Philadelphia - August 05, 2009

Love at First Bite

Avril BYOB Restaurant Opens

Boy meets girl. They settle down. And baby makes three.

Aw. April Lisante (former food editor for the Daily News) and Christian Gatti (Audrey Claire, White Dog Cafe) did it all by the book. Only in their case, a cute BYOB was born.

Avril is a welcome addition to Bala Cynwyd. Northern Italian and Southern French cuisine complements an airy dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and relaxing mocha and chocolate decor.

Try the red snapper with farro, wilted spinach, and fennel bisque. The lobster profiterole is to die, with corn, asparagus, mustard sage vinaigrette, and a drizzled fontina fondue sauce. The foie gras mousse is spiked with espresso and topped with a cinnamon-dusted whipped cream (an experiment your taste buds will thank you for).

The pair also serves a killer Rième sparkling blood orange lemonade.

Not that life gave them lemons.

Avril, 134 Bala Avenue, Bala Cynwyd (610-667-2626 or avrilbyob.com).

Extra! Extra! This Thursday, 7-9 p.m., join DailyCandy and Madewell at King of Prussia Mall to get tips on distressing your denim, free fit consultations, and 20 percent off all jeans.

Photo: Courtesy of Avril