Le Bistrot Pierre, Ilkley
Le Bistro Pierre, Ilkley is housed within a landmark building of The Crescent Inn, which dates back to 1861. Situated to the left of the entrance, the warm light from its windows made it very appealing from the outside on a rainy winter’s evening.
We arrived at the hotel sooner than I expected and had booked our meal for 7.30, however the staff changed this to six within a mere half an hours’ notice for us to dine earlier.
The restaurant was bright and airy; filled features synonymous with its theme, with intimate candle lit tables and trinkets on the walls that make us feel like we had set foot into a genuine French restaurant across the sea.
It was clear from walking in, that the restaurant prides itself on good quality and approachable staff and we felt completely relaxed the moment we arrived and as we were shown to our table.
We were served by five members of staff in total, who brought and took away our food; however we received the most attention from Jen. She was extremely helpful and had a genuineness that put us totally at ease. She gave us recommendations for each course and made sure we had enough drinks throughout our meal.
We were offered either the early bird menu or the A La Carte menu. The early bird is a great option if you are looking for a meal on a budget with three courses for only £14.95; this is a very reasonable choice for a regular dining experience. We chose something from the A La Carte menu. We were supplied with bread and butter, as well as drinks while we waited for our starters.
We enjoyed Parfait au foie de vollaille- chicken liver parfait with souderbourgh toast and red onion confiture and Saucisse de Toulouse- soft poached egg with pan fried Toulouse sausage with a warm tomato dressing. The courses came quickly and were presented beautifully. All the ingredients were carefully prepared and sourced and successfully reflected the traditional French cuisine. The accessibility for those who are unsure of the menu, which was translated below into English, was also very helpful, making this ideal for tourists as well as local diners and visitors.
The main course consisted of Poulet aux truffles- pan fried chicken breast with truffle oil and a fricassee of wild mushrooms with dauphinoise potatoes, braised red cabbage and broccoli. My partner had an 8oz rump steak with wild mushroom sauce, pommes frites and dressed salad leaves. Again, we could not fault the presentation nor the taste, all the flavours complemented each other perfectly.
For dessert, we took Jen’s advice and ordered the vanilla crème brulee, as my partner couldn’t make up his mind from the extensive menu, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I was equally as delighted with my Tarte au Citron with raspberry sorbet.
It was clear from the people sat around us that this was regular haunt for many of our fellow diners and understandably so. In such a prominent location in the centre of Ilkley and with The Crescent Inn pub next door, it makes for a great evening out. As you leave the restaurant, you can catch a quick drink before going home or up to your room.
The restaurant itself was very busy from around 7pm onwards, which is testament to its high quality, friendliness of the staff and its location.
I would recommend a meal here to anyone either looking to splash out on a special occasion or simply for night out on a budget. Perfect for the Valentine’s Day weekend! My only regret is that I did not get the names of everyone who played part in our evening as everyone was poised and very helpful.
Thanks to all the staff at Le Bistrot Pierre, Ilkley for your time and patience while we dined!