I’d heard good things about , from friends who’d dined there, and I loved the location on the canal, by Gas Street Basin in Birmingham. So I was delighted when I got invited along to try out their French influenced cuisine. Bistrot Pierre has a number of locations around the country, but the Birmingham restaurant is a joy with its Grade II listed building, with dining spread over two floors, plus a bar and heated roof terrace. It’s easy to get to as you can access the restaurant from Gas Street, just off Broad Street, or via the canal by strolling over from the Mailbox.
We were shown to a table with a fabulous view of the canal, in a gorgeous room with full height glazing. There were quite a few people dining and it was nice to see a real mix of people from families and couples to people dining alone. There were plenty of people-watching opportunities to enjoy as there was a steady flow of people enjoying a summer evening on the canal. We decided to pick from the Menu Pierre which is a good value 2 or 3 course menu, with a good handful of choices for each course. I picked the Calamari and my companion chose the Soup du Jour which was French Onion.
We got off to a good start. The Calamari were tasty and were cooked well – I think it’s a good test of a restaurant as it’s easy to over cook and then it’s too tough to be pleasant. These were just right and I really enjoyed them. I suck a taste of the soup and the French Onion Soup was just as you want it too with a wonderful caramelised onion flavour.
For my main I choose Steak Frites which consists of a prime, pasture-fed British bavette cut minute steak. It’s pan-seared, served pink, with dressed leaves, pommes frites and peppercorn sauce. The steak was thinly cut and tender. The frites provided the perfect crispy contrast. The sauce was flavoursome and added that hint of spice.
The Chicken Diane was a good choice. The tender chicken came in a flavour-packed, creamy Diane sauce. The dauphinoise potatoes melted in the mouth and the green beans added a needed bit of crunch.
I couldn’t resist picking out the Crème Brûlée for my dessert. It’s a real favourite of mine and it’s certainly something I’m looking to see on a French menu as it’s such a classic. As you’d hope this had the crisp topping with the unctuous vanilla cream underneath.
My companion picked out the vanilla Panna Cotta with a mixed berry compôte for dessert. The Panna Cotta had a silky, creamy texture and sweet taste. The berry compote provided a nice touch of acidity to cut through that and the pairing worked well.
We really enjoyed our meal and will certainly be going back there again soon. It’s a place that I know we have both recommended to others already. I can see Bistrot Pierre being a firm favourite haunt.
Disclosure: I was provided with a meal for the purposes of carrying out this review. My opinions are my own.
