As other cities seem to lean toward plant-based concepts in terms of new restaurant openings, Calgary has seen three steak-focused restaurants open in the first five months of 2019.Todd Korol
Name: Le Petit Boeuf
Location: 2210 4 St. SW, Calgary
Phone: 403-802-0036
Website: lepetitboeuf.com
Price: $12 to $240
Cuisine: French-style steakhouse
Atmosphere: Simple and relaxed
Drinks on offer: Mostly wine, some classic cocktails
Best bets: Butter-leaf lettuce, beef tartare, Alberta cauliflower gratin, “signature dish”
Vegetarian friendly? Yes, considering it is a steakhouse
Additional information: Open Tuesday to Saturday and currently only offers dinner service
For all of our protests about being a steak-and-potatoes city, it’s hard to deny that Calgarians really do love their meat.
As other cities seem to lean toward plant-based concepts in terms of new restaurant openings, Calgary has seen three steak-focused restaurants open in the first five months of 2019 – bucking the trend in the most Alberta of ways.
Among them is Le Petit Boeuf, a cozy steakhouse concept on 4 St. SW from the owners of Cassis Bistro and Suzette Bistro.
Having been an active diner in Calgary for well over a decade and now seeing a third concept take hold of this particular space, I can’t help but wish for a more substantial renovation. Primarily white walls, some wood panelling and banquettes upholstered in red leather complete the room adequately. Not much more to describe, really.
Nonetheless, Boeuf proves to be a very pleasant and unpretentious place to enjoy a steak dinner. There is some charm in the regal nature of Hy’s Steakhouse downtown or Vintage Chophouse, of course, but this French spin on the theme offers a relaxed atmosphere and is refreshingly lacking in stiffly dressed diners that the aforementioned boast.
The front of the house, run by co-owner Gilles Brassart, offers the same informed and friendly service one has come to expect of his other restaurants.
Boeuf’s kitchen is overseen by co-owner Dominique Moussu, but day-in, day-out by Dhanray Martin, who cut his teeth in Montreal at places such as the famed Au Pied de Cochon and Liverpool House. You don’t see much influence of either here, save the foie gras, which pops up on the menu fairly frequently.
Boeuf’s kitchen is overseen by co-owner Dominique Moussu.Todd Korol/The Globe and Mail
The chef’s simple butter-leaf salad is light and fresh. The roasted-garlic vinaigrette is so well distributed that it feels as though they might have brushed each leaf of the vibrant greens. Combined with the crisp slices of radish and finely sliced chives (something I say is always the mark of a chef with solid technical training), it is the perfect start to dinner.
A sneakily extra indulgent cauliflower gratin sees small florets cooked until tender in a rich cream and comté cheese sauce infused with nutmeg. It is then finished off with a quick broil to crisp up the top, bolstering the comfort level of the gratin even higher. Save your bread to soak up whatever sauce is left at the bottom of this dish.
The mushroom fricassée offers a myriad of mushrooms in a tarragon sauce with a large parmesan crisp on top to add a little umami as well as texture. It’s satisfying enough, but pales in comparison to the rich cauliflower offering; if you’re waffling between which creamy vegetable creation to opt for, go for the latter.
When it comes to the beef, “petit” is the opposite of what this menu offers. Carpaccio, tartare, tongue, bone marrow, cheek, short rib, cuts of steak of all shapes and sizes ... I can feel my carnal instincts bubbling up to the surface as I look up and down the page.
Beef tartare is (and should always be) a must-order at a French restaurant. There are no qualms here about this famous dish from the fine dice on the beef to the balance of tangy capers and the lightly salted egg yolk resting on top.
Likewise, the perfectly braised slices of beef tongue hits the spot. Covered in a classic madeira sauce with diced root vegetables, topped with a frisée and tomato salad and finished with a grating of lemon zest, it’s also quite beautiful in its presentation. No easy task when presenting cooked tongue, I assure you.
The carpaccio proves much more forgettable than its other meaty appetizer cohorts. Lacking salt and being overly drenched in olive oil, it was the only plate left unfinished.
The carpaccio proves much more forgettable than its other meaty appetizer cohorts.Todd Korol
From ribeye to chateaubriand, there’s everything here a meat lover wants for a main course. On one visit, a friend and I shared the signature dish, which was comprised of a sizable (eight ounce?) tenderloin at an ideal medium-rare, sitting atop carrots and wilted Swiss chard. On top of the steak rested a large foie gras ravioli and, to bring it all together, a healthy ladling of a rich truffle jus.
On another evening and after a plate of Alberta wagyu with béarnaise and slightly overcooked Brussels sprouts (not recommended), there was some room for dessert. There’s always room for dessert and an apple tart (tarte au pomme) always catches the eye.
The signature dish comprised of a sizable tenderloin at an ideal medium-rare, sitting atop carrots and wilted Swiss chard.Todd Korol
A thin disk of puff pastry, near-burnt on one side, topped with thinly sliced apple, caramel sauce and homemade vanilla ice cream with an excessive amount of vanilla was by no means a perfect way to end an otherwise nice dinner. We should have stuck with the chocolate mousse our server brought to the table several weeks prior.