Jules Bistro is a French bistro hidden in the heart of Gastown. I’ve passed by so many times that I am shocked I’ve never noticed the place. They have been around since 2007 when Chef Emmanuel Joinville moved to Canada.
On the menu, you’ll notice a mix of classic French flavours with a West Coast twist. They do have classic French dishes and then you’ll notice a good amount of seafood dishes on the menu too using fresh and local ingredients where possible.
We were invited to check out Jules Bistro. The hubby and I decided to make it a date night away from Baby E.
Interior
The space is a good size and they also have a patio outdoors in the front open on nice warm sunny days.
Good for groups too but make sure to reserve ahead of time.
The ambiance is quite nice and during dinner time, I love that they is live piano music that sets the mood.
Menu
Kir Royal
I started with the Kir Royal, which is a classic French cocktail. This has sparkling wine and Creme de Cassis. It is served in a flute and is about 3oz. It was good and I enjoyed it a lot.
Pinot Noir
My husband is into his pinot noir. There is actually a large variety of wine on the menu and can be confusing to navigate. You can ask the staff to help pick the perfect wine for the evening.
Bread and Butter
The bread and butter arrives before the dishes start arriving. It’s pretty decent bread and since we only had a piece each, they suggested we pack it to go as it makes great French Toast for the next morning.
Homemade country style pate
Pate is essentially liver and not for everyone. I like pate but my husband hasn’t taken to liking any pate I’ve made him try. The pate is smooth and full of flavour. It pairs well with the pickled and toasted bread. There’s quite a bit of pate in the dish, so you’ll probably want more bread to spread the pate on.
French Onion Soup
French onion soup is another French classic made of beef broth, onions, and topped with gratinée. It comes out super hot, so make sure it cools down a bit before you dig in. It has a depth of flavour and my husband really enjoyed it.
Dill Marinated Salmon Carpaccio
I decided to go more West Coast with my appetizer and I just can’t resist a good salmon carpaccio. There is lots of fresh dill, red onions, salty capers, and the base of house smoked salmon. I really enjoyed it too.
Ribeye steak
My husband can’t resist a good steak when he sees it on the menu. It is 12oz and he asked it to be cooked medium rare. He also chose to have scalloped potatoes on the side as it was highly recommended.
The steak was cooked perfectly and had so much flavour.
Roasted Rack of Lamb
I was debating if I should go with another more West Coast inspired menu item, but I couldn’t say no to the lamb. It is served with sautéed potatoes and corn. It also has a rosemary jus which was very nice and fragrant.
The lamb was perfectly cooked at medium rare and hit the spot. I wasn’t a fan of the sauteed potatoes and corn. I should have swapped it out for something else or gotten another side.
Melting Chocolate Cake
This is served in this ceramic container with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream on top. It wasn’t what I expected it to be like as we couldn’t see the chocolate batter inside ooze out. It was mostly contained in the container, more like a soup. It did have a nice dark chocolate flavour which was enjoyable.
Latte
I ended off the dessert with a decaffeinated latte. Something about a nice warm latte really readies me for the night. I ate a lot and now it’s time to go home and end the night.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we did enjoy our date night at Jules Bistro. The classic French dishes were great and done very well. I absolutely adore the live piano music to really set the mood during dinner time. The staff are super friendly and very knowledgable about the menu.
If you’re looking for French cuisine that isn’t pretentious, check out Jules Bistro.
Address:
216 Abbott St, Vancouver, BC
Website:
https://www.julesbistro.ca
