Classic French bistro out in Victoria. They don't take reservations which works out perfectly for someone like me who makes dinner plans last minute!
Food was delicious, and the wait staff had great wine recommendations for us. Would highly recommend the Ratatouille and the liver pâté
The staff is great! Very attentive even if not their table. No reservations, so be aware of the seating policy and plan accordingly. It is worth the uncertainty! The chocolate cake was so good I took a photo after the first bite so I can look back on it wistfully.
What a wonderful place, and people were right - you can't have a bad meal.
The restaurant is small with just a dozen or so tables, not crammed together. The ambience is dark with sun coming through the front window and background music that is really low so everybody can talk.
The top recommendation is the dry aged burger, oh my... This was the most unique and best prepared burger I tried, by a mile. To the eye, it looks like a normal to above average burger but the smashed meat is crunchy like bacon and has such a unique taste.
Another highly recommended meal is the duck breast, it was tender and juicy.
Even if you are not a starter person, just try onion soup, you won't regret it!
Coming back for sure, because all the meals look and sound standard but are prepared on the next level. I enjoyed it so much I didn't take pictures 😁
This place offers very solid bistro dining in Victoria:
* You likely know that they do not take reservations
* We showed up on a Friday night just after 8:00 PM & were warmly greeted by the owner/manager. Within 5 minutes he had us comfortably seated.
* Tables are well spaced apart. They could easily cram more in. The owner explained that this is his new philosophy: fewer tables = superior service + getting home at a reasonable hour. A huge amount of respect for this philosophy.
* All of your brasserie favourites are on the menu.
We opted for the ratatouille & the mussels with frits. Both were expertly prepared & a very pleasing explosion of flavour.
* Wines are very gently priced. We opted for a sensibly priced Chablis.
* Lighting is low & very flattering to the guests
* Service throughout was knowledgeable, low key & polite
* Guests seemed to be enjoying themselves. The sound level was subdued but exuberant.
* A very enjoyable evening at Brasserie L'Ecole.
The trout was delightful and I would recommend the truffle oil frites which were also delicious! The restaurant had a lovely ambience and the staff were friendly and prompt.
Got lucky that there happened to be a table and didn’t have to wait. French onion soup was great for the cold rainy weather out. The duck with Roquefort sauce was a nice combination of flavours, and burger with truffle fries was tasty as well. Restaurant interior was cosy, a lovely place to dine for special occasions.
Loved it here, and will for sure be back. Unique and lovely spot. Not a fan of the need to line up to get in - if they allowed reservations, I would come much more often. Loved the fist I had one night, and the duck. However, have had much better steak for way less money at other places. The steak I had was ok, but actually was over cooked, a bit tough, and considering the price (!!), I will definitely never order steak here again myself.
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We decided to finally try Brasserie L'Ecole on our anniversary for nice French dinner. 30 minutes waiting out in the cold was not so fun but we heard that's how you get a table so we dressed warm at least. We were seated right away and our server was polite and friendly while answering our questions about the menu. We ordered French onion soup and Tortelloni as appetizers and Rock fish, Duck Confit as main. French onion soup was fabulous. Rich in flavor, plenty of cheese on the top. The rest however was not so impressive. Tortelloni needed a bit more sauce, rock fish was cooked properly but was way salty. Duck confit tasted like a leftover most likely because it's overcooked. Not too long ago we had really nice duck confit at Cafe Brio so we were definitely disappointed. Dessert was alright, nothing impressive. After telling our server the rock fish was too salty, he took care of dessert which was nice. Personally I would prefer getting a great food and paying the right price for it than getting it covered on the house becuase it was not seasoned properly.
Outstanding!! My friend took me about a month ago and we had the best night. I am French and was dubious as to what the quality of the food would be, but honestly all I can say is DÉLICIEUX! Starters, main courses (moules frites are sublime), dessert, bread, drinks - all of it was absolutely excellent. And the service was just amazing. We will definitely be returning soon!!
This very special French Restaurant operates on a first arrive,first basis so we arrived 30 minutes early and there were several enthusiastic customers already lined up…the discussion among those waiting was enthusiastic about what each individual was interested in ordering..the staff made regular visits along those waiting to answer any questions and to determine how many in each group..when seated, the service was excellent and all questions were answered..the cuisine was exceptional and we appreciated each portion of our order..the dessert was very delicious…we will be back soon for another adventure in this French Atmosphere..
Fantastic wine selection, menu was creative without being inventive. The house made charcuterie was exemplary and the ratatouille was divine; both exploding with flavor and expertly prepared. Our meal here was quite memorable, I recommend them enthusiastically.
Gorgeous local ingredients prepared perfectly. Hearty, comforting dishes served with straightforward style and creativity. Paleron of beef was fork tender, potato puree silky, delicata squash tender. Vauclavan sausage and apples were perfect pairing. Crispy pork belly was luscious. Citrusy, floral local Sheringham gin cocktails and bold red wines all exquisite recommendations from our server to complement our dishes. Service was knowledgeable, informative, welcoming, cheerful and accommodating to all our needs including food allergies. Many gluten free options available. Would be 5 stars, but the escargot was bland and overcooked - everything else was perfect. I will visit every time I find myself in Victoria.
Absolutely loved my experience there. Staff was on point and food was fantastic.
We waited at 5 and were able to be seated when it opened at 530 on a Saturday. I think we may have been one of the last groups in line that made it in immediately.
I had the burger, olives, asparagus brioche and for drink the Vieux Mot. It was delicious. All of it. One of the best burgers I’ve ever had. The fries were yummy and very French traditional. I’ve never had a salty brioche before but will now be trying them more at home. I loved it.
I can’t speak enough about how kind the servers were! I travel a lot alone with my daughter (5yo) and we love to go to fancy dinners together. However that usually means we get turned away or side eye. It was absolutely not the case here and I really appreciated that! We both had a wonderful dinner ❤️
Incredible experience!! We went in on a Wednesday night and missed the infamous queues. The waitress was wonderful, attentive and helpful! She stopped us from over ordering and made some great recommendations so we could still try the things we wanted. The food was DELICIOUS! The French onion soup was so comforting. We did the steak frites with a ribeye and subbed for parm fries; it was incredible! The steak just melted in your mouth. We also took advantage of the baskets of bread. Finished with creme brule which was a perfect end to the meal. Highly, highly recommend!
I had the steak & my friend had the halibut. Both were extraordinary. The service is both professional & friendly. The prices are very reasonable and especially for this quality. This place is great!!
A hidden gem with a rotating menu. Some of the best steak I've had in town, hands down. Also, some may view it as an after-thought, but even their French fries were terrific!
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