Le Pierre Bistrot Cardiff Review

As you may know, I LOVE food- It kinda figures if I write a food blog?! I can honestly say I spend most of the day planning what I’m going to eat. So imagine my delight at being offered a review of Le Bistrot Pierre, Cardiff? It couldn’t have come at a better time either, my parents had recently eaten there and highly recommended it, plus we had a concert in Cardiff coming up so would be there overnight. This is my honest review of Le Pierre Bistrot:

Location:

First impressions were great; it couldn’t be in a better location. It’s in the brewery quarter near St Marys street, so whether you’re going for drinks with friends, shopping, or going to a concert in the Millennium Stadium or Motorpoint Arena you are just a 5-10 minute walk away. It’s also really close to the train station. The fact it’s in the Brewery Quarter means there are some great bars nearby and it’s just off the main street so not too hectic.

Address & Telephone no:

The Old Brewery Quarter,
Caroline Street,
Cardiff, CF10 1FG.
029 2034 5990

Atmosphere:

The décor is FABULOUS. We loved it – in fact we secretly snuck to the toilets to take photos as inspiration for our house renovation. The parquet floors, old fashioned toilets, classic French posters, huge wine racks and mixture of wood and stainless steel tables gave it a French, classic/industrial sort of look, which I loved. It is a chain restaurant, but it didn't feel like it. I guess in a way it's the best of both in that regard; it has the competitive offers and deals which you associate with chains, but no portion controlled, microwaved food served!

I particularly like the personal details on the website. It gives a bit of background about the General Manager Daiane De Souzer, and Head Chef Ben Morse. This makes it feel more personal, and also helps you appreciate the experience of the staff.

Food:

Appetisers:

We had the mini chorizos roasted in honey [Mini chorizos au miel £3.50] and French bread as an appetiser. I’m not used to eating large chunks of chorizo, so was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted – I mean really good! The oils from the chorizo were so tasty we were scraping the bowl with our pieces of French bread.  I also managed to dribble it all down the front of my lovely white top – the sign of good food yes?! (Don’t worry it washed out).

Starters:

I had the mushrooms on brioche [Brioche et champignons £5.95] (I’m addicted to garlic mushrooms, so you can guarantee I’ll usually order this when out). This was really good. I loved the brioche – it was crispy on the outside but slightly sweet and soft in the middle. The creamy mushrooms were just right – not sickly or greasy. I (of course) opted for the added lardons, which added a lovely crunchy smokiness.

He opted for the pan-fried Toulouse sausage with soft poached egg [Saucisse de Toulouse £5.95]. This was delicious. The poached egg was cooked to perfection. The sausage was a big hit, and the fact it was sliced added more texture. To be honest I could have easily eaten both our starters!

Main:

I HAD to try the beef bourguignon  [Bœuf bourguignon maison £13.95] . This was rich and for the most part tender. There was lots of it too - three large slices of beef. Again the lardons added a smoky saltiness to it, which I enjoyed. I loved the accompaniments of Dauphinoise potatoes and vegetables – the presentation was cute in a little pan.

He had the Sea bass [Filet de loup de mer £14.95] . This was good, a little heavy on the garlic (which suits me), but well cooked.

Dessert:

This was our favourite course… so good.

I had the mini selection of desserts [Café gourmand £6.95] . My favourite of which was the honey pudding, which if I'm honest I thought tasted similar to tarte tartin - either way it was delicious and I could have happily eaten a (very) large portion. The lemon tart was my second favourite with the raspberry coulis, this was sharp and sweet- perfect. The raspberry sorbet and warm chocolate fondant were also good. Finally the shot of espresso was just what I needed to stop me falling into a food coma.

He had the tia maria crème brulee (Flavour of the day) [Crème brûlée £5.25], and (get the fanfare out) this was the nicest crème brulee he’s ever tasted. We could have eaten it by the bucket load! The crunchy sugar was just the right thickness, and not burnt (as it so often is). The cream underneath was smooth with just a hint of tia maria.

Wine:

We asked for the recommended red wine and had les Fleurs de Sud Cabernet Sauvingon [£16.95]. This was smooth and easy to drink with our meals. We don’t usually order wine (as one of us always drives) so when we do drink it, it can sometimes be tart. However this wine was lovely and mellow.

Service:

As we were doing a review, I paid attention to how people around us were enjoying their meals, rather than simply scoffing my way through the delicious food. I’m pleased to report that the service is very good, not just to us but everyone else dining. At the next table the couple were getting plenty of advice on what to order and the best wines to go with each. Overall the service was efficient and friendly. We felt laid back and that we could ask anything. Our waitress was lovely!

Value for money:

I would say the value for money is good. The food is good quality and cooked by trained chefs, which is frustratingly hard to find on the 'highstreet' nowadays. Pricing is competitive for the quality of the food. It's marketed exactly right in my opinion - a quality Bistrot, not as elegant or stuffy as 'fine dining' (there's no 'dress code' and you could pop in with jeans on for a much needed lunch break from shopping) the portions are also generous - which I like! But it's also a far cry above some of the other chains serving microwaved, portion controlled food with a price tag to match. There's plenty of offers/set price menus available too, which only adds to it's appeal.

Would we go back?

Absolutely - yes. Service, location and quality of food was just right. The variety of menus and deals available means it’s great whether you want to go for lunch or an evening meal.

Now I have some REALLY good news! You can be in with a chance of winning lunch for two and a glass of St Jean wine, simply by entering the competition below.

Competition

There are 2 ways to enter:

1) RT the competition tweet and follow @LeBistrotPierre

#WIN lunch for two @PierreCardiff RT & follow @LeBistrotPierre to enter. More details & a review here: http://t.co/Av08DWOWN8

— Lovely Appetite (@LovelyAppetite) March 19, 2014

2) Share the competition post on facebook and like Le Bistrot Pierre Facebook page

Terms:

• Prize consists of lunch for two at Pierre Bistrot Cardiff, with a glass of St. Jean wine each.
• Winner will be contacted by Pierre bistrot to arrange date and time of the lunch.
• One winner will be chosen at random.
• Winner will be contacted via twitter/facebook dependant on how they entered.
• Last entries at 7pm Tuesday 8th April