Sometimes, as in the case of Bistro Aix, a change in the kitchen kick-starts the entire restaurant.
With owner Jonathan Beard and chef Nancy Martin behind the stove, the entire place seems more integrated -- the cement floors look a little redder, the heated patio in back looks a little more inviting and the waiters have a little more bounce in their step.
Yet the only real change in this 7-year-old Marina district cafe is the food crafted by Martin, who was a sous chef at Hawthorne Lane and at Redwood Park before she took over this kitchen four months ago. The menu looks much like it did before, and like those at dozens of other Bay Area bistros, for that matter. However, once the plates begin to arrive the difference is noticeable.
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From the time it opened in 1996, Bistro Aix has maintained a high standard, but it now represents the best of what a neighborhood bistro should be
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