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At Pied-à-Terre, classic French dishes are anything but rustic. Enjoy a traditional pre fix bistro lunch or linger late into the evening over Coquilles St. Jaques and a Campari. This bijou restaurant is your new home away from home.
A delightful neighbourhood bistro, Pied-à-Terre seats just 30 people. Free of formalities, classic French cuisine has all the room it needs to shine
We were lucky. Popped in for lunch on a day that wasn't packed at all. Maybe only half full (usually this isn't a great sign). It's a tight little restaurant, but done up nicely.
The 3-course lunch was $25, and having time on our hands, we splurged. White bean soup, quail salad for appetizer, duck confit and trout for mains and ice cream, napoleon to finish off. Service from start to finish was absolutely fabulous. She was there when needed, gone when not. Very helpful, cheerful & friendly.
The food ... let's see. For the less finicky, I'll start with this. Saying the portions are generously sized might be an understatement. The quail salad appetizer might have passed as mains at some other places. The theme continued through the mains, right through to the dessert. The trout? My gosh, that might have been twice or thrice other places.
But let's get off the bang-for-the-buck argument now, because the food is really, really, really good. I mean, not too salty, not too sweet (desserts), it wasn't too greasy, every dish had just this perfect combination of various flavours. The cooking technique, spot on. Fish was done to perfection as were the vegetables.
I'm being a bit nitpicky ... I don't rate the duck confit the best in town (perhaps Salade de fruits was better at this), the quail might have been a touch too rare. At twice the price, I would've been satisfied. When you do your own cooking, you tend to know how much ingredients cost and how much effort goes into things. At this price? It's an absolute steal.
What can I say? The food was near perfect, I haven't been this impressed in a long time. The pricing and service are triple icing on the cake. I would definitely recommend you patronize this restaurant. Be absolutely sure to make a reservation, especially for dinner.
Hmm.... maybe I should rate this down a bit so it isn't so crowded....
Went during the week to try their prix fix menu. For $45 you get an appy, main and choice of cheese or dessert plus wine. For the appy, you can chose soup, salad or special dish. Chose the sweat breads, first time having it and it was a bit different in texture and taste. Won't have it again, main was chicken in red wine sauce, very good and dessert was a lemon tart which was excellent. Had a taste of the roast chicken and it seem over salted as well as the fries which was too salty. Service was very good and attentive and the value for the prix fix was very good. I don't think the value for a la carte is that great.
Great little place like their sister restaurants, would return.
My fiance and I dined here for dinner last night and were both blown away by the food and the service and this cozy little restaurant.
FOOD:
Appetizers: Scallop salad with bacon and mushrooms and foie gras - both very good appetizers. We were surprised that the portion wasn't tiny (which is what you might get at a bigger fine dining restaurant). The scallops were nicely cooked and the combination of that with the bacon + mushrooms were delicious. The foie gras was a very generous serving and also very delicious.
Main: Rabbit and Brill which were both on special. Both very well made dishes, very delicious. Just the right portions.
Dessert: Creme Brule + Beignet that had cinnamon sugar drizzle, chocolate syrup dip and a frozen coffee spread. Both very good dishes but the beignet dessert was AMAZING. Sugar, chocolate, and coffee all in one dessert - it doesn't get better than that!
SERVICE:
We were really impressed with the service here. The staff all knew what they were talking about when it came to the menu. Our glasses were always filled with water, we were offered extra bread, the food came in a timely manner, and staff were very friendly.
VALUE:
We were shocked at the value we got for the money we paid. Again, we were expecting fine dining prices and portions but we definitely got our money's worth. To put it in perspective, the day before I went to Boston Pizza and had Potato Skins that were gross for $9 and then had FOIE GRAS at Pied-a-Terre for $12. If i'm not mistaken, all main dishes were under $30. Well worth it for the flavour and portion you get.
