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The Firehall Bistro offers casual, bistro fine dining in Pitt Meadows.
Too bad this restaurant does not seem to have its own website; it was rather difficult to expect from this restaurant after reading good reviews online. This review is based on dinner service for two people.
Situated in business/downtown area of Pitt Meadow, it was quite easy to find the place, just off Harris Road, although the street sign says 122 Ave, not 122A Avenue.
Food: One of the best tasting French bistro style food in Greater Vancouver. First you get a complimentary small place of fried wonton and tapanade with a dip. While they are good, I would prefer regular bread service. Next, ceasar salad is served with slightly charred romaine lettuce, light dressing and some really high quality smoked bacon. They have other usual appetizers such as fried coconut prawns, house salad, cold cut platter, lobster bisque.. etc.. The entrees were equally nice, tarragon chicken breast with truffle risotto and vegetarian ravioli. The risotto was truly amazing in terms of texture of the rice and the aroma from truffle oil. The creamy sauce for the ravioli was decadent while being not too heavy. Other options are rib eye steak, chicken pasta, halibut, etc. Desserts are good (definitely above average), but not as good as the salads and entrees, which are 5 stars, It is very typical of small bistros who rarely have a pastry chef, although I am not sure if this place does. The menu seems to change quite frequently.Portions were reasonable, slightly small. Definitely not generous; I would definitely need all appy, entree and dessert to get full. I just wished there was 10~15% more food, couple more bites..
Ambiance: typical bistro setting: dim, simple, inviting, and warm. Can even be romantic if you sit right next to the fireplace. But there seems to be very limited space in the kitchen. Some corners of diningroom and bar area are used as cool and dry storage.
Value: Appetizers range from $8 to $11, entrees $17 to $27, and dessert $8 to $11. A la carte pricing is reasonable, although desserts are a bit aggresively priced. It would be very nice to see a three-course option in $29 to $34 price range, which I see a lot in Vancouver.
This would be a very nice restaurant for Pitt Meadow and Maple Ridge residents. During my visit, I spent $68 (for 1 app, 2 entree, 2 desserts) before taxes and tips. I thought that was a bit expensive, being spoiled by so many great deals in Vancouver due to competition. I can easily get a good quality three course dinner for $29 at a bistro setting in Vancouver. Sounds bad?? But at Firehall Bistro, you get a great quality (instead of good) three course dinner for $35~40 (that's why I wished there was 15% more food). In addition, the restaurant is clean, kitchen is clean, and all cooks and chefs are dressed properly. So pricing-wise, this restaurant sits somewhere between bistro and upcaled/fine dining with great quality food, rightfully and strongly. Will go back. The lunch menu seems to offer better deal.
We had heard of this restaurant and finally decided to give it a try. I won't lie when we saw the menu, we were a little bit surprised and taken aback at the prices but thought they were comparable to other larger restaurants in the area. When the food arrived we were stunningly amazed. The food was cooked to perfection and even my 10 year old was impressed. It was probably the best meal we've ever had! We all tried each others and there were no complaints from anyone. With a meal that good, we just had to have dessert! We were not disappointed. I have to recommend "The Cloud"! The quote on their flyer says it all, "expect the un-expected"! Will highly recommend this to friends and family. Thank you for a great night out!
This restaurant is absolutely amazing. From the moment we walked in the door. We were warmly greated by our waitress for the evening. One of the owners was behind the bar and he smiled warmly at us and welcomed us to his restaurant.
The restaurant is very warm and inviting with fine linens on the table and soft lighting casting a lovely glow. The tables are nicely spaced so you're not listening in on other people's conversation.
