Jules, Gastown’s Casual French Bistro

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Jules has long been my favorite french bistro in Gastown, and now with Cassis closed to the public, it shares my heart with none. Whether enjoying the patio or the stylishly minimal dining room, you can find me on long lunches with people I want to pay attention to. And if a bottle of red wine happens to disappear on a Friday afternoon, don’t be shocked.

Like any French restaurant, the bread is good. The water is frequently poured, the staff is attentive and in this case even warm. As with many restaurants, I have my favorites dishes, such as the Entrecote Frites, a thin 8 oz steak with mushroom peppercorn sauce, ($17) and Filet de Saumon Poele a la Provencale. ($17) And they will happily serve you both salad and frites at no extra charge. The menu has many excellent choices and I once had a fish special that was so delicious it still haunts my sensory memory while evading my literal one.

The fish is always perfectly cooked, with a nice sear, but on a recent visit the oily roast veg that is spooned on top knocked me out. The thinly sliced garlic was plentiful and far too raw. It crushed my palate like an errant tank, leaving its mark for a full 24 hours. But this had never been the case before and I will give it another chance.

Jules changed ownership in the last couple of years, and I have heard a lot of grumbling about this, and read poor reviews. As my propensity for long lunches has been under fire this last year, and thinking back to the garlic assault, I do fear that it is not what it once was. At the very least I am sure I will enjoy going back to find out.