It was fortunate that we booked well in advance, as Bistro Le Cerf-Volant was completely packed on…read morethat Friday night. Katherine, our waitress, was attentive and thorough, taking the time to walk us through the menu in detail and she kindly opened and poured the first round from the bottles of wine we had brought.
A few things immediately stood out to me. First, there are three unisex washrooms that were exceptionally clean and equipped with modern fixtures, always a strong indicator of overall hygiene. Second, we were seated with a full view of the kitchen, which offered a fascinating glimpse into the preparation of each dish. It's rare to see a kitchen operating in such perfect harmony, especially one maintained in such pristine condition.
Our party of four chose the table d'hôte:
* Appetizers: Perogies aux champignons, crevettes grillées, crudo de bar rayé
* Main courses: Bavette de bœuf, scialatielli alle vongole, pétoncles poêlés, tartare de bœuf
* Dessert: Le fameux begne, Sernik, Dragon vert
With the exception of the complementary amuse-bouche, a fried beef meatball which was too salty, everything else was well-seasoned and beautifully presented. Hot dishes were served on heated plates, a thoughtful touch. If I were to return, I would likely skip the perogies and the scialatielli pasta, as they were not our favorites. The turbot in the pasta dish was a delight, though. The rest of the dishes, however, were cooked to perfection, with unanimous agreement from our table on their delicacy and execution. Portions were generous. Our coup-de-coeur was the pétoncles poêlés.
While I had hinted to the waitress to let the "birthday girl" taste the first sip of wine, hoping for a small gesture such as a dessert with a candle. That detail may not have come across, but given that this is not a formal white tablecloth restaurant and considering how busy the evening was, I get it.
I am sure the desserts would have tasted better, but after waiting for a long while to be served, they lost their impact. Shortly after, we were informed that our seating time had come to an end as the next group was next.
Overall, a vibrant dining experience with excellent food and an impressively run kitchen, despite a few minor service gaps on a very busy night.