Blé French Bistro Brings Classic French Cuisine to Noblesville
Writer & Photographer / Abbie Willans
Noblesville residents no longer have to travel to Paris to try traditional French cuisine. Blé French Bistro opened in October and serves everything from escargot to steak au poivre to specialty cocktails.
Co-owners Gabriel Di Egidio, Frank Martinez, Rogelio Mancillas and Gabriella Di Pietro shared a dream of opening a rest
aurant together, and they saw an opportunity to introduce Noblesville to the classic flavors of French cooking. The building used to be a Mexican restaurant, but they’ve fully transformed it into something new and refreshing.
Artist Ligia Zambrano provided the paintings in the restaurant. The owners at Blé had the idea to have a gallery space in the back, to add to the French atmosphere and support local artists. They have live painting sessions on the weekends, so that patrons can see the artists at work. The murals in the main dining room were painted by a Lafayette native.
“We wanted to bring Paris to Noblesville and give the city something different,” Di Egidio says. “We saw the bistros in Paris and adapted them to a more American style.”
He is originally from Venezuela, but wanted to honor his late father-in-law, who was from Lyon, France. The name “Blé” means “wheat” in French. They wanted something that was simple and minimalist, but had a deeper meaning.
“Wheat is the base of so many dishes, it can be transformed into so many things,” he says.
A friend of Di Egidio created the menu. It features dishes like mussels, steak frites, chicken paillard, salmon royale, croque monsieur and of course the French onion soup, which is one of their most popular items. Blé Bistro specializes in French wine and craft cocktails.
Di Egidio says the owners plan on having a rotating menu that changes with the seasons, trying out different cocktails and flavor combinations. They currently have a series of cocktails based on the “Seven Deadly Sins.” They also plan to start opening for lunch in December and have offerings for brunch.
He says this is his first restaurant, and he’s excited to bring his passion for French food to Noblesville. He wants to invite people to “try a little bit of Paris.”
Blé French Bistro is located at 16771 Clover Rd., Noblesville. More information can be found by visiting blebistro.com, emailing info@blebistro.com or calling 317-764-2219 to make a reservation.
