French

BISTROT BISTRO
This new casual, affordable, and refreshingly airy French bistro brought to us by French imports Valerie and Laurent Devin starts with a simple, well-executed, country-style menu (that wallows in the rich and the savoury) and ends with a delightful wine list that sees every bottle available by the glass. The slow-cooked boeuf bourguignon ($17), pearl onion and mustard sauce pork loin ($17) sizzling sexily in its own skillet, and smooth chicken liver terrines ($7) sided with ratatouille ($4) and gratin dauphinois ($4) make for a simple wintry retreat from Kits’ hipster hegemony. Every neighbourhood needs a bistro like this. 1961 W. 4th Ave., Kitsilano, 604-732-0004. $$-$$$

BISTRO PASTIS
French classics touch nouvelle west coast, creating un bon surprise. Convivial host John Blakely distils great French bistro food and drink sans the Gallic shrug. The result: a nifty endive and Roquefort salad ($14.50) or crisped sweetbreads with mushroom angolotti ($18). The kitchen shows a light hand with fish, but gets lusty with winter braises. A thoughtful wine list shows some well-priced Bordeaux occasion vintages. A perennial Vancouver Restaurant Awards winner. 2153 W. 4th Ave., Kitsilano, 604-731-5020. $$$

CAFE DE PARIS
West End yields to Left Bank under chef Patrick Verrier’s sure hand. Opt for his three-course table d’hôte menu ($37), or pick and choose from à la carte salade de chèvre ($9.50), tartare de boeuf, made from hand-chopped AAA Alberta beef ($14 appetizer; $28 entrée), and a cassoulet Toulousain ($27) with white beans, duck confit, pork shoulder and Toulouse sausage. The frites are a Vancouver legend; the excellent, shrapnel-laden baguettes baked fresh. Cap the feast with homemade sorbets ($7) or the caramelized lemon tart ($7). A useful rainy-day friend at lunch (the wine list promises romance); the wild game festival held in October is underrated. 751 Denman St., West End, 604-687-1418. $$$

CAFE SALADE DE FRUITS
No squeeze-bottle chicanery or foo foo garnishes: find rustic French bistro food stripped of all pretension. Frenetic open kitchen dishes hearty classics cheaply: mussels and salty frites ($15.99) or canard confit ($16.99), buttery and crisp. The charmingly inelegant decor and friendly service are as unassuming as the food, and choosing the wine is easy—rouge or blanc. Ample three-course table d’hôte ($21.99) changes weekly. Cash only. 1551 W. 7th Ave., South Granville, 604-714-5987. $$

CASSIS BISTRO
Young trio Sam Wilcox, Daniel McClintock and Ben Coté gutsily open on a sketchy block, reveal gutsy cooking. Their tiny 20-seat patio is otherworldly on hot summer nights and an urban eye-popper by day. Weekends hear an outdoor soundtrack of police sirens competing with an indoor DJ spinning for post-shift restaurant workers. Menu sees bistro classics that have never slummed so well. At lunch: paninis and pizzas; dinner succeeds with full-on French done on the cheap. Stick to Coté all-stars: onion soup is one of the best in town ($7.25 for lunch, $8.25 for dinner), as is his straightforward and richly flavoured coq au vin ($15). At these prices, sneak an extra glass from the French-inflected wine card. 420 W. Pender St., Downtown, 604-605-0420. $-$$

THE CHEF AND THE CARPENTER
This restaurant recalls a time when cutting-edge cuisine meant tableside preparation of Caesar salad ($7.95/person) and escargots ($8.95/person) baked in garlic butter, both still available here. Dark woods, floral wallpaper and, yes, lace curtains may remind you of your grandmother’s parlour (is this where they filmed My Dinner With André?), but food this good never goes out of style. Duck au Grand Marnier ($22.95) and rack of lamb with Cognac and pink peppercorns ($29.95) are time-honored standouts. 1745 Robson St., West End, 604-687-2700. $$$

LE CROCODILE
A Vancouver landmark, and deservedly so. This traditional French restaurant, famous for its pan-seared foie gras, features classic entrées such as grilled veal medallions with veal demi-glace and morel mushrooms ($38); grilled wild B.C. salmon, served with light saffron veloute and sauté of calamaris ($30); pan-seared veal sweetbreads, with black truffled foie-gras cream sauce ($30); or slow-braised lamb shank “Provencal-Style,” a bargain at $28. Don’t miss chef-owner Michel Jacob’s savoury onion tart served with chilled Alsace edelzwicker. Or the beef filet steak tartare and lobster bisque served with fresh cream and cognac. The wine list runs deep to the mother country, as do some of the charming servers. We love Le Croc for many reasons, chief among them is the immaculate cooking. 100-909 Burrard St., entrance on Smithe, Downtown, 604-669-4298. $$$-$$$$

