Introducing: Beau Lieu Bistro, Ossington’s new French detour
These days, the buzz on the Ossington hip strip is near Dundas, but diners willing to walk south, past the hours-long lineups at Pizzeria Libretto and Foxley, will eventually come upon the street’s latest addition: Beau Lieu Bistro. Slotted in between The Ossington and Pho Tien Thanh, the six-week-old French restaurant is the child of French-born and trained Sarah Gireau and chef Lon, both formerly of Jacques Bistro du Parc in Yorkville. The pair had been working together for eight years when Lon was approached with the opportunity to open a restaurant near Ossington and Queen. He jumped at the chance.
The place is French through and through, with Charles Aznavour crooning amid candlelit white walls decorated with photos of Normandy and art nouveau tourist posters. The menu, too, is authentic, listing bistro standards from the motherland instead of North American versions. Popular items include a French onion soup made with apple cider ($9), escargots ($8) and nicoise salad ($14). Mains include poached salmon in wine broth ($24), sirloin steak with cognac ($28) and a rack of lamb with mint-garlic sauce ($32). Everything from the bread to the desserts is made in house.
Thanks to the previous occupants, Beau Lieu Bistro is a rarity on Ossington: a new restaurant with a liquor licence. True to her roots, Gireau keeps the wine list as exclusively French as the menu.
Beau Lieu Bistro, 59 Ossington Ave., 647-345-5525.
Our Introducing series explores newly opened restaurants, bars and shops throughout the GTA. This is not a review.
The steaks here are phenomenal!
My wife and I visited Beau Lieu for her birthday on Wednesday. It was a quiet night at the restaurant, which meant that we had Sarah and Chef Lon almost entirely to ourselves. Sarah was a gracious and engaging host (but not at all intrusive), and the food was uniformly delicious. I had the specials: potato-leek soup, and the filet mignon; my wife enjoyed the moules and rack of lamb. The traditional French flavors were well-balanced, and there was no ego between us and the natural tastes ingredients. We loved the stuffed tomato that came with the lamb, and the wine and tarragon broth for the mussels was extraordinary. Personally, I prefer a slightly fattier cut of meat, though others will find it exactly right. The house wine is very pleasant (the oenophile might wish for more adventure, but this would not be appropriate for the house choices).
I’d love to go here again – perhaps on a weekend for the bustling bistro atmosphere. Prices are reasonable. Oh, and the raspberry tart should not be missed!
Absolutely delicious food (especially the escargots and Gateau St. Honore) and great service.
Went here over the weekend. You HAVE to try the French onion soup! To die for! Peppercorn steak was also amazing! Will definitely be going again soon.
Most neighborhoods in Toronto have a classic bistro; finally Ossington has one. I’m inclined to find it the best I’ve been to: above the Harbord spots, the Annex spots, the Leslieville spots, and even Le Select.
Dinner for two on Wednesday evening. The lighting was perfect, the atmosphere was gallic, and our window table looked out on the Ossington nightlife. Hostess/waitress Sarah is amazingly welcoming and charming, and brought a series of chef Lon’s delights from the straightforward menu of absolute classics.
These included: bread so good we touted it out the window to unsuspecting passers-by; cute and garlicky little escargots stuffed into mushrooms, the sauce of which provided work for the remaining bread; roasty, beefy, rich sirloin with ethereal md’h butter; feather-light veal cutlets with calvados and perfect roasted apples. Our wine, recommended by Sarah, was an interesting Rhone from a small but perfectly formed exclusively French list.
Desserts were beyond: creme ‘reverser’ had the density of creme brulee but was served cold, a bit like a perfect flan barely touched with mocha; cream puffs were frothy wonders topped with richly flavored caramel threads. The house comped us a nice brandy and muscat — thanks for this — and, after we exulted over the bread, a loaf for tomorrow morning.
Intriguingly, Sarah offered the potential for advance orders of off-menu items — roast chicken for two for example.
In all, I would easily rank Beau Lieu with the three reigning West End restaurants: Enoteca Sociale, Pizzeria Libretto, and Delux.
Love this place, been there 5 times already
Amazing! Fantastic food at reasonable prices without the pretense. A hidden gem in Toronto.
A refreshingly down to earth addition to the strip. If word gets out about their ridiculously good steaks, the place should be packed every night.
Unpretentious and welcoming, with fantastic food! The hostess/server is herself a trained chef, and her personality is all over the place. The food is some of the best I have eaten. An absolute treat!