The food is absolutely amazing for the prices that are charged. Before we had our appetizer we were given an amuse bouche consisting of crostini - 2 were topped with a cream cheese and olive mixtere and the other 2 were topped with pickled beet root. Both were very good. We started off with one of the appetizer specials - a duo of prawns, jumbo and spot prawns in a lovely garlic butter sauce and served with a hot crusty homemade baguette. This was the most expensive appetizer at $17.99 but it was a very generous serving and very well prepared. Most appetizers seemed to be in the $9.00 - $12.00 range. The most expensive entree was the rib steak at $19.99 (I think that's what it was). For the entrees my husband had tarragon chicken that came with gruyere rissoto and asparagus and I had the oven roasted halibut with braised spinach and potato. Both entrees were very well prepared and they were decent sized servings. We were never rushed. My husband always finishes eating before I do and unlike many restaurants they did not clear his plate off the table until I was finished with my dinner. Kudos for that. Our waitress checked on us throughout and the owner came by also to ensure that everything was okay. The other owner is the chef. For dessert our lovely waitress recommended the pear fritters with homemade cinnamon ice cream. It was amazing.
Definitely recommended. We'll be back
we came here last night (for our 2nd time) for an early V-Day Dinner.
The food is to die for. We had:
stuffed mushrooms
ribeye (him) & rabbit tagiletelle raggu (me)
warm chocolate cake with kirsch cherries and homemade mint icecream
and blackberry martinis.
Everything was amazing! The place was packed but we still had amazing service. Honnestly the best food and service in the area if you are looking for somewhere classy, romantic and cozy. A must try!
We made a reservation for our parents' combined birthday dinner on the recommendation of a friend. The restaurant is tucked away on a side street, and we almost missed it. We were greeted very warmly and professionally. The level of service remained that way the entire night, consistently across all of the staff. Some large chains could definitely take pointers from the relaxed, fine-dining spirit of the service. The menu was small and perfectly executed. The canapes to start were delicious and unexpected. The wines were tasty and reasonably priced. Our appetizers were perfect -- one person commented that the prawns were the best he had ever had. The entrees were beautiful, interesting and delicious. Nothing was rushed, the staff were very attentive, and the restaurant had the buzz of contented patrons. My sister had lived nearby for two years and said she'd wished she'd known it was there earlier, because she would have been a regular guest.
I can only fault them for a few typos and spelling mistakes on the menu. I was the only member of our party who cared!
Give it a try: it's worth the drive!
We had made a reservation in advance as we had been previously unable to get in a few weeks prior due to it being full at that time.This restaurant came recommended, so after reading some of this restaurants reviews before going, we were all very intrigued. We found this quaint restaurant to be very welcoming with a warm atmosphere. We were half expecting to find a grumpy male at the front of house..but he was no-where to be found..still not sure who 'he' is, as all the staff were extremely friendly and easy to talk to.
The menu had some great meals on it, and the 'chefs creations' sounded good. We were told that the menu changes regularly depending on the season, as the chef only likes to cook fresh food, this was good to hear.
Our expectations were quite high, and I am pleased to say we were all very impressed. Our food came in record time, which scared us slightly, however after tasting it, we had nothing but compliments to say. We all had fantastic food. The portions were perfect, not too big, but just enough. The desserts were just as impressive, as was their homemade ice-creams.
After a delightful evening we were also impressed by the bill, definitely not as expensive as we had anticipated.
A fantastic evening was had by all, and a restaurant we will definitely be returning to. I will definitely be recommending this restaurant to friends.
Great food, but for the price I would have expected far better service. The condecending, rude, and snarky behaviour of the main waiter, spoils the wonderful food created by the chef and the cosey atmosphere of the restaurant. Unfortunately for the hardworking chef, my party and I will not be returning to this establishment.
We have been several times in this great restaurant. This is absolute one of the very best restaurants we have visited. We have visit lots of restaurants many very regular. The food and the presentation is great. We are very proud of our local restaurant and believe that everyone should try it.
Very good local fine dining. Chef's Creations are amazing. The service was warm and friendly. One of the few places that I have gone to lately where I feel that I got value for my money. The restaurant was very clean and the ambiance was relaxing. It is a little unclear where to park.
