Bistro 101

Phone: (604) 734-0101

Address :  Bistro 101, 101 - 1505 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver, BC

Hours: 11:30am - 2:00pm, 6:00pm - 9:00pm (Monday to Friday)

Website:  http://www.bistro101.com/

Date of Visit:  Jan. 21, 2013

Parking: Parking around Granville Island or West 2nd.

Starters

Bread Basket

8.5/10

• Varied selection from the bakery including cheese sticks, raisin bread, sun-dried tomato scones and a few others I didn't take note of.
• Cheese sticks/twist were crunchy and buttery.
• The scones were savory and buttery, very similar to a biscuit.

I was expecting buns and baguettes and was plesantly surprised to be presented with such a wide selection of artisan baked goods as a complimentary starter. It was more or less a sampler of the goods offered by Bakery 101 at the entrance of Bistro 101 and from what was offered, it was an excellent representation of what's offered in the bakery next door.

Sweet and Savoury Pancake

4/10

•  Another complimentary starter, a mini pancake topped with raspberry purée and ricotta cheese mixed with mushrooms, and finally garnished with a raspberry and mint leaf.
• A very unique starter, however the flavors did not combine very well.

I've never tasted such a combination of ingredients. The pancake and mushroom ricotta topping was savory while raspberry and mint was tart and took away the savouriness of the starter. Nonetheless, it wasn't bad, and I can't complain about complimentary. The raspberry and mint did cleanse the palette, setting up the following appetizers.

Appetizers

Yukon Gold Clam Chowder

6/10

Sustainable BC Scallop

7/10

• Two pan-fried scallops served on beet purée and apple sauce
•  Lightly dressed kale salad topped with sunflower seeds on the side

The scallops were a bit under done, another 20 seconds or so of searing would have improved the dish. The purée did compliment the sweetness of the scallops nicely, however, it would have worked better in a smaller quantity to just bring out the flavors.

Westcoast Seafood Cake

7/10

• Seafood croquette served on a bed of garden salad topped with a dollop of tartar sauce
• The croquette was mainly comprised of salmon
• The portion of the croquette was a bit small
• Arugula salad was lightly dressed

The seafood cake, while good, was a bit disappointing. In short it tasted like a salmon burger slider and there did not appear to be much of any other kind of seafood in there. Despite that, the cake was no where near dry.

Mushroom in Phyllo Pastry Cup

7.5/10

• Pan-fried mushrooms and bacon in cream sauce served in a baked poppy-seed phyllo pastry cup garnished with fennel. Reduced balsamic vinegar.
• The most unique appetizer option
• The flavors didn't go too well together, nonetheless, it was still a good dish
• Served with a poached spinach and cherry tomatoes. 

The filling was comprised of sliced mushrooms and bacon .The phyllo pastry cup was a bit bitter and didn't work too well with the filling,but the balsamic reduction was able to balance out the bitterness. While the taste wasn't the best, points were given for the dish's presentation. This appetizer was basically an oversized Hors D'oeuvre.

Entrées

 

Trout en Croute

8.5/10

• Steelhead trout baked in puff pastry, served with side of brussel sprouts, eggplant ragout, and braised greens
• Trout was not overcooked or dry
• Ragout was too salty, neutralized the sweetness of the trout
• Brussels sprouts were hard and crunchy

The trout arrived perfectly cooked, in a generous portion, and wrapped in a flaky golden brown crust. The sides came in an ample amount, however, sub-par. The ragout was excessively salty and acidic doing the main dish a disservice. Texture-wise, decent. The brussel sprouts were hard, crunchy, and had a strong flavor. The braised winter greens was the only side that was decent. Disregarding the sides,  this dish was easily the best entrée on the Dineout 2013 menu.

Pilsner Braised Boneless Short Rib

6.5/10

Pan Roasted Duck

7/10

• Duck Breast pan-fried, served with plum sauce and gnocchi
• Duck breast was cooked properly but arrived a bit cool.
• Gnocchi was a bit hard
• Overall dished was very similar to a roasted duck found at Chinese Barbecues, (also commonly served with plum sauce)

The duck breast was tender and cook pan-fried to a medium doneness. The fat between the skin and the breast greatly amplified the savouriness of the dish. The skin unfortunately, was soggy when it could have been crispy. Drenching the breast in sauce didn't help. The gnocchi on the side was rather poor. Far too much flour was used to make them, making them a bit hard. The braised greens on the side were a bit cold. While the overall dish was good, it did not introduce any unique flavors.

Desserts

 

 Poached Pear & Amaretto Tart

6.5/10

• Slices of poached pear topped on an Amaretto flavoured tart topped with more almond slices
• Paired with candied ginger ice-cream
• Portion of ice-cream could have been larger

A different take apple strudel à la mode with room for improvement. The pear and tart was prepared a head of time, however, if they were reheated and served with a larger potion of the ice-cream, this dish would have been greatly improved.

The ice-cream was home-made, smooth and a had little hints of ginger.

Torrone Semifreddo

7.5/10

• Nougat Semifreddo (an Italian desert similar to frozen whipped cream) on a shortbread base, served with a piece almond crisp and garnished with a gooseberry (or goldenberry).
•  The semifreddo has a lighter consistency than ice-cream. Nuts mixed in added crunch to it.
• Almond crisp was sweet, crispy, and flavorful

This dessert combined a lot of different textures, the semifreddo itself was smooth and creamy mingled with tiny bits of crunchy pistachio on top a soft crumbly base. The almond crisp was formed to decorate the dish and further augmented the crunch of the nuts when eaten together with the semifreddo.

Chocolate Cardamom Truffle Cake

5/10

• Truffle cake flavoured with chocolate, cardamom spice, and coffee, sprinkled with cocoa powder
• Garnished with long strips chocolate and vanilla sauce.
• Bitter

I sampled this dessert after sampling the previous two dessert options. Perhaps my palette has been affected. While I found this cake too bitter, my guests agree that this dish was delicious. The texture of cake was similar to that of a mousse. A bit of cardamom did introduce a unique flavor combination, however this dish as a whole reminiscent tiramisu, having a similar flavors and texture.

Service

• Waitstaff was attentive and their intention seemed to be good, however it was evident the staff was inexperienced
• The staff appeared unfamiliar with the menu items, however, the menu does change regularly
• Glasses were filled regularly
• Dishes arrive hot

Atmosphere

• Elegant and contemporary dining room
• Chair's weren't too comfortable
• Kitchen stations are all visible to the patrons via windows. 
• Bar and lounge at front entrance
• Bakery outside entrance
• Restrooms were clean

Verdict

Bistro 101 represents one the values available in the city. Even though the majority of the staff are students of the culinary institute, this establishment runs efficiently and produces quality food better than most restaurants with a similar price point I've experienced. While some of the dishes do require a bit of tweaking and service can be lacking in a few areas, it's no where enough to turn anyone away. I highly recommend this restaurant and suggest you get a reservation before you arrive.