Tucked away in downtown Vancouver is Alouette Bistro, an everyday French bistro that delivers you 18th century-inspired vibes but won't break your bank. This is one of the approachable French restaurants you can add to your destination list in Vancouver. It looks unassuming at first glance — a tight patio and tiny door into a hotel restaurant. But behind those doors lies a two-storey dining room that mixes the best of Paris with comfy North American classics. What Alouette lacks in brand power like the bigger French players, it more than makes up for with a menu that balances tradition and decadence.
Disclosure: This was a complimentary provided in exchange for a blog post.
Food and Drink: Short and Sweet
Rather than going all in on traditional French, Alouette Bistro offers an eclectic mix of French and North American favourites. The cuisine is undeniably French with mainstays like duck and puff pastry making appearances, but truly there is something for everyone in case you don't want to stuff your mouth full of snails or foie gras. Team Do came here for dinner and I had a great taste of the following:
- Escargot ($17)
- Le Burger ($26)
- Craquelin Profiterole ($16)
- Le Petit Hugo Spritz ($16)
- Mulberry Fizz ($15)
The escargot appetizer, though rooted in classic recipe, was elevated with a subtle twist of modernity. Not everyone knows how to use a pair of snail tongs to extract the meat from shells, so Alouette serves the snails de-shelled! The medley of shallots, garlic, herbs, butter, baguette, and bread crumbs make for an extremely meaty experience you pair together with the accompanying fresh bread.
The main reason I came to Alouette Bistro this evening was for le burger. Featuring a patty of hand-cut brisket, raclette cheese, dijonnaise, butter lettuce, caramelized onions, a brioche bun, and fries, this was quite a sight to behold.
The bun is the fluffiest I've had and it repuffed itself like a sponge as I squeezed and released the burger. The butter lettuce is a nice touch because it adds a needed earthiness to the flavour but doesn't take up as much space as iceberg lettuce which is crunchier and holds more water to dilute flavour.
The fries were full of crunch and served with a side of ketchup and mayo. I wish my stomach had more space for them but I ended up packing them up to go.
Seasoning-wise, I could have used a touch more salt but the hand-cut brisket patty was one to write home about. Positively mouth-filling, this patty had an excellent savouriness and great proportional size relative to the rest of the burger.
Drinks & Dessert: Ending on a High Note
I try not to consume alcohol these days so the "Non-Alcoholic" section of the menu was perfect for me. I had both the Le Petit Hugo Spritz and the Mulberry Fizz, both of which had an excellent presentation and carbonated taste. The two drinks were both blended very well with bright notes of sweet and sour – it really came down to what kinds of fruits you were feeling for in your drink for the evening.
The dessert tonight was a craquelin profiterole, which was the most elegant profiterole I've ever had in my life. Topped with a sesame cracker, this profiterole had a fun cookie crust that the server absolutely drenched with chocolate sauce and you could watch the chocolate bead itself off the sesame cracker onto the profiterole. I loved this presentation and the experience rivalled what you would get from many table-side experiences at fancier restaurants.
Vibes:
Alouette Bistro takes up residence inside the Hotel Le Soleil and the vibes are immaculately traditional meets classy because the interior is so cool. The tables are almost as tightly spaced as you'd imagine in Paris. The wines are presented proudly, and the giant windows in the front of the double-height entrance make the space feel extra elegant. And for soloists, the bar is playing old classic movies in case you want a drink but have an excuse to watch something that's not sports.
There is seating for about 80 guests in the main dining room. On this Sunday, it did not appear the 2nd floor was open so that might be something saved for special event bookings.
Final Thoughts:
One-liner: A taste of Paris in Vancouver that's full of French flavours while still providing something for everyone
Highlight: Le Burger
Price per person: $40-$70
Would I go back? Yes.