AMBIANCE:
It's a very small place so I would suggest making reservations in advance. Even though it was small, it had a very warm and cozy feeling to it, the place was nicely decorated and very clean.
WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK AGAIN & AGAIN!
There is nothing my husband and I would change about our dinner at this restaurant. It was our first time there though we have heard many good things about this restaurant.
Our delicious appetizers of steak tartare pour moi and seared scallops for hubbie were a comforting start. Our entrees were even better. We had the duck breast--perfectly cooked and the flavour of the duck was wonderful. Our skate wing was likewise perfectly cooked and came to our table so hot that they must have immediately plated and brought the plates to our table.
Dessert can sometimes be disappointing even at the best of restaurants, but not here. The apple beignets were heavenly, and the lemon tart divine (no flaccid crust here!)
I wish the ambiance had a warmer feel and the tables a little farther apart, but since this is such a tiny room it probably wouldn't work out...
I would love to come back to this restaurant again and again.
Made reservations for 4 at Pied a Terre for dinner on a Saturday evening. We were seated immediately (with us seated, the restaurant was full).
I ordered from the "TABLE D'HÔTE" menu, selecting the salade verte, the steak frites onglet (with roquefort & mustard sauce) and the chocolate mousse.
The salad was fresh and crisp with a sharp mustard vinegrette. The steak frite onglet was a medium rare hangar steak (done expertly and the roquefort mustard sauce was superb) served with creamed spinach, roasted tomato and pomme frites (all of which were excellent... the frites were fabulous).
The chocolate mousse was very good.
It's noteworthy that, by the standard of french restaurants, the serving portions here are quite generous.
The service was attentive and prompt without being obtrusive.
The room is very simple, white walls with black & white photos of Paris. varnished dark wood tables... not unlike the simplicity of the sister restaurant, La Buca. The room is somewhat small and a little cramped.
As French bistro food goes, this is good.
However, with all the choices out there, particularly with restaurants offering creative dishes and/or exotic flavours (BIN 941 and 942 easily come to mind), the menu here is boring, particularly when choices are so limited. Flavours, too, are "too easily expected" and contain no 'Wow' factor.
If you want the usual, standard, French bistro food, this is a good place to go to, but I'd rather spend the same dollars elsewhere and get something more interesting and exciting.
Service, decor, and ambiance are as can be expected.
First impression. We arrived shortly after our arrival time but still had to wait. But, that's a good thing as it tells us that this place is popular. The wait wasn't overly long, and the waitress made a mental note that we were a couple and explained that a window table is available if we wait just another couple of minutes. We gladly said we'll wait.
Let's jump to the food. EXCELLEEEENT. Everything from the French bread in the beginning to the dessert in the end was really, really good. I do confess that I don't know much about French cuisine but I often simply ask whether I like it, and this time, I liked them all.
The seared scallop tasted fresh. For entree we had the duck breast with duck confit, and veal medallions. Both were very tasty and not salty at all, which is important because we could then taste the wine in the sauce. The portions were generous, and the warm salads that were part of the entree were superb.
We finished with a creme brulee with candied pecan nuts on top, and cognac soaked prunes in the bottom. Apparently it won an award for best dessert, and we could see why. And again, the portion was good enough for two. Even the French dark roast coffee was good.
Prices were very reasonable at mid to high 20s for entrees. The only advice we have is make reservations. There are only 30 seats and it's not hard to fill up the place. The only bummer is that they open for lunch only on Fridays. But the interesting part about that is that they don't have a set menu for lunch, because that depends on what is fresh and available on that day!
I don't know why I would write about this deal because it'll just make this join busier and harder to get reservos. But honestly, for $25, this steak is the best bang for your buck in this city. Extremely tastey and perfect portions. Great timing and execution by kitchen staff and served to paying customers with perfect temperature.