CRU
Executive chef Alana Peckham’s pans enumerate small- and entrée-sized plates, tied to owner Mark Taylor’ intelligent wine list—see headings like “crisp,” “mellow,” “luscious” and “juicy.” Order a classic duck leg confit, with warm bacon dressing and baby green salad and organic potatoes ($15); or pan-seared scallops with roasted corn, marinated artichokes and baby cress salad ($15). For dessert, (each $8): the local berry tart, or wonderful coconut rhubarb panna cotta. 1459 W. Broadway, South Granville, 604-677-4111. $$$

ELIXIR
Executive chef Don Letendre continues to excel, treating his Brollywood guests at the Opus Hotel and Yaletown glitterati to classic brasserie fare—prepped with modern, cosmopolitan flair. It’s an all-day affair with very good breakfasts of eggs Catalan, leading into an extensive lunch card that pleases the expense-account crowd. The Northridge Farms ribeye cometh in the evening, suited up in the guise of a classic steak frites (choose the béarnaise over the peppercorn sauce), arguably the best in town. Close with a classic apple tarte Tatin with crème fraîche. Next door Opus Lounge’s ambitious tapas card provides a modern contrast. Opus Hotel, 350 Davie St., Yaletown, 604-642-0557. Elixirrestaurant.ca. $$-$$$

LE GAVROCHE
This elegantly refurbished heritage house in the West End displays a progressive approach to classic French fare. Chef Roger LeBlanc has a delicate touch with responsibly sourced seafood, saucy braises, and a melt-in-your-mouth duck leg confit. Owner Manuel Ferreira’s stellar cellar (currently housing an eye-popping 34,000 bottles) is one of the best in the country. Tableside preparation of le classique steak tartare ($14) and Caesar salad ($9.50) are sure to impress, and elaborate tasting menus with wine pairings are always available. This is an experience you’ll want to savour—tell the babysitter you’ll be late. 1616 Alberni St., West End, 604-685-3924. $$$-$$$$

HERMITAGE
Hermitage is exactly what every city should be lucky enough to have: a romantic bistro-style hideaway with consistently well-executed food, a friendly demeanor and a comfortable atmosphere. Chef-proprietor Hervé Martin holds strongly to his French roots. The appetizer of foie gras sautéed with Armangac ($26) is perfectly prepared, and the sweetbreads and kidneys in a Bordelaise sauce ($29) are as rich and satisfying as any in the city. The west coast bouillabaisse ($31) is dense with local fish and shellfish. The two-course prix-fixe at lunch is $19.95; dinner is $39.95 for three courses. More than 300 wines (some from his sister’s vineyard in Burgundy) reflect Martin’s eye for high quality, good-value producers. 1025 Robson St., West End, 604-689-3237. $$$-$$$$

JULES BISTRO
Stephan Gagnon and Emmanuel Joinville’s remarkable little spot in Gastown hits all the right notes, conjuring hearty, unpretentious French bistro fare. Beef tenderloin with morel cream sauce ($22) is a palate fondler, and the roasted free-range chicken with port jus and potato purée ($17) might see you loosening your belt. If your tummy can take it, finish with a vanilla bean crème brûlée ($6). Kronenbourg 1664 on tap, Costières de Nîmes by the glass ($10) and a daily three-course table d’hôte (greens, steak or salmon with frites and chocolate terrine) for $21 make this room as affordable as it is authentic. Highly recommended. 216 Abbott St., Gastown, 604-669-0033. $$-$$$

LUMIERE
This culinary becon, at one time arguably Canada’s finest restaurant, has seen its light dim somewhat this year. An ownership tug-of-war led to staff changes, and Iron Chef Rob Feenie now has a 28-year-old understudy, Dale MacKay. A Gordon Ramsay product from New York, MacKay is less intuitive with local products, and the level of excellence in the kitchen has slipped a notch. The crowd has changed, too: fewer dining enthusiasts, more Howe Street parvenus. The three tasting menus remain crisply choreographed—there is no à la carte. Expect them to change as MacKay institutes a more vestigial sensibility. Lumière’s Tasting Bar, just inside the main entrance, offers affordable à la carte, including a Rob Feenie classic: a ridiculously seductive plate of butternut squash ravioli with a silky truffle butter sauce. The bar is a credit: classic muddles, flips, slings and arrows. 2551 W. Broadway, Kitsilano, 604-739-8185. $$-$$$$

