Disclaimer: This was a PR invite but all opinions are my own.
Champagne, anyone? The Canal Side Terrace at Bistrot Pierre in Birmingham is a sophisticated spot perfect for those in search of a classy atmosphere.
Bistrot Pierre is a French restaurant that offers a delightful dining experience. This was my first time visiting and I found the interior to be charming. The terrace offers canal views to make the most of the greatest part of the expansive Birmingham canal network (more canals than Venice, am I right?!). The menu features a range of classic and innovative French dishes. Bistrot Pierre promises to provide a memorable experience for lovers of French cuisine.
If you’re looking to elevate your dining experience, you’ll be thrilled to know that Bistrot Pierre has partnered with Champagne Lanson to bring you a contemporary taste of France. The Canal Side Terrace has a great menu for a lovely weekday treat. Don’t worry though – if the weather isn’t great (Summer in the UK!!!) there is an indoor conservatory still overlooking the canal so you can get those views whilst sipping your champagne. Picture yourself enjoying the fantastic views of the canal, as you savour the delightful flavour of Lanson Champagne.
Here’s a little look at the menu. 2 glasses of Lanson Pere et Fils and 3 small plates for £30. A surprisingly good deal when you consider the small plates were a good size and the you’re drinking actual champagne (which was bloody delicious!). We started off with a glass of Lanson whilst perusing the menu. I normally drink champagne for special occasions and that’s about it. Often I find Normally, I find champagne to be slightly bitter and tend to lean towards the sweeter notes of Prosecco…. blasphemy, I’m sure. This was my first time trying Lanson and I genuinely loved it. Slightly sweeter than I expected and it felt light whilst also maintaining the luxurious feel. I like to imagine I looked like a model in St Tropez drinking champagne alongside the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio but obviously I didn’t. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the champagne and would have it again (maybe in St Tropez, if you’re interested Leo).
I was instantly drawn to the Ham and Cheese Croquettes because I love croquettes. I would die for croquettes. The crispy exterior combined with the gooey, melty interior is a match made in culinary heaven. They weren’t the best I’ve ever had but, in fairness, I’ve had a lot of fantastic croquettes in my time. They were delicious though and I’d absolutely order them again. Next, I opted for Calamari served lightly spiced with garlic aioli. A banging choice. My final dish was the Pomme de Terre Epicée – roasted potatoes with harissa mayo, aioli and chives. Delightful stuff. In retrospect, I might have overindulged in aioli throughout the meal. But, would I do it again? Absolutely. However, if you’re not as aioli-obsessed as I am, I would recommend opting for only one aioli-based dish to strike a better balance. If I had to choose between the Pomme de Terre Epicée and the Calamari, I’d go for the Pomme de Terre Epicée.
My guest has a dairy allergy so the staff took us through the Lanson X Bistrot Pierre menu. The dairy free/vegan options included the Bread Board (without butter), Mixed Olives and Houmous. As the Houmous comes with bread though, they offered a substitute from the regular menu – Prawns Provençale (sautéed king prawns in a rustic tomato sauce with red peppers, cherry tomatoes and sourdough croûte). The houmous arrived with loads of bread, which is great because you often end up with too much houmous and not enough to dip. The olives were delicious, apparently (although I’m not an olive fan so can’t comment). The prawns were flavourful and went perfectly with the flat bread.
During the time we were eating, we obviously had another glass of Lanson each. Our waitress was truly delightful. Not only did she take care of our culinary needs, but she also went above and beyond in assisting us with any questions we had about the menu. She kindly offered the prawns as an alternative when we mentioned our dietary preferences. We sat in the conservatory section of the elegant restaurant, we were fortunate enough to secure a table right by the large window. From there, we were treated to a picturesque view of one of my favourite parts of the Birmingham canal.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Bisrtot Pierre. The Lanson champagne was really lovely and set the tone for the rest of the evening. The small plates were tasty and the portions were larger than anticipated. My 3 small plates left me feeling full. However, I think there could be more choices on the small plate selection, especially for dietary requirements. Thankfully our waitress was accommodating, otherwise the options would be scarce and highly bread-based. I think it would be beneficial for the restaurant to expand their offerings in this menu. Would I visit again? Yes. If you have specific dietary requirements, it might be worthwhile to focus more on the main menu options, as the small plate selection may be limited in that regard.
I would absolutely recommend you go to the Canalside Terrace for this menu – get some champagne, you deserve it! If nothing on this menu tickles your fancy, the main menu has plenty of great options and you could always just get a glass (or bottle) of Lanson.
Thank you so much to Bistrot Pierre, Champagne Lanson and Silver Pear Communications for the chance to review.