After only around a year in business, this restaurant is already coasting on whatever reputation it still has. We've been here seven times in the last year but probably won't go back. The problem is not the limited menu. It is the lack of attention to detail and the lackadaisical service more than anything that have turned us off, more even than the outrageous wine pricing. One improvement over the past year has been with the fries, which are now cut in house. The steaks, whatever cut is chosen, always have a slightly off flavour. I don't know if this is from the meat itself or from the demi used in the sauces. The roast chicken special I had on the last visit was good but it was pan-fried not roasted. Do they think their customers can't tell the difference? There were only two tables occupied throughout our lunch and our server sat with the other table for 20 minutes, chatting with a buddy. Another recurrent problem is with the inadequate ventilation in the kitchen that results in smoke coming into the dining area.
First time visiting this restaurant over the weekend, and we were very pleasantly surprised by what a good meal we had. Not a huge variety on the menu, but very focused on basic French Bistro fare. I would say that without a doubt the table d’hôte menu is one of the best values around.
Started with an outstanding Chanterelle and Fava bean salad. Simple but very tasty. Others at the table had the stuffed Zucchini blossoms (why don't we see this more in North America?) and all had great things to say. For my main I had a very nice Tarragon Chicken dish ... just the right size and flavoured perfectly. The other comments at the table were equally good. And finally dessert, one of the best Crème Carmels I've had in quite awhile - nothing fancy but very well executed.
Service was good, our waiter made some excellent recommendations and was quite friendly.
Tables are a little close together and it is a small restaurant, but if you're looking for simple French Bistro food that's done well it's an excellent choice. It's certainly not West, but at just north of $40 for the 3 course table d’hôte it doesn't need to be - great value.
My friends and I decided to give Pied-a-terre a try; we'd been a huge fan of Parkside and spent a lot of time staring at the menu onlline. We called to make a reso for 8pm and strangely we were told that if there was a late rush, we may need to leave at 10pm (which we found odd because their website said they closed at 10:30... how quickly would they need to eat ?!).
The room was very small but nicely decorated (very modern bistro feel). Music was playing but it was barely audible (not that I'm suggesting that it be all you can hear but I would've liked to drown out everyone else's conversation).
The food was phenomenal - better than I expected (although I don't know why - Parkside has been my favourite restaurant for years).
We ordered the french onion soup, onion tart and foie gras parfait for appetizers (the parfait was so light and rich - just as I remembered it). For entrees, we had a beef bourgignon, the poulet roti and I chose the veal chop feature - the best veal chop I've ever had - perfectly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth tender. The only downside was that it was overly drowned in a delicious shallot sauce/gravy. Desserts included the chocolate mousse, the pot de creme (which turned out to be my favourite) and a half order of the cheese plate.
The service was incredible - all 3 on the floor looked after us and their knowledge, suggestions and overall service didn't miss a beat. One more suggestion though - they should get an espresso machine. It would satisfy those of us who aren't fans of drip coffee and would likely minimize the number of patrons who stick around for free refills (and make the needed turnover an easy one).
We will definitely be back (already looking forward to it!).
Had a fantastic dinner the other night. Ordered the table d'hote (limited 3 course menu): mushroom soup du jour w/ truffle oil, fillet of trout ala grenobloise (lemon/caper sauce) and chocolate mousse. It was all wonderful and delicious; perfectly prepared. The creamy soup was possibly the best mushroom soup ever. The trout was fresh (not fishy at all); served with baby potatoes, asparagus and green beans. The chocolate mousse most likely was prepared earlier in the day but it arrived slightly cool just right temp ... velvety texture and all of it way too rich! I will be back for lunch where the table d'hote is a third cheaper!!!
I was blown away by the transformation of the space from what it used to be. Now it has an elegant, posh, warm and very cosmopolitan ambiance (more London/NYC than Paris but it works). The curtain at the front door covers only half of the whole entry way & every time the door opened a cold draft blew in (it defeats the purpose of having one there).
To top it off the service was first class! All three servers were courteous, friendly and unassuming. They worked so well together - I was MOST impressed.
