Bistro CoqLicorne
59 Laval St., Gatineau (Hull sector), 819-205-4344, bistrocoqlicorne.ca
Open: Monday and Tuesday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., closed Sunday
Prices: Main courses $16.95 to $18.95, small plates $4 to $13
Access: Steps to entrance
The Vieux-Hull restaurant Bistro CoqLicorne takes its name from a mythical creature that artist and Hull native Jean Dallaire created seven decades ago — an odd, fanciful beast that’s half-rooster, half-unicorn.
But there’s nothing imaginary about the Laval Street eatery’s affordable, approachable, well-made food and its convivial francophone atmosphere. Formerly Fleur de Sel, which catered to vegetarians and fish-eaters, Bistro CoqLicorne opened in late 2012. Like more than a few recently opened Ottawa-area restaurants, here we have another eatery serving more small and snacking plates than main courses in a casual setting, relying on products from local farms and businesses.
Much of Bistro CoqLicorne’s menu stresses simpler fare such as sandwiches, soups, nachos and cured meats and fish. But the kitchen has ambitions and standards beyond turning out basic crowd-pleasers. It sources beef from Brylee Farm near Thurso, chicken from Ferme aux Saveurs des Monts in Val-des-Monts, and fine-grained sausages from the Québécois producer William J. Walter. It gets coffee from Hull’s Cafe La Tierra Coop, tea from Tea House Cha Yi next door and beers, bottled and on tap, from some leading Quebec micro-breweries.
The bistro’s dining room is an old, wood-floored place with art for sale on the red and white walls. It seats about 30, more comfortably, I’d venture, on the retro black leather chairs than on the wooden bench at the front table. With summer here, the large patio beside the restaurant is probably the most appealing place to dine and drink.
At a dinner some few weeks ago, charcuterie choices were fine and clearly flavoured. A daily-special jar of rich, meaty duck rillettes, perked with whisky and topped with candied nuts, served with a swoosh of berry mustard and a sweet compote ($9), disappeared quickly once slathered on crostini.
A jar of duck rillettes at Bistro CoqLicorne.
High marks as well for the similarly decked-out boards that included either the house’s smoked trout ($12) or its smoked bacon, duck breast prosciutto and slices of beef tongue ($13).
A trio of smoked foods (beef tongue, duck breast and bacon) with berry mustard, apple compote and candied orange zest with coriander at Bistro CoqLicorne.
Served on a splayed blob of glass, three mini-tacos of pulled pork ($7), dubbed “Les 3 amigos,” had some spicy kick.
Pork tacos at Bistro CoqLicorne.
“Le chant de sirènes” ($10) was a big bowlful of greens topped with butter-poached shrimp, slices of fennel, grape tomatoes, orange supremes and seasoned sesame seeds.
Butter poached shrimp with greens at Bistro CoqLicorne.
A serving of Brylee Farm short ribs was very generous for $18.95 and filled with grass-fed beef flavour, if just a little dry. The meat was mounded with asparagus, mushrooms and fingerling potatoes and lots of salad.
Beef ribs at Bistro CoqLicorne.
“L’Oiseau jongleur” ($17.95) featured two skewers of grilled Ferme aux Saveur des Monts chicken and a third of veg, served on rice. It was fine, if a bit more pedestrian.
Chicken brochettes at Bistro CoqLicorne.
From the blackboard’s list of daily specials, a smaller, lighter, option had shrunk a paella of shrimp, mahi mahi, mussels, chorizo and snap peas into a $14.95 bowlful.
Paella special at Bistro CoqLicorne.
We were five that night, and after all that shared food, there was no room for dessert.
At a later lunch, a dining companion and I were a little less impressed with a smaller sample of unshared dishes, me by a turmeric-boosted chickpea potage ($4.50) and ordinary Caesar salad ($6.95)
Chickpea soup and Caesar Salad at Bistro CoqLicorne.
and he by an underseasoned but not overcooked daily fish special of grilled halibut ($18.95).
Grilled fish main course at Bistro CoqLicorne.
We had room for dessert this time, which allowed us to try a lime ice pop ($3.95) and a chocolate ice cream sandwich that concealed some good, if overly hardened, almond ice cream ($5.95).
Ice cream sandwich with almond ice cream at Bistro CoqLicorne.
But while the lunch wasn’t as admirable as dinner had been, it didn’t much diminish my take on Bistro CoqLicorne. At this amiable, unstuffy gastropub-type bistro, more often than not, tasty bargains both large and small land on the table.
phum@ottawacitizen.com
Twitter.com/peterhum
