adding a touch of the local scene.
The menu is traditional bistro fare: hanger steak with fries ($16), grilled chicken with garlic ($14.50), escargots with tarragon sauce ($8.50). Though a dinner special or two may surprise you, there's nothing groundbreaking here. But don't mistake the orthodox for the ordinary.
Tournesol's burger ($10.50) is a luscious ball of beef, hand-formed and cooked to a juicy and savory perfection. Salted, crisp frites make the ideal bed for this majestic burger.
Befitting a French bistro, Tournesol features the queen of all pressed hot sandwiches, the Croque Madame ($9.50). It's the real deal, with fluffy toasty bread, creamy béchamel, paper-thin slices of ham, and a broiled crunchy and chewy crust of tangy, but not overwhelming, Gruyère cheese. The Madame is crowned with her traditional fried egg, and accompanied by a glorious salad of delicately bitter greens in a house vinaigrette.
If you're lucky, the gracious proprietor may visit your table and toast to your brunch with homemade mimosa-like cocktails. We found ourselves with a refreshing blood-orange-and-white-wine concoction, compliments of the house. Paired with a plump little square of bread pudding for dessert, the unlikely flavor combination brought a fruity yet weighty end to our meal.
