Bistrot Pierre, 835 Ecclesall Road
ZUT Alors! Sheffield has done French with varying degrees of success over the years.
How many remember Parkes – La Bonne Bouche, much loved by the local Labour Party, with a proprietor who dressed in a striped jersey and whose set piece was to open the front door, sigh and say "It's not the Cotes d'Azur out there, is it?" No, it was Penistone Road.
Then there was the Four Lanes Bistro, opposite Hillsborough, and, further down the years the Charnwood Hotel opened Brasserie Leo which captured the spirit of the French brasserie particularly well.
More recently there's Artisan, which does a great cassoulet, while if you want it plus simple from a Frenchman there's the delightful little Cafe Ceres on Sharrow Vale Road.
Now Bistrot Pierre has opened on Ecclesall Road in a new complex in front of Somerfields supermarket.
It's the latest in a small Midlands-based chain of six which is obviously confident that our taste for moules frites and boeuf Bourguignon will weather the recession.
From the road (there's another entrance on the supermarket car park) you enter through automatic doors – which slide back as soon as you look at them – and there's a lifesized plastic model of a black horse in the window.
Luckily cheval is not on the menu, nor frogs legs, because Bistrot Pierre has a pretty standard 'tourist menu.'
First we have to find the action.
You enter into a bar, with an authentic looking zinc counter, which is quiet, and ask for directions. It's through the door marked with male and female toilet signs.
Upstairs it's lively, atmospheric and almost full – not bad for a 120-seater eaterie on a Wednesday night in credit crunch Sheffield.
Some felt the chain had been sold a pup with this site, which is above the so-called Magic Mile of Ecclesall Road, south of Hunters Bar roundabout, but that's evidently not the case.
The obliging Maitre D finds us a table but I have to walk the long way round because there's some bloke kneeling in the aisle talking to a group of diners and I don't want to trip over his legs.
Luckily I don't say anything – he's one of the directors.
I like the look of the place. They've got it right with the leather banquettes, brass rails, Lloyd Loom chairs, friendly black T-shirted staff and convivial atmosphere, although the tables are quite close together.
There are different menu combinations but we tackle three courses from the carte, washed down by a half carafe (8.25) of Languedoc white.
We start with olives (2) and it would have been nicer if the complimentary part-baked French bread had arrived with it instead of long after so we could have done the bread and oil thing but at least our waitress kept us posted on how it was doing in the oven.
Chicken liver parfait (4.75) was pleasant although a kick of alcohol would have helped and the plum chutney tasted jammy.
My wife liked her pot of grilled St Marcelin cheese with a decent onion marmalade.
Mains were variable. My favourite dish in all the world is confit of duck and Bistrot Pierre's version (10.95) is very much Ligue 2, OK but needs a bit more oomph for a promotion attempt. The flesh was tender but not that tasty.
My wife's sea bream (11.75) impressed more, firm, well-flavoured roasted fish which was considerably helped along by a boisterous chorizo, lemon and tomato sauce.
Side vegetables are so-so. I'd have welcomed a little more garlic in the gratin dauphinoise, more spice in the red cabbage and an early bath for the soggy steamed broccoli.
There was plenty else to chose from, Bourguignon, lamb steak, pork chop with mustard, steaks and a couple of dishes for veggies.
We quite liked desserts, a tarte au citron with a very lively filling if slightly spongy pastry and a very creditable chocolate fondant.
Bistrot Pierre is to be recommended as a place to go for a very jolly atmosphere if you don't want to be too serious about your food. It isn't.
And there's always the chance of a little unexpected theatre. Monsieur Le Directeur has befriended the couple next to us, opened a bottle of red he wants them to try and bumped madame's derriere along the banquette. She raises her eyebrows to us in supplication.
Bistrot Pierre comes with added ooh-la-la.
With coffees we paid 55.05.
Review:
835 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, S11 8TH. Tel: 0114 267 8687. Open for breakfast 8.30-11.am (Sun 9-12); lunch 12-3pm (Sat 12-4, Sun 12.30-4pm); dinner 5.30-10.30pm (Fri-Sat 5.30-11pm, Sun 6-10pm). Bar from 4pm (noon until late weekends). Music. Credit cards. Disabled lift and toilets. Ample parking.
My star ratings (out of five):
Food HHH
Atmosphere HHHH
Service HHH
Value HHHH
Bistro category. Do not compare ratings between places of different style or price.
What do you think? Add your comment below.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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