Alouette Bistro transports guests from downtown Vancouver directly to the Mediterranean with their French-inspired menu that also showcases the beauty and bounty of British Columbian produce. Executive Chef Albert Tran shares enduring French bistro favourites like Escargot, Foie Gras Torchon, Ratatouille, and Bouillabaisse.
French Flavour, With Mediterranean Warmth
Nestled just off the luxurious lobby of the Executive Hotel Le Soleil on Hornby Street, Alouette is a celebration of 18th century Parisian decadence with a touch of Moroccan exoticism. The dining room has a soaring ceiling and a cozy second floor of dining space that offers a view down onto the rest of the spacious dining room. At the bar, Casablanca plays on a loop on two televisions, offering a captivating distraction to anyone who might want to grab a drink at the bar.
The dining room is romantic and each table offers privacy. Each has a small but mighty light that casts enough to see the beautiful food, while affording enough shadow for intimacy. The side plates are decorated with intricate floral patterns and even include the odd butterfly or bird, which is especially appropriate given the restaurant’s name. Alouette is a reference to the French-Canadian children’s song about an alouette or lark.
Comfort Classics
Alouette’s open kitchen allows a sneak peek at all the culinary action. As it is a hotel restaurant, they have to provide food options for guests from morning til night, so the kitchen is busy all day long producing French classics. For Chef Tran, his mother’s comfort food was one of his first culinary inspirations so applying his skills to French comfort food classics feels natural.
Alouette’s menu features enduring French favourites like steak frites, escargot, and, of course, tartare. At Alouette, the tartare is a moment of dining drama. Made table side, Alouette’s tartare is one of the best I’ve had in recent memory. Tartare is tricky. It typically contains very few ingredients besides the raw beef, which must be perfectly chopped. Therefore, seasoning can require a delicate balance. At Alouette, there is just the right amount of diced cornichon, shallot, and dijonnaise to season the beef without overpowering it. It is a pleasure to see a tartare made with such restraint, before your very eyes. Then, once finished and served, you get to enjoy Nelson the Seagull sourdough bread.
Another classic French starter to sample is the escargot that comes absolutely smothered in garlic and butter. These are also best enjoyed with a side of bread.
Dramatic Dining, Decadent Indulgence
As dramatic as the table side tartare is, the real showstopper of my recent visit was the impressive Bouillabaisse. This overflowing bowl of seafood includes sablefish, crab, scallops, shrimp, mussels, and clams, all cooked perfectly. The seafood feast comes in a sauce you will want to slurp with fennel, celeriac, tomato, saffron, fresh herbs, and rouille. Be sure to mop up every last morsel with more sourdough. The Bouillabaisse is a seafood feast that is best suited for two or more people.
For a solo diner indulging in a night of French culinary delights, the 6oz Steak Frites is a more manageable and no less delicious option. The steak comes with a peppercorn jus as well as a béarnaise and fries, of course.
While I wouldn’t want to encourage anyone to skip dessert, Alouette does have a comically large bottle of Graham’s 20 Year Tawny Port on the bar, which makes for a wonderful digestif following an indulgent meal.
Feasting Day or Night, French-Style
As mentioned, since Alouette is a hotel restaurant, the team cooks all day long. They serve breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. So, if you’re craving a weekday Eggs Benedict, French Omelette, or Breakfast Cassoulet, Alouette has you covered every day of the week.
The Weekend Brunch menu is a little bigger and broader. There are Les Grand Plats to share, like the It’s Called Brunch platter. The Brunch platter comes loaded with croissants, baguette, jam, smoked salmon, seared tuna, poached eggs, and fresh fruit. Or, you can go all out at brunch with Côte de Boeuf et Oeufs. The ultimate in brunch decadence, this includes a 36oz bone-in, dry aged with roasted bone marrow and eggs. And if that’s not enough, you can also add shaved truffle and foie gras.
