Stopped in for a quick meal, heard was a great spot to try while visiting town. Was blown away by…read morehow delicious the food was. Had the pork jowl and was mind blowing. Then after some conversation with the bartender, pull the trigger on the burger of all things. Again, wasn't expecting something so common to be uncommonly amazing. And to note, the fries may have been some of the best i have ever eaten. Sounded to simple to be amazing, but was elevated with an incredible flavor profile. This place is a gem, and the chef and his FOH crew are killing it!!

There's a certain romance people expect when they step into a French brasserie--the low hum of…read moreconversation, the clink of glasses, a dimly lit room that whispers rather than shouts. Brasserie L'Ecole leans hard into that mood. Maybe a little too hard. Look, I get it. Lighting can be seductive. It can soften edges, blur imperfections, make everyone feel like they're in on something intimate and vaguely cinematic. But there's a fine line between ambiance and obscurity, and this place crosses it with confidence. When the room is dark enough that you're squinting to make out what's on your plate--when you can't even appreciate the color of the food you're about to eat--you start to wonder who this is really for. Diners? Or vampires? And then the food arrives. Let's talk about the French onion soup gratinée--the kind of dish that should feel like a warm, savory embrace. Deep, rich broth. Sweet, slow-cooked onions. That molten cap of cheese pulling apart in long, indulgent strands. Instead, what lands in front of you is a salt delivery system disguised as comfort food. A few spoonfuls in and your palate is already waving the white flag. It's not nuanced, not layered--just aggressively, relentlessly salty. A blunt instrument where a scalpel should be. You start thinking about wine. You *want* wine. But then reality kicks in: what's the point? Pairing anything with this level of salinity feels like pouring a decent bottle straight into the ocean. Whatever subtlety, whatever character the wine might have had--it doesn't stand a chance. Then comes the brasserie burger. In theory, a reliable fallback. In practice? More of the same. Heavy-handed seasoning that bulldozes everything else on the plate. After the soup, it's not just overkill--it's a slog. Each bite feels like work. Finishing it becomes less about enjoyment and more about stubbornness. By the end of the meal, you're not lingering over dessert or debating another glass. You're reaching for water. Lots of it. The kind of deep, desperate hydration that feels less like refreshment and more like recovery. Like you've just spent an afternoon face down on the shores of the Dead Sea. There's a good restaurant hiding in here somewhere; since the service is spot on, buried beneath the darkness, buried beneath the salt. But as it stands, the experience feels less like a Parisian escape and more like a test of endurance. Cheers or Jeers.. .up to you.

Been here many times and well worth the drive from University Place where we live…read more The menu has expanded along with the wines available. The ambiance has increased from a 6 to an 8 or 9. The food and presentation has remained a solid 10 out of 10. We enjoyed 2 appetizers, 1 salad that we shared, 2 entrees 2 deserts, 2 coffee's and 1 bottle of a very nice Southern Rhone wine for a price that was at least 1/3 less the cost of their value. Lamb shanks and duck breast in a reduced cherry sauce that was perfectly prepared, presented and served. I am very particular about duck even if you can find it on a menu. It was a 12. If you miss this dining experience you lose. This is European chefing at its finest. In Parkland no less. A 3 or 4 times a year type of fine dining place. Yes, we eat out often and know our stuff.

I felt compelled to update my review based on two factors, a small friendly, family owned…read morerestaurant serving phenomenal meals at reasonable prices and a great experience for French dining. Now, for the very important note: I've been Yelping for a long time and really try to base my reviews on the honest experience I've had... However I've noticed over the years some "yelpers" are always reviewing with 1 star, looking at their profile and seeing Every place they've been at; only receives 1 star? Speaks volumes! Honestly, Some are legit but do your own research before buying into the 1 star reviews!

Absolutely 5 Stars! O & T was my choice for my Birthday Dinner and it did not disappoint! We…read morerequested to sit upstairs for a more intimate dining experience and we had a lovely table by window with a water view. They had one bottle left of one of our favorite wines so we snagged it up and it ended up being one of my top 5 dinners of all time! We had the Oysters and Snowgoose Field Green Salad to start - for our mains, He had the Cioppino and I had the Scallops (of course!) both were amazing and our compliments to the Chef!

