One Bistro's Chef

Chef Peter Dexter’s commitment to fresh, unfussy food earns neighborhood loyalty

Schooled at the famed Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, Cordon Bleu in London, Roger Verge in Southern France, and Guy Savoy in Paris, Chef Peter Dexter explains why he prefers the bistro life.

“In France,” Chef Dexter explained, “A bistro is a small, neighborhood restaurant where the locals know they’ll get delicious, affordable, unpretentious food. And while our menu is more New England than French, in every other way we are every bit a bistro.”

In authentic bistro fashion, Chef Dexter starts with high quality seasonal foods and creates recipes for minimally processed foods that preserve the integrity and flavor of the ingredients without too much “foo foo.” Beautifully seared Sushi-grade tuna, grilled-to-order top grade choice cuts, and a very popular pan seared chicken breast topped with a white wine and artichoke lemon butter sauce are just a few examples. See complete menus.

Committed to freshness, One Bistro buys ingredients in small quantities and “turns” them over on a daily basis. Plus One Bistro seeks out the best seasonal ingredients such as diver scallops, day boat seafood and locally grown produce. One Bistro also prides itself on making (never buying) its own chicken and veal stocks. You can taste the difference!

Amongst their many appetizers there are three that stand out as local favorites. Whether as a first course or to accompany a favorite wine or beer at the bar, you’ll want to try the Calamari Rings, Bistro Mussels and Jumbo Crab Cakes. The calamari, lightly pan-fried and served with the Chef’s own sweet and spicy dipping sauce are tender and delicious. One Bistro's Prince Edward Island mussels are a delicious bargain at just $10. And the Chef’s recipe for Maryland style Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes are chock full of crabmeat, light on the fillers and very big on taste.

Also enjoying a healthy popularity are One Bistro’s fresh salads entrées topped with a choice of sliced tenderloin, grilled chicken or shrimp, or pan-seared salmon. Typically served at lunch, any of these entrée salads are also available at dinner or for a light late supper.

Catering to a growing number of repeat local customers, One Bistro has reduced the number of items on its printed menu and increased the number of daily specials. The Chef explains, “as an independent restaurant, we can be very flexible with our menu, taking advantage of the best meats, seafood’s and produce available on any given day…plus our regular customers really like the variety.”

The crowning glory to any One Bistro meal is one of their hugely popular desserts. Not only are all desserts made on premises from scratch, Chef Dexter also takes pride in subtle but important distinctions, “Our Chocolate Mousse Tuile is an excellent example of why our desserts are so popular. We use only true white and dark Belgium chocolate, but of course we’re not the only restaurant that uses high quality ingredients. What makes our mousse special is what we don’t add: the egg whites blended in to ‘extend’ most mousses. While this costs us a bit more, it results in a richer, uniquely delicious product.” The Chef also recommends their homemade Warm Molten Chocolate Cake. Sweet!