Best Casual French

Pied-à-Terre

3369 Cambie St.
604-873-3131
Pied-a-terre-bistro.ca

As with the formal category, so here: RIP db Bistro (Silver). The room was meant to underwrite its glamorous but costly Relais & Châteaux sibling next door, but db’s supercharged takes on classic bistro fare (escargots, oysters fricassee) never did the business. What the judges—and Vancouver diners—did show love for this year was Pied-à-Terre (Gold). With laser focus, Andrey Durbach’s bijoux room delivers all the expected dishes, like steamed mussels Basquaise and crisp roast chicken with lemon and rosemary jus. In fact, the judges’ only cavil was scale: when will Durbach wrest his room from its cramped Parisian roots and blow it into a space large enough that we can tarry over dessert?

 

 

 

Finalists for Best Casual French

db Bistro Moderne
2551 W. Broadway (closed)
604-739-7115
Dbbistro.ca

Bistro Pastis
2153 W. Fourth Ave.
604-731-5020
Bistropastis.com

Bistrot Bistro
1961 W. Fourth Ave.
604-732-0004
Bistrotbistro.com

La Régalade
103-2232 Marine Dr.
West Van, 604-921-2228
Laregalade.com

 
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