• House Salad (shared) $6.50
• Diver Scallops with potato puree, beets and wasabi $24.50
• Chocolate Mole Cake $7.50

The odds were totally against this meal being good. Steve and I were both not feeling well, which meant we were crabby and probably should not have been out and about anywhere that night. We had trouble finding place, mainly because I wrote down 5937 instead of 2937, which is a cute quirk when you are newly married, but after 9 years or so, does not add much to the atmosphere. And then probably because we were sick and crabby, and because of the aforementioned challenge, we spent the entire dinner arguing over what to do with our front yard. In other words, in order for this meal to be excellent, even though all the above was beyond their control JP American Bistro had to overcome a lot.

As you can see from the excellent rating they did just that. To start off the house salad was good, it had a great vinaigrette with great lettuce and a nice shaving of cheese. The scallops were amazing! Not only were the scallops huge, but they were done to absolute perfection. The outside was beautifully browned and the inside was melt in your mouth wonderful. But that was just the beginning of the dish, the potato puree was great with the beets adding a great contrast and compliment to the scallops.

Last, but certainly not least, the dessert. I asked the waiter to recommend which dessert between the s'more and the chocolate cake with ancho chilis. He without hesitation recommended the cake. I was ecstatic. It is very hard to find a waiter who will give a clear and concise recommendation. I have difficult making decisions at time especially when two dishes sound particularly intriguing and so I will ask what they recommend. Often times I will admit I may ask between a beef and fish dish, and yes I know they are totally different dishes and it is hard to believe that I am in the mood for a fish and a steak dish at the same time, but I am. Rarely can a I get a straight answer, they say oh those are so different or it depends on what you are in the mood for. I realize this, but I usually am torn and need some help. Enough ranting, the chocolate cake was very good with a great kick to boot.

Overall this is great place to go to, especially if you are on your way to the Jungle Theatre which is literally right next to it. We were on our way to the Frank Theatre's production of the Cradle will Rock in the old Sears building on Lake which was a great show.

• Pork Tenderloin with Polenta and Poached Apples $18.50
• Ice Cream Sandwich $5.50

JP American Bistro is a great place before the Jungle Theatre or just for dinner on the town. We were late for our reservation, but the maitre d’ and wait staff were extremely understanding.

The decor is upscale and freshly remodeled. Despite the fancy decor, it was comfortably casual.

I was impressed with the simple house salad, which consisted of mixed greens with vinaigrette and thin slices of Parmesan cheese. The Value was excellent, especially when split in half for two.

The pork tenderloin was similarly spectacular. The pork was tender and wonderfully done. The accompanying poached apples matched the pork well. The polenta surprisingly made a better side dish than potatoes because it was light and a good change of pace.

The ice cream sandwich was a splendid finish to an excellent meal. I had been craving an ice cream sandwich for months. Finally the craving was satisfied by a heaping two-piece sandwich. This is another dessert that I hope to see other restaurants adopt* for such urges.

*See also the Key Lime Cheesecake at 13 Moons.