Located just off Belfast’s Lisburn Road is a chic little bistro that you just might miss, that is if it wasn’t for the massive Eiffel Tower statue situated out front.
La Bastille boasts Parisian style dinning with authentic cuisine, local meat, fish, poulty and vegetables and is a true gem in Northern Ireland’s restaurant scene.
Inside is decorated with rich colours and wooden seating and there’s an outside alfresco dining area if you’re feeling brave. Overall the decoration is classy and distinctly Parisian without being gaudy or exaggerated.
There are various menus for you to check out on their website, but on Wednesdays and Fridays they do an excellent 2 for 1 steak night if you ask them about it on arrival.
For starters we sampled the Moules Marinières (mussels) and Panier de baguettes fraîche avec beurre (homemade breads). The bread was simple and freshly baked and there was plenty of it, definitely enough to share between a few; while the mussels were flavourful and cooked perfectly.
For main course, the filet (fillet steak served with potato and bacon roulade, onion soubise and mushroom duxelle). Now I’m not exactly sure what a soubise or a duxelle are, but I can tell you that they are delicious. The fillet was a massive hunk of meat that was cooked to order and is honestly one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long long time, perfectly complimented by the mushroom and the potato which were equally as good.
We also tried the Bœuf Bourguignon (beef bourguignon) which melted in your mouth and was presented beautifully, and the Lapin (Rabbit) which was stuffed with black pudding, served with buttered parsley potatoes, broccoli and radish.
Over all, this was a top class meal and the 2 for 1 deal is not one to be missed. The food is fresh and innovative, with hearty portion sizes and great value for money. With such variety and quality on the menu, we’ll definitely be back soon to sample some more.