We went out for a special meal to celebrate a birthday the other evening. The food on the whole was good. I had the special, which was fine, not great, but made the mistake of NOT asking the price (which I assumed would be comparable to the other main courses). It was nearly twice the price! From reading the other reviews this seems to be a failing of this restaurant and I want to warn others to always make sure that they ask the price of the specials. This particular special had previously been on the menu for a regular price (according to my dining companion). I left feeling deceived and would not go back to this restuarant. When I complained I was told that I must have been told the price. I clearly wasn't.
my better half and i have eaten here on several occasions. i have to say that each experience has been outstanding. the menu is continually changing as the chef only prepares food that is in season and fresh(we asked because some of our favorites disappeared from the menu). the wine list is adequate but not overloaded and the markup is nominal for a restaurant. the service has always been excellent and friendly. ive had everything from the rib eye to the pot of mussels and have yet to have an expectation not exceeded. i, unlike my wife, am not a desert person but every meal i have had here has been accompanied with a desert and they have been a little slice of heaven. even the ice cream is made fresh in house! i am amazed that this small family run restaurant out in the suburbs has this quality food. i cant say enough about this place, i have recommended it to friends in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
Finally, we had to run errand in Pitt Meadows. Firehall Bistro was on my shortlist to visit based on its glaring review. At first, we had a little trouble finding the restaurant. It turns out the name shown on the windows is Season Bistro not Firehall which got us confused in the first place. Anyway, we were there for lunch and they only had 1 server. So we ordered calamari, salad, and lamb shank. The lamb shank was very tender and fall of the bone, the calamari was perfect and the salad was simple but good. To close we ordered the Russian White Chocolate dessert..which came out stunningly decorated like what you had in expensive restaurant. Everything tasted very good. To compare this place is like eating at CHOW in Granville with 50% more portion but half the price. Overall, we are very impressed with this place. The service could be better but we can't blamed the guy since he's the only one there. The waiter did a good job explaining the menu into great details...this is what every good restaurant need. We will definitely come back if we're in the area.
I have dined at The Firehall Bistro a few times now; while the food is good; (not great, way too much salt, among other mostly minor issues), I just am not willing to put up with their 'P' confusion any more. The Chef and Head Waiter need to understand a couple of things: Their Restaurant is in Pitt Meadows, not Paris. Customers are looking for Pleasant service, not Pissy Waiters, and finally; While theChef truly believes he has created Paradise in the Pitt; he really has only created another Place I can go to get abused. Yes abused, I don't diferenciate between abuse by food quality or abuse by attitude. Firhall Bistro, get over yourself.
I think that your experience at this restaurant is directly related to whether you are comparing this restaurant to a downtown Vancouver place or a Pitt Meadows Place. My review is making ratings compared to what you'd find downtown, no extra brownie points simply because they are in the burbs.
Our evening started with a warm welcome, and being sat in a nice little two person booth. The ambience is quite nice.
Our server was nice, if not a little inexperienced. I think she did an adequate job for us. For example, if you are going to tell us the features (the younger chap that sat us told us the appetizer feature, then the waitress told us all the features, and not once did anyone bother telling us the price of them?)
We were hoping for a little apperitif, maybe some champagne. No champagne available by the glass you say as you look towards the kitchen? Not the end of the world. What other options would you suggest? You don't sell any hard liquor just beer and wine? THAT was a little weird. What kind of fine dining restaurant does not serve liquor? Anyway, we settled on some nice red wine. I agree with previous reviews that they mark-up on wine is quite fair. However, if you're looking for a developed wine program here, don't. Maybe 12 reds and 12 whites.
Time to eat. We'd like to chat and get caught up, so maybe just a little appetizer to share while we have some wine. You can't do that. You can't take our order without us deciding everything first? Hmmpphh. Alright, we'll adapt to your house rules, after all I guess this isn't a tapas bar.
The menu looks good, at least as good as a menu can look printed on a piece of paper. About 8 apppies and 8 entrees (2 already sold out early on a Saturday night?)
The appetizers were average. We shared a few, Smoked Salmon which was ok, a Scallop and Crayfish dish that we were not blown away by by any means and a nice Onion Tart. The amuse served to us was a tiny little cracker type things with a small spoon of Jelly. Probably the weakest amuse I've ever been served in a fine dining establishment.
