’Twas a dark and stormy night – in fact, it was the beginning of an atmospheric river – when I made the trip over to West Vancouver to check out Mèreon. The name is a reference to all ‘mères’ or mothers, but specifically the mères of Lyon: mothers of French cuisine like Mère Brazier. Owner Ophelia Arida was inspired by these female forces as well as the time she spent in France. One of the most exciting things about Mèreon is that it offers life after death for a Vancouver institution. Arida brought on Emmanuel Joinville to do menu development. Joinville was previously at the helm of Jules Bistro which served fantastic French cuisine in Gastown for sixteen years. I couldn’t be happier to be able to stop into Mèreon for some classic Jules staples like the Foie Gras Terrine with brioche toast that is essentially unchanged.
A Trip to France Via Ambleside
The dining room is bright and airy, even on a dark and dreary evening. It feels warm with rustic design touches more reminiscent of the South of France than Paris. Brunch at Mèreon already has a lot of buzz. They serve classics like a daily feature quiche, Eggs Cocotte, and Croque Monsieurs and Madames. With the change of seasons, they introduced a new Bonne Heure (Happy Hour) and Dinner menu.
The Bonne Heure menu includes drink specials like the iconic French 75, which Mèreon makes with Driftwood Gin, Cointreau, lemon, simple syrup, and Saint Louis Blanc de Blanc. Available from 3 pm to 5 pm, Mèreon’s Happy Hour menu also includes snacks and small-plate features like Crevettes a la Parisienne, a Charcuterie Platter, Truffle Fries, and Moules Frites du Jour.
Mèreon Is Faithfully French
The dinner menu starts with a selection of appetizers like the rich and satisfying Foie Gras Terrine already mentioned. The pickled enoki mushrooms that come on the side add an appreciated burst of acid to this dish. Another indulgent appetizer is the Seafood Stack, which comes loaded with ahi tuna, clams, prawns, scallops, avocado, and pickled compressed watermelon, among others.
Now, French Onion Soup is one of all time favourite dishes. I have eaten it all over France. I specifically remember sitting under a cafe awning, at an outdoor table in Montmartre, eating a bowl, as it rained. French Onion Soup can be a literal pain to make because it requires the slicing of so many onions, which inevitably leads to me sobbing over my cutting board. Therefore, I always order it.
While it may seem a simple enough soup, every component plays a key role: the bread needs to be thickly sliced so it does not fall apart once saturated; the onions need to be cooked slowly and gently so that their natural sweetness is drawn out; there needs to be enough cheese for a golden crust and for that dramatic cheese pull, but not so much that the flavour of the soup is lost. Mèreon is serving up one of the best bowls of French Onion Soup in Greater Vancouver. It contrasts beautifully with the cold Foie Gras Terrine.
Mèreon’s Coastal Context
Mèreon embraces tradition, serving some French classics as entrees, including Steak au Poivre, Canard A L’orange, and the impressive Pistachio Crusted Rack Of Lamb with truffle mash. The dinner menu also includes nods to Mèreon’s West Coast home. Mussels, a West Coast Risotto, and the House Smoked Sablefish all celebrate our local seafood. The Sablefish, which I sampled alongside the Beef Bourguignon, is smoked with restraint. It flakes apart while still being moist. The addition of basil oil adds a herbal hint of spring appreciated on a winter’s evening.
The Sablefish is a lighter, more elegant dish compared to the Beef Bourguignon which is the pinnacle of rich French comfort food. The slow, red wine braising of the beef makes it wonderfully tender. Mèreon serves theirs on a bed of the most decadent buttered potato purée. It soaks up every last drop of flavour. After enjoying this dish, I was warm and ready to venture back out into the rain. But along with the new dinner menu, came some dessert features that are not to be missed like the passion fruit Crème Brûlée. Those who prefer to end on a savoury note can opt for the Plateau De Fromage instead.
To ring in the new year with French feasting, Mèreon is offering an exclusive five-course dinner with live music on January 31st. Otherwise, Mèreon is open Wednesday to Sunday and serves Brunch every day, as well as on the weekend. Bonne Heuer starts at 3pm.
