Pierre’s Bistro

2221 W 50th St
Minneapolis, MN
612-928-0582
http://www.pierresbistromn.com/

Category: French

Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 8
Service: 8
Ambience: 7

Recommendation: Very Good. Pierre’s captures the Bistro experience with authentic, unpretentious French fare in a casual neighborhood setting.

Having recently returned from Paris (one of our most memorable trips) we were excited to try Pierre’s. What comes to mind when we hear Bistro…its casual setting, family owned and managed, strong loyal following, and classic French food. Pierre’s tries to bring together these elements on the corner of 50th and Penn in South Minneapolis. A couple of tables sit alongside the curb and although this isn’t an ideal location for people-watching, it’s a nice touch. The interior is a little dark and gives a cozy, romantic feel; when we think of Bistro though, we think of lively and energetic. The walls are painted in a light faux finish and are adorned sparsely with prints and wall sconces.

Pierre’s menu contains many French classics, some adapted to make use of local ingredients. We could have skipped the entrees altogether and just ordered an array of appetizers (they all looked so good), but we decided to go the traditional route. The Baked Brie in Puff Pastry was exquisite. A flaky crust holds the gooey brie and sweet apricot jam – different textures and flavors dance in your mouth. Our Escargots in Garlic Butter were ok..we’re just so used to this typical preparation with the escargots floating in a vat of butter that it doesn’t tingle our taste buds anymore. We did enjoy dipping the crusty dinner rolls in the left over garlic butter (yum). The Hoegaarden (wheat beer from Belgium) nicely complemented the appetizers. For entrees we would really recommend the Coq Au Vin – a half chicken with mushrooms, bacon, and red wine. This is an adapted dish because Coq Au Vin is technically made with rooster…it didn’t matter to us though, because the dish was fabulous. Nick ordered the New York Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce. The sauce had a mild pepper taste to perfectly augment the steak, which he thought was a little chewy at times. The Frites that accompanied the steak were the crispy shoestring style and were perfectly seasoned. Our dining companions enjoyed their Rack of Lamb special which was served with a curry sauce and the Roasted Chicken Breast served with the caper sauce. For dessert we had to try their Crème Brulee, which has been voted as one of the best in the Cities. It had a nice balance of the creamy custard and the hard caramel and we really enjoyed it. Our server was attentive and friendly and gave us some good recommendations.

$$$. Most entrees are between $20-$25. Free parking is available in an attached lot. You can make reservations on Opentable.