Restaurant Review -- Les Faux Bourgeois

New: Restaurant Review -- Les Faux Bourgeois

What's up: Strawberry Sponge Cake Recipe, Berry Picking and How to Pick the Best Strawberries, Cheap Baking Substitutes,  Birthday Goodies, Measurements

I don’t care how good it is, I’m not paying $50 for a few slices of duck breast on bed of spring salad. One of my favourite cuisines is French cuisine, and the only thing that makes it better is when it’s reasonably priced. French food is known for being overpriced with small portions of god-knows-what. But reality check, French food isn’t just garlic-buttered frog legs, escargot in cream sauce, or pan-seared rabbit. Sure that’s what they may be famous for, but they also serve delicious, more ordinary items such as duck, beef, lamb, fish -- food you’d find at any other restaurant.

Les Faux Bourgeois Cafe on East 15th, inexpensive, great French food

I tried out Les Faux Bourgeois on East 15^th recently, and not only was this French restaurant reasonably priced, it was fantastic.

As an appetizer, I ordered the Mt. Pleasant Picnic ($12) which included an assortment of cheeses and charcuterie including my favourite, prosciutto.  This was a great way to start off my meal, not being too large or small, but just enough to start up my appetite.

The Mt. Pleasant Picnic charcuterie and cheese plate from Les Faux Bourgeois

For dinner, I was torn between the mussels (Moules Mariniere $17) and the duck (Canard Confit $18), but ended up with the duck which was a fantastic choice, but I’ll definitely be back to try the mussels. The Canard Confit was perfectly cooked with a layer of crispy skin and moist, flavourful meat. The duck was tender and did not just fall off the bone (which usually indicates that it’s been boiled). The main was served with a side of warm potato, arugula, goat cheese and snap pea salad that perfectly complimented the duck. This healthy serving was more than enough to fill my hunger even without the appetizer.

Delicious Canard Confit from Les Faux Bourgeois

I also tried to the citrus chicken (Poulet au Citron $18) which, although in my opinion was not as good as the duck, was still a great choice. The sauce was not too sweet or sour and went well with the sides and of course the chicken itself. The bone-in chicken was perfectly juicy on the inside although the outer edges were a bit dry. The chicken was served with fantastic little gaufrette potatoes (like thin waffle chips), grilled zucchini, lettuce and mashed potato.

Tasty Poulet au Citron from Les Faux Bourgeois in Vancouver

If I could have fit in dessert, I would most definitely have tried to. At about $7 a plate, it would have fit my tiny budget.

Despite the packed restaurant and bar, the servers were attentive, my glass was always full, our table always had a basket full of bread and we never had to strain ourselves to catch someone’s attention. This is definitely a delicious little hidden gem in Vancouver that everyone should try.

Prices: $9-$12 for an appetizer, $17-$21 for a main

Location: 663 East 15^th Avenue, Vancouver
Rating: 4.5/5 High-end, well-made French food for a reasonable price. One of the most inexpensive (and good) French restaurants I’ve ever had. Great selection of food, be sure to call about a week in advance to snag a table for the weekend. I called in a week before and got the last table for two at 6:30 on a Sunday.