A #MateDate at Bistrot Pierre Altrincham

Another entry in my #matedate series of blog posts, where I happily, along with a mate, review some fab places to eat out in Manchester and the North-West. Tonight is the turn of Bistrot Pierre Altrincham…

#MateDate Bistrot Pierre Altrincham

This evening’s date was the gorgeous Stacey, who was equally pleased that there’s another great spot to hit on an evening out in Altrincham, rather than having to venture to town or the Trafford Centre as many have done previously.

Altrincham or “Alty” has definitely developed a bit of a foodie “scene” since I moved to South Manchester and has a great vibe and an eclectic mix of restaurants, bars and market stalls…

Bistrot Pierre Altrincham #matedate from Holly Wood on Vimeo.

French dining in South Manchester

So you’ve seen the video, you’ve seen what we ate…but what did it taste like?

Well we started with a glass of Champagne as we perused the menu, because when in France, do as the French do! We were looked after by the staff of Bistrot Pierre Altrincham, from the moment we walked in and were walked through the menu options. It’s worth mentioning here, that Bistrot Pierre do a “Fin de weekend” menu, which is available on Sunday and Monday evenings. This menu gives you two courses and a carafe of wine each, for £21.50! So incredibly reasonable for an evening out.

But back to menu…

It was recommended that we order some appetisers (and who are we to say no?), so we went for the Tapenade with artisan dipping bread and on recommendation, the Mini chorizos au miel which were quite possibly the best thing I’ve tasted all year! They are little balls of perfection, draped in sticky honey, with a great “pop” as you bite in. Stunning – I could have easily eaten twelve!

Then onto the starters…

My #matedate Stacey opted for the St Marcellin which was a gooey, mild, nutty, melted cheese with rosemary, pear chutney and sourdough toast. I obviously dipped into this myself and can vouch that it was everything you want a bowl of melted cheese to be!

I opted for something suitably French and rich, with the Brioche et champignons (avec bacon!). This was very tasty, but I think I would have preferred the brioche to have a bit more of a crunch and not as drenched in the sauce as it was. But this is totally a personal preference and the flavours were all there.

Tucking into the mains…

It was very difficult for me to not choose the steak, especially when two wafted past me as I walked into Bistrot Pierre, however, I was adamant that I wanted to choose something I wouldn’t usually go for. So instead, I went for another French classic, the Poulet aux lentilles which was a pan-friend chicken breast (with deliciously crispy skin) with puy lentils and bacon, roasted garlic and rosemary in a light cream sauce. And it was light, making the dish easy to sail through, with just the right amount of comfort on a cold Monday evening. I couldn’t resist but have pommes frites on the side (obvs!) which were perfectly thin and crispy.

My #matedate went for the Bouillabaisse Maison which had the real wow factor when brought to the table and was served with a small bowl of rouille and gruyere to either dip or stir into the bouillabaisse. With more sourdough toast and a basket of french bread on the table, we were carbed to the max, but in all the right ways!

To finish…

I should mention that we washed down our meals with a delicious, crisp glass of Sancerre each. For me, it complemented the chicken and lentils perfectly. When we were asked if we could fit in a dessert, we both sighed and said “oh go on then” (as if we needed any more persuasion then that!) and delved back into the menu…

Stacey went for the Meli melo de framboise et meringue which was an impressive sundae-type dessert packed full of meringue, raspberries, marshmallows, pistachios, coulis and chantilly.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t resist the classic Fondant au chocolat served with a simple but flavourful vanilla ice-cream. It stood there proud, in the centre of the plate, beckoning me to dive in with my spoon, break it open and watch it ooze with chocolatey delight. And guess what? I obliged, breaking it open and watching the molten chocolate pour out perfectly.

Again, surprisingly, this dessert is fairly light, although rich and unctuous, it wasn’t a battle to get through, as some chocolate desserts can be. Credit to the chef there!

So what’s the verdict?

So, in case you can’t tell, I’m really rather impressed by Bistrot Pierre Altrincham. It’s the perfect spot for a #matedate, a romantic evening, a pre-theatre dinner or even a family meal (I spotted they had a really reasonably 2-course kids menu, which included a drink for £6.50!).

The fit-out is stunning, spread across two floors and the right balance between on-trend and comfortable and approachable. It’s located right in the centre of Altrincham, on the high-street, so super easy to get to by tram or car.

Bistrot Pierre has 17 restaurants across the country and are opening more this year (keep your eyes peeled) and pride themselves on serving a combination of French bistrot classics, with their twist on regional favourites. I can vouch that they do this well!

I’d definitely recommend a visit! Why not tag me into your scrummy photos of food and make me jealous! (@_hollygoeslightly).