Let’s Eat Out : Bring France Here ~ December 2000
Dorothee Mitrani-Bell, the owner of La Note,
a French bistro in Berkeley, makes an accurate observation. She 0 concedes
that there are many great restaurants in the Bay Area. Chez Panisse,
Postrio, and Acqua. On the other end, hundreds of restaurants exist
where you can buy fresh quesadillas, wontons, falafel, pizza, or other
satisfying meals for less than $10. She notes that there are far fewer
establishments in between. This observation seems particularly relevant
to parents because, for the most part, they cannot afford the high end
restaurants, yet they can definitely use an alternative to burgers,
pizza, and burritos. La Note is Mitrani-Bell’s answer to a prolonged
personal dilemma. She moved to Berkeley from France to attend UC Berkeley,
where she earned a BA in Architecture eight years ago. From that point
on she pondered moving back to France, but a real attraction to the
life in Northern California kept her here. She acted upon the urge to
do something to ease her homesickness. If she could not return to her
homeland (she now was married and had a child), she would bring a piece
of her beloved Southern France back. She designed a restaurant that
would capture the simple and colorful Provencal decor and the hearty
aromatic and fresh flavors of that cuisine..... The savory fresh food,
relaxed atmosphere, and reasonable prices at La Note make it a must
for restaurant bound parents... La Note works for everyone.