l'Bistro

‘l Bistro
Canad Inns Destination Centre
Health Sciences Centre
720 William Ave
R3E 3J7
204-594-9472
Fax:  204-505-1521

As part of the bridge between Baby Boomers and Gen X, it means that I see a lot more relatives, parents and friends moving into the golden years than ever before.  Unfortunately, it also means a lot more visits to the hospitals.  In the past while, I made a number of visits to the cafeteria in the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) and let’s just say that it’s not worth more than a couple of sentences here.  The sandwiches taste old, stale and hard, and the pizzas resemble Frisbees.  It’s a very bad omen when Salisbury House carries the flag for the cafeteria.  The Sal’s burnt toast, puck-like burger patties and grease-dripping fries dictate that you cannot find a palatable meal here.

Fortunately, Canad Inns opened a location, conveniently attached to the HSC.  Although Canad Inns’s restaurants don’t serve great foods, they offer some passable options.  This location features a quaint little eatery called l’Bistro.  From a distance, the dining room looks elegant yet casual, subdued yet alive.  The dark wood ambiance gives a relaxed feeling, yet the array of sports screens adds excitement.  I can do without the plastic plants though, which look as sterile as the adjacent operating rooms.  ‘l Bistro also offers a takeout menu, in case you want to bring something into the hospital.

The menu concentrates on Italian selections, which coincides with the small, but adequate buffet.  The attendants replenish the warming trays frequently, so if you use some surgical precision, you can grab yourself some al dente pasta and avoid the overheated mush.   The white and the red sauces taste a bit bland, but both blow the heck out of the slop you would find in the cafeteria.  As a bonus, the prices of the buffet and off the menu are very reasonable, meaning that you won’t spend much more than you would if you stay in the hospital. 

The buffet also has salad, with fresh and green leaves, but my favourite is the pizza.  Again, you need to use some guile as you don’t want to end up with a cold or stale slab.  During the rush hours, you should be fine as fresh pies come out frequently—be sure to get up there fast so that your slices remain hot.  Also beware that a variety of pizzas come out of the kitchen.  If you don’t like the one on the shelf, hang tight and see what comes next. 

The pizzas here come with nice sized chunks of vegetables and measurable morsels of meat.  The sauce tastes a bit bland but the plentiful cheese makes up for it as each piece pulls away with delicious strings of goo.   The competent crust holds it all together, and if you want, the dining room is licenced so you can enjoy the beer and pizza break before heading back to the HSC.

***½ / 5

This is a free product that I'm happy to bring to you.  If you enjoyed reading this, please consider clicking on the accompanying ads.  This is the only payment I receive for offering this public service.  Thank you as always for reading.

'L Bistro on Urbanspoon


Comments