This is the signature Octopus Carpaccio and Ravigotte sauce and Fisherman Lobster-Crab soup at Bistro Philippe, located in Plaza Palamino.

Photo by A. E. Araiza/Arizona Daily Star

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It’s love.

Bistro Philippe had us at the bread, a crusty baguette so fresh it didn’t need to be heated.

Granted, we would have preferred a fat slab of sweet, unsalted butter instead of the tasteless olive oil it came with, but in reality, we needed nothing to come between the taste buds and the bread. It was that good.

As the evening wore on, we fell more deeply in love. On a return visit, that love reached a deeper level.

The cozy, multi-colored checkered booths that practically form a circle around the tables in the middle make for great people watching. The high, black ceiling with a shiny red on the portion that drops a little gave a sense of fun sophistication. The red canopies with the names of different regions of France added color and a sense of place. The friendly, never stuffy, service lent a make-yourself-at-home air. And the prices are not outlandish, as one might expect from a French restaurant and/or Philippe Trosch, the chef who was at the helm when the Ventana Room earned its fifth diamond — the only restaurant in Tucson with the honor.

Yes, there’s much to love. We even suspect we’d love the dessert bar, which wasn’t ready when we dined there — we’re told it’ll be another month or so before that will seat diners hungry to satisfy a sweet tooth.