Qu’est-ce que Jules Bistro? Just the best French food in Happy Valley

COCONUTS CRITIC’S TABLE – Sai Ying Pun might be considered the French nucleus of Hong Kong for its large community of Gallic expats, but there’s a homestyle hidden gem bringing a little Paris to Happy Valley.

Jules Bistro was started by Laurent Brouard, formerly Chez Patrick’s catering chef until he launched this humble little restaurant. Opened late last year to little fanfare, the unassuming Jules Bistro – the name is an homage to his grandfather – has been building a loyal and solid clientele purely through word of mouth.
 

Exterior

The look of the neighbourhood joint is faithful to a traditional French café, with country-style furnishings and decoration. The tables are a little crowded, but that doesn’t seem to bother anyone who’s a regular. A shelf of books is arranged so that pictures of chefs Joel Robuchon and Pierre Gagnaire are smiling out at customers. But Brouard’s menu is far more conservative than what those culinary superstars prepare in their kitchens. 
 


Interior

The casual bistro’s focus is on simple classic fare. The menu, printed on the paper placemat, only has a few items in each section, including iconic classics like escargots, onion soup, and frog’s legs. There’s nothing fancy about the place. Even the wine is served in stubby 1970s style chalice glasses with short stems. 

The terrines and sausages are homemade and, as expected in any self-respecting French restaurant, there’s a good selection of French wine and cheese – including a fondue main course offering. Brouard always has a board of specials as extensive as the regular menu. On this day, it included everything from tuna and lamb chops to beef bourguignon. 
 

Pork Rillettes 

We stuck with the regular kitchen offerings such as the shared plate of homemade Pork Rillettes (HKD88). The 120-gram portion was served in a yogurt tub, which is a very generous size for the price, along with a few pieces of toast, a few cornichons and a side salad. 

The rillettes were meaty and not too gelatinous, a sign that the chef is using good cuts of pork and not much filler. But I do wish it was warmed slightly to room temperature before serving. For a European chef, Brouard also has a light hand with seasoning. Personally, I don’t mind less salt, but those who like stronger-flavoured food might disagree in this regard. 
 

Roasted Quarter Chicken

The Roasted Quarter Chicken – a corn-fed “Poulet Jaune” from France – is a bargain at only HKD128. Roast chicken is a specialty at Jules, and they’ve placed the rotisserie behind the counter as testament. 

The bird didn’t disappoint. On my dark meat serving, the thigh’s strip of skin was crispier than any grilled chicken I’ve had lately. The meat, while not quite falling off the bone, was moist and tender. The accompanying veggies were a bit bland, but the mash was butter-rich and smooth as silk. 
 

Steak Frites

Another bistro staple, the Steak Frites (HKD198) appeared to be a skirt cut of very tender beef presented in the same Creuset pan as the chicken, with the same vegetable medley too. There was a choice of a cheese or porcini mushroom sauce, plus homemade fries. 

Brouard doesn’t do much to the steak because he doesn’t need to with a quality piece of produce. The surprise here was the thickly cut fries. He also chose an American variety of spud that was almost sweet potato-like in flavour and texture. 

As if to underscore his small bistro approach, Brouard cuts down on wastage by keeping his stock to a minimum. At the end of each evening, it’s no surprise to find most of his customer favourites and specials are sold out. That’s what we discovered when we enquired about the in-season Peach Tart special. Sorry, all gone, he apologetically informs. 
 


Crème Brulee 

Instead, we were directed to the Crème Brûlée (HKD58). Rather than a deep ramekin dish, the dessert was served on a thin plate so each spoonful got a nice heaping of the gorgeous vanilla custard and the caramelised top. It was a very worthy substitute for the tart.

I can see why Jules Bistro is the kind of neighbourhood diner one can easily fall in love with. And it seems many already have. 

Jules Bistro, 13-15 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley, (+852) 2838-1115.
   
 


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