That’s not to take anything away from her husband François, who quietly toils away in the one-man kitchen, preparing straightforward yet scrumptious French country cuisine for the entire 40-seat restaurant.

“It’s a family affair. He cooks; I do everything else,” says Christine with a laugh.

With her lingering French accent, Christine transports her guests to Normandy, where her family has been in the restaurant business since 1870. That’s eighteen seventy.

“My grandmother cooked for Charles de Gaulle,” Christine tells us proudly, later showing us newspaper clippings and photos of various relatives serving Russian cosmonauts, American astronauts, and political VIPs.

It’s no surprise, then, that Christine and François have been carrying on the tradition since coming to the U.S. some 20 years ago, first in the Bay Area, then with Chez Christine in Carmel, and now at their new Alvarado Street location.

My bride and I arrived to a nearly packed house last Saturday. The room was pleasingly warm from the heat of the kitchen, and the soft yellow walls, decorative artwork and glowing votives created a cozy setting. The air was social, cheerful, and alive, and it was clear from the occasional bursts of laughter that everyone was having a good time.

Turning our attention to the one-page handwritten menu, we noticed only three appetizers and five entrées. Bistro Christine’s small kitchen and staff certainly justify fewer offerings, but it actually represents an adherence to the traditional role of the bistro in everyday French life – simple, satisfying, regional cuisine made from seasonal ingredients.

“We don’t have a big menu, but we do fresh everyday,” says Christine, dropping off a basket of super delicious crusty bread, its soft insides still warm from the oven.

Seeing the duck breast confit with ratatouille starter ($10.95), I was so excited that I ordered it with a glass of Côte du Rhône Perrin Reserve ($8.50) as if I were dining alone. Sheepishly passing the bread to my poultry-averse dining partner, we added a glass of Anglim Rosé ($8.50) from the modest wine list, which also changes frequently.

It was worth the awkward moment because the sliced duck was supremely moist and tender, its gently browned skin both beautiful and tasty. The warm ratatouille of eggplant, zucchini, squash, tomato, onion, and garlic was soft, succulent, and soothing, its texture and flavors pairing perfectly with the room-temperature duck.

When I mentioned that I was also interested in the endives au gratin ($9.95) but concerned about getting too full, Christine encouraged us. It was her grandmother’s recipe, and when Christine was a child in Normandy, they would eat these endives with a salad for dinner every Thursday. How could we say no?

Another winning choice. The endive is first blanched in sugared water to ease its bitterness, then wrapped in ham, topped with béchamel and gruyère, and baked. It was creamy, bubbly, cheesy goodness. Grandma’s creation is not to be missed.

Dinners come with green salad or onion soup – another easy choice. The piping hot soup, with its deep, meaty, housemade broth sweetened by caramelized onions and crowned with thin slices of the same crusty bread and just the right amount of melted gruyère, was comfort food at its best.

Slowly, we moved on to our entrées of roast filet mignon medallions and fresh Alaskan halibut with tarragon sauce (both $26.95). The halibut was moist, flaky and peppery, and the creamy sauce packed loads of tarragon flavor. Sides of delicately firm asparagus, crisply browned roasted potatoes, carrots and mangetout (literally “eat all”) peas, rounded out the dish.

The four large slices of filet mignon were perfect – a light browning followed by oven roasting, resulting in the pink, fork-tender quality that only filet delivers. The au jus, straight from the pan, provided another welcome task for the crusty bread, and the simple yet expertly cooked sides of asparagus, potatoes, sautéed mushrooms and a hearty flageolet-carrot mix completed the meal.

The evening’s menu also featured half roast chicken with fries ($21.95), pork tenderloin with Normandie sauce ($24.95) and roast leg of lamb au jus ($26.95), but Christine informed us that salmon, scallops, and French classics like boeuf bourguignon, cassoulet and coq au vin make regular appearances.

Christine’s part-time bookkeeper, helping hand and resident pastry goddess, Jessica, creates a mouth-watering array of desserts ($6.95-$8.95). Though the crème brûlée (regular and chocolate), crème caramel, chocolate mousse, and best-selling frozen lemon soufflé were all tempting, we chose the warm apricot tart with vanilla ice cream and sugared lemon zest strips. Its thin, flaky crust made the fresh, light and fruity dessert a real palate pleaser.

Our meal was outstanding start to finish – and cheaper than a trip to Normandy – but it was Christine’s hospitality that made the night memorable.

BISTRO CHRISTINE 481 Alvarado St., Monterey • 11:30am-2:30pm Mon-Fri, 5:30-9:30pm Mon-Sat, closed Sun. • 644-0819.