That’s right, affordable French fine dining comes to Middlesbrough! I had the pleasure of trying out Bistrot Pierre last week and let me tell you – it’s a must visit…
From someone who’s never really tried French cuisine before, you can imagine how excited I was to see the menu and actually be adventurous with my meal choices.
We arrived to a warm reception of fizz and I can honestly say from start to finish the staff we’re super friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable and the decor of the place as you can see is stunning.
You certainly get a luxurious feel when you walk in, you do feel like you’ve just stepped into a Paris Bistro.
I love the fact how affordable the menu is with starters from £3.50, mains from £13 and desserts from £5.50. They also do a great range of courses such as a three course lunch at £13.95!
So how was the food?
Well we sat down and the team placed the Assiette Méditerranéenne sharing board with a selection of warm bread. The appetizers included olives, houmous and mini chorizos glazed in honey – they we’re delicious!
Rather than a set menu, we got to pick anything we wanted for the three courses which was a nice gesture. I decided to try the Mushroom Ravioli for the starter. For someone who isn’t really a fan of mushrooms this was lovely. You got three large ravioli parcels with a garlic dressing.
I wanted to try something different for the main, I tend to opt for a Chicken dish when I’m out but decided to venture out of my comfort zone and pick the Médaillons De Porc. I’m so glad I did! The slowcooked pork medallions came with a honey mustard glaze accompanied with sausage, caramelised apples and dijon mustard. You also got a side serving of potatoes and vegetables.
I can honestly say this is one of the nicest meals I’ve had in a while for presentation and the beautiful blend of flavours – the caramelised apples we’re so nice with the pork! The serving size was also very generous – I struggled to eat it all.
As you can imagine I was quite full by this point, but no one can turn down dessert! This was the hardest decision of all, with so much to choose from, from Chocolate brownie so the french classic Crème Brûlée, I decided to go for the Tarte Au Citron. This caramelised lemon tarte with raspberry sorbet was so refreshing and just what I needed after two rich courses! The lemon tarte was very sharp with flavour but you could tell it was homemade.
The only downfall, we did wait a little while between each course but there was a big group of us in all honestly. I couldn’t have asked for a better restaurant experience; the food was exceptional, the hospitality was amazing and I will definitely be returning soon. The bistrot is open everyday from 9am to 10pm most nights with parking above only £1.50 after 6pm.