Came here with my husband on a rare date night. I was REALLY excited about this place. The menu had…read morea lot of our favorite dishes. For starters, we ordered the artisan bread, a dozen oysters, and the beet salad. As someone who bakes and sells my own artisan sourdough, I was underwhelmed by the bread. I liked the touch of truffle they add to it but it needed salt. And it also needed to be on the table well before the 35 minutes we waited for it. The oysters were also not very memorable. I can't remember what one of the varieties was, but they were brinier than I care for but that's just a personal preference. The kumamotos were the TINIEST oysters I've ever seen. I've eaten my share of kumamotos and I know Japanese oysters are generally smaller and sweeter than other varieties (which is why they're my favorite) , but I'm not exaggerating when I say they were the size of quarter. I also didn't like the frozen mignonette they served as an accoutrement. It didn't seem frozen--it spread like jam. It didn't really taste like vinegar or shallot like mignonette should. It was just not very good. The beet salad was EXCELLENT. The chèvre was generous, the bitter micro greens tasted great with the beets and chèvre. It was well seasoned. We devoured it. For entrees, I had the dayboat scallops and my husband had the duck leg. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the leek risotto was very tasty. I'm not really sure what I was supposed to do with the pickled lemon on my plate. I tried to eat a small piece with the other elements and it was so overpowering that I left the rest on my plate. Now let's talk about the protein--my $52 scallop dish came with THREE scallops. Not even whole scallops as I'm pretty sure they were cut in half to cook more evenly. Three small 1/2 scallops and two cubes of pork belly. For Fifty-two dollars. My husband enjoyed the duck, but again, the portions were disappointing. $230 later, we ended up going through a drive through because we were still hungry. Unlikely we'd return after such an expensive meal left us so unsatisfied.

I came here for brunch with a friend a few months ago, and it was such a lovely experience (totally…read moreforgot to write a review until now though lol). I HAD to order the French onion soup (practically a mandatory order for me whenever I see it on a menu). Le Sel Bistro definitely met my expectations because it was rich and flavorful with plenty of cheesy, savory goodness. Mmmm! Definitely had me satisfied along with my entrée. I ordered the Pork Belly Benedict, and it was absolutely delicious. I love me a good pork belly and this was a unique twist on the classic Eggs Benedict that I had to try, adding a savory flavor that complemented the dish perfectly. Everything was cooked well and beautifully presented. My friend ordered the (classic? Daily special?) French toast and completely demolished his plate before I had even finished mine! It looked incredible, and by how quickly it disappeared, we agreed it tasted pretty good (I had a small bite). The ambience and décor are exquisite, creating a cozy yet elegant atmosphere that's perfect for a leisurely brunch. We dined indoors, enjoyed a great conversation over our meal, and never felt rushed. The customer service was friendly, welcoming, and attentive throughout our visit. While the prices are a bit high if you're comparing it to a typical breakfast spot, they're exactly what I'd expect from a bistro. I'd recommend budgeting at least $25+ per person if you're ordering a meal. Between the quality of the food, the inviting atmosphere, and the excellent service, I felt it was well worth the price. I would totally recommend this as a fancy breakfast location and would return to try more of the menu.

We went here for Easter! This little hole in the way place…read moreis so cute! They have outside seating that's covered and heated. The food and drinks was amazing ! The staff was super friendly. We will definitely be back again!

Great vibes and good food. There can be a line and there's limited seating. Menu can be hard to…read moreread on the chalk board so ask if you're confused. Wine was great, beef tartare wasn't my favourite but there's a mushroom dish I really liked. Small plates so if you want to be full, get the dish or more bread.

So this is a very delayed review. Due to the holidays and life getting in the way but I wanted to…read moremake sure I write this because I had such a great experience here that I'm still thinking about it. My partner and I are just in the beginning stages of wine education and we absolutely loved this place. The selection of reds are amazing and yes the cursive on the chalk board is hard to focus on at a distance but you just have to read. Not too hard. Laura was an amazing guide and I could not get enough of her, she took really good care of us. She was knowledgeable, effervescent, with just a touch of sassiness; which my partner and I live for!!!! She really made our night. Great vibes all around and I feel like I really learned something about French wines and just wine overall. When I come back to downtown I will be sure to frequent this wine bar because, honey. I'm a fan!!!!!

Wow what a great experience. Would go all the time if I lived closer. It's a must stop and…read moreexperience. Reservation required.

On our first visit we found the food inconsistent. The coq au vin and the lamb were tough and…read moresalty. The salads and appetizers were quite good. The service was attentive. It was a decent experience but not very satisfying. While we weren't thrilled with our first visit, the atmosphere is lovely so we decided to try again when we had visitors from out of town. It didn't go well. We had horrible service on our second visit, though the food was much better the second time. First they got upset because I wanted an appetizer as my entree and had to get permission from the owner. We were a table of five and were ordering many drinks and appetizers for the whole table, plus a soup for myself in addition to my desired appetizer and the other four at the table all got entrees, so it wasn't like we weren't spending but I still needed to seek permission, like I wasn't an adult with agency. Our server was MIA for most of our meal after that. He rarely checked back. Apparently, the good service is saved for his regulars. This was specifically told to me by our server who made us wait for almost an hour after our meal before tending to us again as "he had been busy with his regulars". All five of us had wanted dessert and after dinner drinks, but we had waited so long we just went home. I guess they have enough "regulars" and don't need more as we won't be returning in the foreseeable future.

A quaint and quiet place to enjoy and excellent meal. The…read moreScallops and Pork belly are incredible as well as the duck. Very reasonable prices for the food quality and taste.

Good food. Relaxed atmosphere with good service. Menu could rotate more to seasonal foods…read more Enjoyable and would come back