MISTRAL
Mistral is husband-and-wife team Minna and Jean-Yves Benoit’s accessible Provençal bistro, its food writ big on chalk boards and flavour. To begin, a trifecta of Mediterranean black olive spread, purée of creamed cod and anchovy-garlic dipping sauce. Benoit, Michelin-starred in his native France, features a pissaladière as thin as those eating it, but as characterful, too—it’s neatly groomed with caramelized onions, anchovies and olives. The daube d’agneau in red wine with Marseillaise-style chick-pea cakes puts paid to rainy autumn nights. An artful, if brief, wine list highlights the South of France and British Columbia; a small patio runs the gauntlet of busy West Broadway. 2585 W. Broadway, Kitsilano, 604-733-0046. $$-$$$

PROVENCE MARINASIDE
Find one of the best breakfasts in town here: strong press coffee, flaky croissants, great preserves and shirred eggs. You’ll be in good company—this big room expedites a long menu, for the most part expertly and with a Gallic hug. Antipasti include a fine pissaladière of caramelized onions, olives and anchovies, and grilled squid in lemon-chili vinaigrette. Huge oyster list, loup de mer—even côte de boeuf for the very afraid. The fish soup sings La Marseillaise in a room that has found an elegant groove. And the people watching from the expansive patio is second to none—observe the beautiful Yaletowners (and their little dogs, too) in their natural environment. 1177 Marinaside Cres., Yaletown, 604-681-4144. $$$

PROVENCE MEDITERRANEAN GRILL
Now in its 10th year, Alessandra and Jean-Francis Quaglia’s Point Grey bistro offers haute cuisine without the prices or pretense. The afternoon Grand Thé is a treat; for dinner go for their traditional fish soup with crostini and gruyere ($8) before tucking into a dijon and herb-crusted rack of lamb ($29). Chef Justin Faubert extracts every ounce of flavour from fresh, simple ingredients and bright green olive oils. Brunch is one of the best in the city and good weather has people flocking to their pretty garden patio. 4473 W. 10th Ave., West Point Grey, 604-222-1980. $$-$$$

SAVEUR
One of the city’s true unsung heroes, chef Stephan Meyer’s gilded, frequently changing plates represent flavoursome value on the plate. Begin with grilled squid with chili, ratatouille, coppa and herbs salade tweaked with sherry vinegar ($9), then head to a heady halibut fillet in a thyme-cured tomato reduction ($18) or roast pork loin with fennel, tomato, lemon peel and potato gnocchi—all bound in a rosemary jus. At just $16, it’s an outright steal as well. The wine list is modest, but modestly priced, the help pleased to see you. 850 Thurlow St., West End, 604-688-1633. $$

THE SMOKING DOG BISTRO
Smartly, the Smoking Dog’s new owners, Jean Séguin and Judith Andrews, have bolstered the wine list, kept the classics but freshened the menu. The result: a full house most nights for accessible French cooking and live jazz every Friday and Saturday nights. Find the classic mimosa salad ($7), onion soup ($8) and very good pepper steak frites ($31). And what’s this—some of the better pastas in town in a French bistro? Also try the generously upholstered lamb shank, braised long and low in a red wine with juniper berries. Both are priced in the teens. 1889 W. 1st Ave., Kitsilano, 604-732-8811. $$-$$$

THE WILLIAM TELL
Kudos to this landmark establishment, as it approaches its 45th anniversary, for remaining so doggedly steadfast to traditional fine dining. Under Philippe Doebeli (son of founder Erwin) this award-winning exemplar of old-world excellence continues to impress by eschewing fashionable whimsy. Standouts are the wild tiger prawns and halibut cheeks ($34.50), duo of Fraser Valley duck with cherry compote and tarragon jus ($29.50) and the carefully crafted 4-course table d’hote ($42.50). Tableside service of steak tartare, chateaubriand for two and flambéed crepes Suzette harkens back to the halcyon days of yesteryear. Professional service is unobtrusively friendly and the celebrated wine list is deep and inviting. Close proximity entertainment district makes it an ideal pre-theatre destination and the Swiss Farmers Buffet is a popular fixture on Sundays. 765 Beatty St., 604-688-3504. $$$ - $$$$

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