BC Business
Tableau Bar Bistro | BCBusiness
Tableau Bar Bistro doesn’t just bustle, it positively vibrates with energy. It’s so popular with the business crowd that paper placemats have been introduced at lunch for ease of working out those fine print calculations on the spot. This is a hot spot for good reason: executive chef Marc-André Choquette is not just a mean cook (also at the helm of sister restaurant Homer Street Café and Bar), he understands the needs of his midday clientele. The menu is straight-up bistro fare that hits all the necessary notes—meatless, gluten-free, comforting—in a way that makes ordering quick and easy. In a hurry? The sandwich with soup or salad option will have you fuelled up and heading back to the office in a jiffy. Service all round is efficient without ever getting in the way. It’s no surprise that reservations are a must.
BEST TABLE: For privacy, ask for a corner table on one of the banquettes at the back of the room. Or if there are five of you, and you want a properly inclusive discussion, make sure you nab one of the round tables in the centre.
DRINK UP: The wine list boasts a healthy selection of bottles in the under-$70 range. For an apéritif with fizz, try a Billy Le Bordelais, which perks up sparkling wine with Lillet Rouge, passion fruit syrup and grapefruit.
MUST-TRY ORDER: Seasonal fungi, cooked into submission with veal stock and cream, piled on a slice of buttery brioche. Stay classic with steak frites or keep things light with steelhead trout on a bed of quinoa studded with almonds.
INSIDER TIP: Do not even attempt to walk in for lunch unless you are there as the doors open at 11:30 a.m. Need space for a bigger group? There are two private dining rooms available that seat up to 20 and 24 diners.