Location: Les Faux Bourgeois 
663 East 15th Ave, Vancouver BC
Phone: 604.873.9733
Website
Author: My Husband
I have often lamented to Christina, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we can get reasonably priced prix-fixe meals at French restaurants in Vancouver?” Walking around the streets of Paris, it is easy to spot eateries offering three-courses starting from as little as 25€, but it has been well nigh impossible to find such deals (in CAD) in Vancouver. This is, of course, quite curious because the cost of doing business in Paris is certainly no less than that in Vancouver. Though I do not have visibility into the costs/revenue breakdown of the local restaurant business, I nevertheless hope the day will come when local restaurateurs are able to offer values as compelling as those offered by their Parisian counterparts.
Recently, there has been a trend for restaurant owners to open their new places in Vancouver’s east side. With lower overall operating costs, increasing gentrification, and an underserved market, it makes perfect sense for the likes of Crave, Splitz Grill, and Les Faux Bourgeois to locate there. We first learnt about Les Faux Bourgeois some time ago; the sheer volume of accolades it has received convinced us that we should move it to the top of our dine out LIST. We finally went on a cold rainy Friday evening, right after I stepped off a flight from snow-ravaged Calgary and was wanting of some comfort food.
Les Faux Bourgeois is located in yellow shophouse on the west side of Fraser Street. From the outside, aside from the color, it looked pretty non-descript. We walked into an already hopping restaurant and were shown to a nicely sized two-top in the middle of the room. The space isn’t large, but we weren’t squeezed up against other patrons. The atmosphere is pretty casual and the din of conversation meant there is always a lively buzz in the air; we thought the place was as suitable for bringing a date as it was for having dinner with some good friends. There dining room was taken care of by several personable francophone waitstaff, and we received some very friendly and prompt service.
I ordered escargots to start, while Christina chose the onion soup.
Surprisingly, the escargots were gritty, a little chewy, and quite tasteless. It was a bit of a disappointment, but it was the only letdown that evening.
The onion soup was some of the best we’d tasted. Rich and hearty, it was the perfect prescription for the cold weather outside.
I followed up with a duck confit that was tres fantastique. The duck leg was served on a bed of frisee and accompanied by long beans and potatoes. The tender, flaky duck went really well with the reduced sauce that was made with balsamico and liver. Very rich and nicely done.
Christina had a flavorful grilled filet mignon that was served with blanched veggies and potato gratin. The meat was cooked to perfection and very tender. The pototo gratin was very tasty – almost as good as the version served as La Regalade.
And at a bistro, how could we not order the frites? The serving size was extremely generous and the fries tasted great. True to its French focus, the restaurant served these with mayo rather than ketchup.
The wine selection at LFB wasn’t very extensive, but they were priced very well. Markup was approximately 100% over retail, which for a Vancouver restaurant is pretty reasonable. We didn’t order any wine, but I did get a mojito; the LFB bartender wasn’t shy with the mint or rum, and the drink turned out exactly the way I like.
Except for the snails, we couldn’t find much fault with the food. Service was friendly and prompt. The value was also pretty compelling – for two courses each plus a side of fries, the bill averaged out to ~$27 per person before tax and tips. Andreas, one half of the duo who runs LFB, used to work for Gord Martin (of Bin 941/942 fame) and it is pretty apparent he has managed to bring a bit of Gord’s magic touch to his new place. For those of our Vancouver readers who like bistro fare, make a beeline for this place. You won’t regret it.
