Tres Bien! Bistrot Pierre Review

Bringing a little French charm to Nottingham city centre, Bistrot Pierre is a true Nottinghamshire success story. The French bistrot has 16 restaurants across the country, but with a truly authentic feel, and fantastic food, it’s certainly no generic chain restaurant, and there's a real independent feel to the place. With the flagship, original restaurant based in Nottingham, Bistrot Pierre has spread across the country, expanding without losing its philosophy of serving delicious food, offering excellent service, and providing a fantastic dining atmosphere. On arrival, the restaurant almost looked closed from the outside, because of the low-level lighting, which gave the walls a candle-lit flicker. The melodic French accents of the staff who welcomed us, offered a reassuring indicator that we were in for an authentic foray into French cuisine. We arrived expecting something a little special from what the restaurant was proclaiming to be one of its two monthly Soirée Gastronomiques - which are special six course taster menus. While in other restaurants, hyping up a meal like this might lead to disappointment, we were quickly about to learn that the staff at Bistrot Pierre have the skills and panache to pull off a spectacular meal, and make the evening feel like a real event. When I read 'tasting menu,' part of me was expecting tiny courses, and I considered indulging in the bread and butter to make sure I wasn't going to be disappointed, and would be able to savour the flavours. It was a good job I held off, however, as I was going to need every inch of stomach space to successfully clear all six plates that were to come. After choosing a bottle of French wine, the feast was underway with a first course of classic French onion soup, soaked up with some roughly cut bread. That was quickly followed up by the option that I was a little nervous about, but excited to try - snails. Served on a special plate, with six dimples each holding a snail, it did feel slightly like Russian Roulette while scooping each one from their garlicky nests. Fortunately, the taste was a lot nicer than the thought of what I was actually eating, and I happily polished them all off. With the snails out of the way, it was time for the main course - a juicy, pink serving of steak, in a creamy peppercorn and brandy sauce. The meat was soft, bursting with flavour, and lightly pan-fried to perfection. The meal concluded with a course of gooey cheese, followed by an equally soft and tangy red-berry and chocolate macaroon. A strong French coffee, and bitter chocolate, provided the perfect cap to the meal. At just £22.95 each for this diverse and inventive menu, the meal felt incredibly well priced, and there was no danger of leaving with an empty stomach. The food was of the highest quality, and I was really impressed by the attention to detail in the dishes and service. With plenty of offers and lunch menus available, it's also great value - so all in all, parfait!