First Taste of Alouette Restaurant

Specializing in French cuisine, this recently opened restaurant is serving up traditional French classics alongside wines, cocktails and more.

Chef Albert Tran leads the kitchen along with Culinary Director Mark Greenfeld, currently serving dinner Wednesday – Sunday, soon they will be serving lunch during the weekdays, happy hour and then brunch on the weekends.

The dining room is situated on two levels and the open kitchen can be seen on the main level where the bar is also situated. The elegant high ceilinged main dining room has been renovated to reflect dining in the south of France, with warm accents, florals, palm leaves, and the aforementioned skylarks as part of the decor.

I have tried several dishes here during a recent dinner which gave me a chance to experience this new French gem located in the heart of downtown.

The Asparagus with tomato and mushroom bearnaise along with the Gougeres (savoury goat cheese puffs) were two wonderful and tasty dishes to start.

The French Onion Soup was one of my favourite dishes with caramelized onions, beef broth and gruyere.

I enjoyed a couple of Zero-proof cocktails trying the tasty A Colada and the Pomegranate Piloma.

The Vol-au-Vent (mushrooms in puff pastry) was a wow, and another of my favourite dishes. I also loved the Coquille St Jacques with scallops, potato, green bean, watercress, kelp, tomato, scallop sauce; a beautiful French classic.

One of the highlights of the dinner was the Steak & Frites, a 6oz fillet of beef perfectly cooked, topped with Black Truffles shaved at the table by Chef Albert Tran, served with roasted garlic, shallots and a red wine peppercorn sauce and crispy frites!

I also tried the Duck Cassoulet as well as the Lamb Rack with lentil, olives, tomato, grapes, pine nuts, lamb jus.

We then enjoyed the Fromage du Jour with a selection of cheeses, mustarda and crackers.

Finished off with their Crêpes Suzette flambed at the table with peach, cocoa nibs, chantilly, brown butter ice cream; a delicious ending to an incredible dinner and another of my favourite dishes.

Alouette Restaurant is located at 567 Hornby Street in downtown Vancouver, and you can follow them on instagram @alouetteyvr

By: Richard Wolak

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