Duck confit at Petit Bill’s Bistro
Petit Bill’s Bistro is a bit quirky. And does a good job at what it does. That’s serve some French bistro fare with an overarching Newfoundland orientation — the founders are from Newfoundland and Labrador; the chef from Corner Brook, specifically.
The restaurant in Wellington West has been around for about 20 years and blends a few elegant touches — nice to have a glass of wine in a proper Riedel, if that doesn’t sound too bougy — with a certain amount of kitsch and tchotchke. I’m quite fine with that. It’s fun to look about at the decor.
The restaurant is divided into two rooms, essentially, the bar on one side, and the walls boasting what I assume are the works of local artists. There’s salt shakers and pepper mills on the tables (which have no tablecloths, at least at lunch).
The kitchen says it works towards supporting local produce as much as it can, the menu blending east coast dishes with bistro classics: that means clam strips and creamy seafood chowder are front-and-centre, the latter obviously very popular as I saw three or four bowls served. Lobster poutine is also quite a hit.
But dishes such as those you might enjoy at Montreal’s Restaurant L’Express are right there too. From a lunch menu, the duck confit and tasty beef bourguignon ($24 at lunch) with carrots, mushrooms, pearl onions and quite satisfying chunky mashed potato in a red-wine sauce (just needing a bit of salt) share space with those fish and chips and soup and a salad. Desserts include a Screech-ed Newfoundland pound cake alongside the ubiquitous crème brûlée.
Mussels/Moules to start are very plump, juicy and tender morsels with a simple but flavourful white wine broth. The “Lame Duck” confit for lunch ($27) was cooked perfectly and plated with wilted spinach and salt-vinegar smashed potatoes, which were delicious and just on the very edge of being a bit too crispy. The addition of ginger to the greens adds a pleasant piquancy while partridgeberry gastrique, made from the red berry of an evergreen native to the east coast, popped in some acidity to balance the luscious fat of the duck.
A bottle of Niagara’s Vineland Estates Winery house cab-merlot, labelled for the restaurant, is $44. With service that is casual, friendly and able to read a table, the vibe of the Petit Bill’s dining room is relaxed but with a bit of the buzz that comes from a fairly busy lunch trade, even for a Monday.
Dinner prices are aligned more with the bistro than the casual NF venue that might serve up a Jiggs Dinner: lobster risotto is $66 and classic steak frites with ribeye is $64.
Speaking of that classic Canadian/east coast boiled dinner of corned beef and cabbage, Petit Bill’s Bistro is offering such a “Newfoundland Supper” event on April 12. I’m sure it would make for an entertaining visit for peas puddin’, cod tongues and fisherman’s brewis, the salt cod dish with ship’s biscuit and often a drizzle of molasses. Down home goodness, yes b’y.
