Ho Yummy

I’m going to take a break from my trip blogging to review a few restaurants I’ve visited since I came back.  If I don’t blog about them soon, I’m going to forget what it was that I ate. 

Connie was leaving Vancouver and going back to Asia so Derek, John, Victoria, and I joined her for dinner one evening.  Both Victoria and I had been wanting to try Pied a Terre for the longest time and we were finally presented with the opportunity!  Pied a Terre is a small French bistro on Cambie St and is actually owned by the same people as Parkside and La Buca.

We all decided to start by sharing a couple of appetizers.  First came the steamed mussels.  They were steamed in some white wine and shallots.  I usually enjoy steamed mussels as much as the next person but these mussels had a fishy taste.  Perhaps it was because mussels are not in season?  I’m not really sure when mussel season is actually though. 

Despite the fishy taste of the mussels, the broth was very tasty and we enjoyed dipping our bread in it.  Yum. 

We also shared some fries, which came with ketchup and mayo for dipping.  I prefer mayo myself, but find that people either love mayo or hate it with their fries.  :)  There was nothing too spectacular about the fries though…they were just…fries.

For my main course, I had the beef shortrib bourguignon.  It was a stewy dish and came with pork belly chunks, peas, and mashed potatoes. The dish may have looked small but due to the yummy shortribs and potatoes, it was extremely filling.  The rich beef and sauce went great with the potatoes.  Even though it was a rich and filling dish, I didn’t feel too heavy or stuffed afterwards.

Connie had the halibut cheeks, which she noted was also very filling.  I was later told that the halibut cheeks are made differently every so often.

I was full enough after my main course that I could have just gone home.  But of course, I had to try dessert.  :)  I wasn’t feeling too adventurous that day so I just stuck with the chocolate mousse.  It was very chocolaty but tasted light at the same time.  Sometimes, after a few bites of chocolate mousse, you’ve had enough.  However, I probably could have eaten a second or third serving of this chocolate mousse.  :)  It also came with a shortbread cookie on the side.

Connie was the only other person who had dessert and she chose the creme caramel.  It had a nice firmness to it and you could really taste the egg in the custard.  I also liked how the caramel sauce was not overwelmingly sweet.

Pied a Terre definitely met my expectations.  Even though we went on a Monday night, it was already packed at 6PM!  The service was prompt and friendly and I was really impressed by the food.  The prices were also quite reasonable.  I’ll definitely be coming back for a repeat visit.

Details:
3369 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604-873-3131
Summary:
Food:
Service:
Price: $$