Review: Bistro Franc, Hanover Street, Liverpool

Alongside Bistro Pierre and Bistro Jacques, Bistro Franc rounds off a trio of French eateries owned by leading Liverpool restaurateurs Mark Friend and Steve Slater.

Having enjoyed Bistros Pierre and Jacques on numerous occasions, I felt it high time I completed the set with a visit to Bistro Franc. The quality in this trinity of gallic eateries is gratifyingly similar across the board, with rustic decor, excellent service and bargain-busting special offers. Yet Bistro Franc's setting may just out-do its elder sisters'.

On a mid-week evening Bistro Franc, larger than the Button Street and Hardman Street venues, played host to a good number of diners creating a pleasant ambiance amongst the wooden gingham-clad tables topped with candles in wine bottles.

A spacious interior and mezzanine staircase leading up to an elegant split-level dining area is further enhanced by Church House's large windows allowing light to flood in late into the evening. The light summer nights need never draw in, encouraging diners to while away their conversations and reach for another glass or plate of something delicious...

Perusing "Le Menu Juin" made for a tough choice between an equally appealing array of fine fare, not always exclusively French in origin but tantalisingly tasty nonetheless. To start I couldn't resist the Homemade Pork, Veal, Spinach and Mixed Herb Pâté served with a black cherry compote (£4.25) while my boyfriend's interest was grabbed by the "Pigeon Chassuer" - Half roast pigeon flambéed with brandy and served with a mushroom, tarragon and vine tomato sauce. (£4.95)

The pâté, neatly presented on a slice of crusty bread, with a rich and creamy texture married perfectly with the sweet cherry compote. Despite an extra helping of bread from the basket, the generous portion was devoured at lightning speed and I was assured the pigeon, having never sampled it previously, was tasty and gratifying for what at first seemed a modest portion.

Choosing from the wine list, our friendly and accommodating waitress recommended a popular red, the Rare Vineyards Pinot Noir, Vin de France (£15.95) described as "cherry and blueberry pie!", it was bursting with fruity flavours with a smooth, velvety finish.

For main I endeavoured to be reasonably healthy, steering clear of the tempting red meat dishes on offer, and opted for the Tagliatelle Portofino. - Tagliatelle pasta tossed with chicken, served with a toasted garlic croute and fresh parmesan shavings. (£9.50) and a side order of Ratatouille (£2.25). The tagliatelle tasted as fresh as if it had been made from scratch in the kitchen moments before my order. Generous, succulent chicken pieces were tossed in a gorgeous tomato and herb sauce, made all the more delicious by occasional bursts of the rich parmesan over the tastebuds. It was the best pasta dish I've sampled in a long while, with even Italian restaurants often missing the mark, Bistro Franc found a perfect balance of flavours.

My boyfriend chose the "Plat du jour" - Rack of Lamb "Persillade" - oven roast rack of lamb served with a rich red wine and rosemary reduction and finished with fresh garlic and parsley butter with assorted vegetables. (£16.95) Served pink, the lamb was neatly presented with a side dish of veg comprising of carrots, green beans, potato dauphinoise and red cabbage. Every ingredient was cooked to perfection but my boyfriend noted disappointment that, unlike in Bistro Jacques, the red cabbage was not caramelised.

Catching your eye throughout the evening as a reminder to leave some room for pud, Desserts are written on large blackboards behind the bar. Choices include a cheeseboard, crumble and profiteroles but we opted for what we imagined to be more slender choices of Lemon Cheesecake and Crème Brûlée. How wrong we were!

A huge slab of lemon cheesecake arrived, with a hint of chocolate sauce soaking into the crunchy biscuit base. I'm not usually a fan of sharp, citrus flavours but upon trying a bite, the lemon was not overpowering. While my Crème Brûlée was a reasonable size, there's no doubt hundreds of calories lay beneath the crisp layer of sugar within the thick cream. Exceedingly naughty but ever so necessary - try it!

With Special offers such as the "Sunday Wine & Dine" - 2 courses plus a bottle of wine per person £14.95, the "Lunch Rapide" - 3 courses at £8.75 served between 12pm-4.30pm daily and 'Le Pre-Theatre' offer of a 3 course dinner at just £11.90 before 7pm mid-week and 6.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, the value for money at Bistro Franc is astounding.

The formula must be working, as it seems there's no stopping messieurs Friend and Slater. Earlier this year the ambitious pair branched out further, launching the Hub Alehouse & Kitchen inside the Grade II listed Casartelli building on Hanover Street. Handily situated opposite Bistro Franc, The Hub appears equally inviting, which just might mean I'll have to complete Friend and Slater's quartet in the very near future.

8/10

For further information please visit http://www.bistrofranc.com/

Bistro Franc
Church House
Hanover Street
Liverpool
L1 3DW
0151 708 9993

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