5/5 stars
100-283 Bannatyne (West of Main St.)
Pre-Visit
Happy 4TH anniversary!! Scott orchestrated the whole event with only one stipulation - I wanted to go to a restaurant that neither of us had been to before. After a considerable amount of time on Urban Spoon, he made a reservation. I asked around at school and one girl had been there and said it was good so we were looking forward to it.
When you walk into the building through the door on Bannatyne you can go left to the bar or right to the dining room. I liked the look of the bar - dark wood floors, furnature and bar with a unique back bar set-up - although we didn't go in. The restaurant layout was different from a lot of other restaurants I have been in. It was completely open with a high, industrial ceiling but the restaurant was not too loud (unlike Tony Roma's on Pembina). The colour palate was quite warm with the same floor as in the bar, dark brown circular booths, golden wheat yellow walls and white table cloths. What I found quite neat was that they had such a variety of table set-ups and they were mobile so many different types of groups could be accommodated there.
The most memorable part of the entrance into the restaurant was the gentleman who greeted us - the owner. He is a little quirky (who isn't), but seems to love what he does. He's very energetic and enthusiastic so don't be surprised if he's bouncing on the balls of his feet at the host stand when you walk in.
The Meal:
The menu is definitely French inspired but does not necessarily adhere to the three main ingredients of French cooking... butter, butter and butter.
Appetizers:
The Peasant Cookery has a wide selection of meats and cheeses to select from if you wish to order the charcuterie plate. We opted to not order off the menu, but instead we shared one of the featured appetizers - a rosemary cured beef sliced thin (like prosciutto) served atop slices of toasted focaccia bread and topped with crumbled blue cheese and cherry glaze. Although neither my partner nor I like rosemary, we gave it a try and were pleasantly surprised (by the lack of rosemary flavour - yay!). Scott had never had blue cheese before so he was startled by its potency and tartness with his first bite but when accompanied by the cherry glaze it was quite well balanced and tasty.
Entrees:
The variety of options provided an outlet for any palate to be satisfied. Signature French dishes available include Beef Bourguignon, Tourtiere, and Cassoulet (a duck dish). Despite these being dishes that are their specialty and coming highly recommended by people on Urban Spoon and others we talked to, we were drawn to the other items on the menu - the mixture of flavours in some of the food was just too compelling to pass up.
I had the Aged Cheddar Gnocchi and it was amazing! I had asked what the server would recommend and she described it as 'little pillows that melt in your mouth'. I couldn't think of a better way to describe them. Unlike some of the other gnocchi I have tried, these little potato dumplings were quite light. They were served with wilted spinach, roasted julienne red peppers and onions with an aioli sauce. Overall, a dish that I am attracted to but I was still blown away by the flavour. Delicious.
Scott ordered the half-chicken with a chicken gravy, served atop bright orange sweet potato, leeks, currants, and herbed spaetzle . The chicken was cooked perfectly and was quite moist. The flavour of this dish was not quite as potent as mine but the flavours of the dish intermingled quite nicely for a simple but tasty meal. Scott really enjoyed the dish.
One note that I must make about the dishes that we were served was that the food portions were reasonable. After eating the appetizer, I finished my meal and didn't feel that I was going to burst at the seams. We even had room for dessert!
Dessert:
The dessert menu had a wide variety of choices which made it a little harder to decide. Again, although Scott had read that the Creme Brule was fantastic, we deviated from the recommended. All because of me and my cravings we went with the Chocolate Pot of Cream. It was essentially a dense chocolate mousse, served in a small jar so you can get the lid and take it home (this would be necessary if you don't share because it is very rich). This dessert also comes with a wedge of almond biscotti that came out warm, ensuring that it was still a little soft (unlike some of the biscotti you can buy at the store that threatens to break your teeth).
Wine:
Scott and I shared a bottle of Don Ramon, a Spanish Grenache blend. It had a bold flavour, so it paired nicely with the foods we ordered (intentionally). After ordering, we decided that next time we would have to choose a good white wine so that we could order the Cod (which sounded delectable even to Scott; who is not a fish lover) and Cassoulet.
Overall
I would definitley recommend this restaurant to anyone. The portion sizes were completely reasonable, the menu is quite varied with flavours that would suit anyone's palate, and the prices are sensible. The only worry about this restaurant is that too many people will find out about it and you won't get a table... or a parking spot!
Mange bien.
