Vancouver Café de Paris

[tooearly]

Could find no posts on this restaurant, despite my close friend assurinng me it is a fine meal indeed....any recent diners wish to comment?

[Coop]

Ah the memories. Kidneys in mustard demi sauce, Peppercorn steak, bottles of mediocre but well priced Bordeaux. It used to be my favorite place 20 years and 12 odd owners ago. Was terrible the last time we went, about 4 years and 3 owners ago. Heard they are having a come back thogh with Scott Kidd (formerly of Araxi's right?) at the stove.

Maybe it's time to darken their door again.

[tooearly]

WOW: 100 plus views and 1 comment: this restaurant has become a sleeper......might be worth a try

[Keith Talent]

We made the trek to La Regelade a couple weeks ago, I'd be interested to know if anyone feels qualified to compare/contrast the two.

And I think that if you constructed a matrix referencing quality and value, La Regelade would be lightyears from it's nearest neighbour.

[Coop]

Keith is that a review? I know I would like to hear about La Regelade.

[nwyles]

I had dinner at Le Crocodile last night and they are lightyears ahead of the others. And if you choose wisely, the $$ are pretty comparable as well. Michel Jacob is an outstanding host and his staff are always professional. I have never had an item there that was not excellent.

I must say , it was tough to finish the second order of frog's legs - This was a few years ago when my wife was pregnant, Michel sent out two orders of frog's legs - I ate mine and then had to eat her's as to not offend the Chef.

Neil

Edited August 19, 2004 by nwyles (log)

[stovetop]

Le Crocodile has been a very consistent restaurant for years, for years they were one of a handful of French restaurants and now one of many but still provide one of the best French dinning experiences in town. Michel Jacob is a great host and a great executive Chef, he runs a tight ship.

Café de Paris with Scott Kidd at the helm should remain consistent; he is one of my favorite chefs to work with.

steve

Edited August 19, 2004 by stovetop (log)

[tooearly]

Just back from Vancouver. Brief thoughts:

Fabulous city. really and truly the nicest urban place i have visited inyears.

food: good to great. not the maturity of say San francisco, but trying much harder (too hard?).

good meals at Rodneys (not exactly what I call a hole in the wall), Fish Cafe, and Lumiere.

Fresh ingredients, smart service, and friendly the lot of them.

[hodge-podge]

I haven't seen Scott for years and was wondering if anyone in Vancouver has anything more to add to this thread. I would love to hear that he is doing well. Thanks

[chef koo]

when i was at school one of my chef instructors was the chef at cafe de paris for a while. he like to remenice aabout how back then the clientel wouldn't shy away from pink meat. how kidneys weren't looked upon as unsophisticated and disgusting. he brags about how that place could make the best pomme frite in all of vancouver. but after he left all he heard were rumors that the food was "okay", and that the new chef had set the bar far lower than he would have ever expected. mind you my chef was a hardcore french born and raised chef. so when he says lower the bar he means it's just not quite as good as him. but i haven't tried it myself.

[Coop]

I agree that the Cafe de Paris had the best frites and offals in Vancouver, but when? During which chef/owner regime. If you like/hate this place wait 6 months and there will be a new owner/chef.

I really miss what this place used to be, so let's hope it gets back to where it was in the 80's. BTW the only place that ever rivalled it for french bistro, was the place that was across the street for a while, La Pallette.