Just a perfect addition to Cambie Street!
Went to have dinner last week with my daughter. This was my third visit, I must say that the food was much better then my other two visits. I am a big fan of La Buca, the simple style but with a creative edge.Pied-a-Terre almost seems too simple, classic bistro food but no wow factor. The Steak Tartare was great but the classic Endive salad had chunks of very firm Blue cheese vs. Roquefort as the menu had stated. The Foie Gras parfait was very good.The baked Mussels were flavourful but oily.The server was very attentive and friendly even after we came in later in the evening and only wanted to shares four starters. The room is small but very comfortable with a nice buzz when busy.
If you haven't tried this lovely little French bistro yet then you should do so as fast as you can! Their set menu (3 courses + wine for $42) is quite possibly the best value in town. The steak tartare is out of this world, the servers are incredibly friendly and when you walk in, you feel as if you've stepped out of Vancouver, and right into the heart of Paris.
My husband and I will be going back for sure!
Thought we'd impress some overseas guests and booked a table for 6 - we got wedged in at 8:30pm; and luckily at that. With a group that big, they do "family-style" cooking - no menu, they serve you whatever the kitchen is making that night, and boy oh boy was it worth every penny. We counted 17 different items hitting our table, and special requests (1 non-meat eater and the but-if-we-don't-have-foie-gras-we'll-just-die contingent) were dealt with aplomb. We couldn't have asked for a better meal; and we're still raving about it a week later...Utterly superb!
My brothers and I decided treated my dad and his girlfriend to a nice Father's Day dinner. We were a party of 5. Upon entering the restaurant, the ambiance was quite intimate and streamlined. We were greeted cordially, and were seated promptly.
The server that helped us had a cheerful and pleasant disposition and was quite patient with us as I had to translate for my father. They took care to make sure our wine and water glasses were filled, and that we had plenty of bread (presented on bill spikes). However, one of the loaves had a long piece of auburn/brown hair baked right into it.
We ordered-
Hors D'ouvers:
1 onion soup
2 foie gras parfaits
1 steamed mussels
1 terrine
1 frog legs
Entrees:
2 lambs, medium rare
1 organic sirloin avec pommes frites with onion wine sauce, medium rare
1 prime rib eye avec pommes frites with blue cheese & mustard sauce, medium rare
1 rabbit
Dessert:
Lemon and berries
The onion soup and mussels were properly executed. The foie gras parfait was over-whipped, and lacked depth of flavour. The terrine had nice colouration and texture, but the flavour was also quite one-dimensional and seemed under-seasoned. The frog legs were over battered and over sauced, thus almost completely overpowering the delicate sweet temperament characteristic of the flesh. It tasted more of batter rather than meat.
The lambs and accompaniments were cooked properly and well-seasoned. The rabbit was braised a little too long, resulting in toughness and loss of flavour of the meat. It actually tasted like really gamey chicken. The sirloin was cooked properly, the sauce was rich but slightly over-salted. The rib eye was a very thin cut, and was cooked to medium instead of medium rare. The blue cheese and mustard sauce accompaniment was WAY too salty. The pommes frites that came with both beef dishes was over-fried and rested too long (resulting in cold, hard fries), and seemed like it was from the bottom of the container, as there were many end pieces.
The lemon custard was way too sweet, but the tartness of the blueberries cut the sweetness.
We also ordered a half bottle of red and a glass of white. The total bill came to around $245 after tax. Throughout our 2-hour dining experience, the smoke from the kitchen wafted into the front of house at least 3 times, causing sub-par visibility and air quality. When the server took away our entrée plates, she did not inquire about the quality of the half-eaten rib eye.
I had heard many good reviews about the restaurant, but my opinion is that they do not live up to their reputation. No one in our party would opt to go back to that establishment.