We talk and have more wine while waiting for the mains. This is where the imperfections of the service show through, water glasses sitting empty for long periods, wine empty. Finally another chap came by and asked if we needed anything. Um, more wine maybe?
Mains were better than the entrees, Halibut was well cooked with nice potatoes, Chicken Leg that my companion had was also enjoyed.
Would I go again? Probably, there are only 2 or 3 nice restaurants in this area so the pickings are slim. But in my opinion it is certainly not worth the drive in from out of town.
I'm from Richmond and we drove all the way to Pitt Meadows to try this place out because it was recommended by a friend. I really enjoyed my experience there. The food was great, the portions were great and the service was unbelievable. I guess there were some people missing in the kitchen so the Chef was on his own and our food came out a little late, but they took really good care of us while we waited. We really appreciated the way they compensated for us waiting. Only 2 negatives I have to say.. they should change their awning name because right now it still says "Seasons Bistro" and it was a little smoky when we walked in , but that doesn’t even touch the service we received. I would drive the distance to go there again.
I was really looking forward to the restaurant based on the reviews. it is great to see this area attracting a notable chef. Even better that he is the owner/operator.
The decor is done beautifully. A small space, done right. The colors, the table settings, the bar. The feeling was intimate, but not small town.
The food was good, but nothing great. Unfortunately, everything I had was so salty. We had Calamari, Fish & Chips & an Onion Tart. All were good, but left us wanting more water.
We will definately go back in a while. I would expect they will change their menu seasonally, which we love. And we will always support the smaller establishments.
I'd heard someone talk about this place so I decided to take my husband there for lunch. I was very pleasantly surprised. Loved the simple decor, loved the mucis playing in the background. The service was excellent. The portions were adequate. The presentation was excellent. I don't usually have dessert but I overheard another customer telling her friend that the dessert was to die for so I had to try. Awesome presentation and delightful experience. We had a wonderful time and we will be back for lunch and dinner and I will definetly tell my friends about this place. I would suggest along with some of the others that the sign be replaced as it is a little confusing.
My husband and I tried this new addition to the local dining scene a few weeks ago, and found it to be a decent experience for the most part.
After a beffudling 1/2 hour trying to find them (the sign out front is from an old restaurant) we were a little put off right off the bat. However, the reception was warm enough so we settled in for dinner.
We found the wine list, contrary to some other reviews, quite inadequate. Not even the best in Pitt Meadows, which is saying something right there. My husbands glass of wine had to be returned (twice) as it tasted like it had been open for a month!
Our server was quite hospitable, and the menu selections, although limited, looked good enough. Our shared Calamari appetizer was adequate, certainly not exceptional. My Lamb was VERY good, my husbands pasta a little too al dente for his liking, but they quite cheerfully re-did it.
Our biggest complaint was the attitude by the cook (we gave him a quick hello on the way out) who seemed to judge us with a equal mix of amusement and contempt. Maybe he was having a bad night? He should stay out of the way of paying customers with an attitude like that.
All in all, good enough, but probably not worth a repeat visit.
How wonderful to finally have a great restaurant to dine at in the tri-cities area. The food is full of flavour, the presentation excellent, good sized portions, unique menu items...pork cheeks and pork belly. Two things I have never tried and the pork belly is to die for. The wine list has decent choices and we were thrilled to see that they haven't placed a huge mark up on the wines. Our waiter was excellent and had a beautiful way of describing the menu, like a story teller. I will recommend this restaurant to my friends and family and I will visit again.
The tri cities is in desperate need for restaurants like the Firehall Bistro and I hope to see this restaurant around for a long time.
been a couple of times, and will go again with friends, the quality presentation and flavor has been vary good, it shows that there is a professional in the kitchen, the wines are very reasonaly priced and considering you don"t have to drive to vancouver this place is a jem and a bargain. The interior could be elivated to the quality of the food but otherwise, I'm a regular.
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