This is my fourth time at Pied-à-Terre over two years, and each time it gets better and better. We were quickly greeted in a friendly manner, and this set the tone for a wonderful meal. I started with the lamb tart special which smelled and tasted delicious. This was followed by the rabbit which was rolled and wrapped in ham. Very tasty and and a hearty serving to boot. My dining companion started with the onion tart followed by the duck breast. The duck was accompanied by a very tasty melange of vegetables. Service was quick and friendly. My only regret is I had no room left for dessert. Can't wait for next time!
This was our first time at this bistro. My wife and I have been searching for that "special" bistro since our favorite restaurant on Thurlow closed down. As a professionally trained chef (x chef), all I can say is "WOW!" The food was awesome with that classic french country flair which we love so. For an appetizer, we shared a piece of "tarte onion Alsacienne" which was yummy. We did get the recipe from our waiter, and will try it at home.
For the main, I had the best duck confit ever - accompanied with a duck stock reduction/balsamic cream sauce on a bed of plump home baked beans, and a half grilled peach, which I thought was quite unique. The sauce was so flavorful, and matched the duck perfectly. My wife had the chicken gallantine with red wine reduction, which she also loved. Again - full of flavour.
For the dessert we shared a very custardy "like creme brulee" with plums on the bottom and home made praline on top - again - so rich and delicious.
We also had a couple of glasses of red wine with our meal. The selection isn't huge, but it is well thought out (thank heavens they don't serve Yellow Tail). As a french wine lover, it was pleasant to see a good selection of french wines at decent prices. The Chateau Haut Vigneau (Bordeaux) was perfect with our mains. Although the wine was served too warm, they did chill it for us when requested. Why is it that restaurants serve red wine too warm and not at "cellar" temperature (17-18C, 60-65F) like they should? The wine prices were reasonable compared to other restaurants, where they way overcharge for wines!!
The service was excellent also. Our only complaint was that our server would sneak out for a smoke now and then, and come to our table smelling like a chimney - PU - not a good thing when you are eating. Work on that one guys.
We left with full tummies, and, all in all, we will definitely go back there again soon, and would recommend it at the drop of a hat.
Well done Pied-a-Terre!!
This place has only 30 seats but they probably serve as many meals as larger restaurants. We reserved for 5pm and were asked if we could finish within 2 hours because other guests were reserved for 7pm. Seemed fair to me. A number of walk-up customers without reservations were turned away.
The room is plainly decorated but elegant in its simplicity. The wine list includes many excellent French wines but should provide more choices by the glass. That would enable guests to satisfy their personal tastes more easily and even switch wines with the courses. Our meals included roast chicken, veal cutlet and classic beef bourguignon, short ribs and lardons slow cooked in red wine and stock. This was almost as good as the ones I make at home. The secret is low heat, tenderizing meat without creating stringy texture. The PaT version creates a very intense sauce. Desserts included a wonderfully simple lemon napoleon, layers of lemon cream between sheets of puff pastry complemented with a sweet fruit sauce. The meals were executed precisely but with a cordial style. If this restaurant was in our neighborhood, we would be regulars.
This place appears to have hit a home run and has been packed since the day it opened. Their success is deserved. It offers a lovely, fairly quiet bistro atmosphere, with a good, simple French-inspired menu. It's the kind of place that's nice enough for a special occasion dinner, but casual and inexpensive enough to treat yourself to on a regular evening out. We had green salads, steak frites, crispy chicken (that night's special), chocolate mousse and a lemon tart brulee -- all were excellent and delicious. Including a half litre of wine, which was $25, the meal came out to about $100, pretty reasonable for the quality of food and ambience. It's a tiny restaurant so reservations are recommended or you may be in for a very long wait. It's also not the place to go if you want to have a long, social dinner where you linger -- they remind you that it's a two-hour turnover for tables, and you will be asked to leave if you exceed the time by too much. But we found two hours was plenty for a relaxing dinner that included appetizers and dessert. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place, and look forward to going back soon.
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