BISTRO PICCOLO, 770
MARINE DRIVE, WEST
VANCOUVER, 926-0833.
WHEELCHAIR’ .ACCESSI-
BLE. VISA, MASTERCARD,
AMERICAN EXPRESS AC-
CEPTED.

IT IS extremely heartening, while slogging along the grease
and gravy-spattered restaurant beat, to chronicle the sur-
vival of restaurants like Bistro Piccolo.

Just over three years ago, Hans
Kaltenbach launched Bistro Pic-
coloin the overly sweet environs of
what for so long was one of West
Vancouver's primary sources of ice
cream.

table hopping”

He opened with a marvellous
overture to better cuisine, and,
apart from a one-person waiting
staff, Kaltenbach continues his
Piccolo solo, playing for an ap-
preciative and extremely loyal
clientele.

But he has been unable, despite
the overall quality of the Piccolo’s
food, to shake completely from
North Shore dining minds the ice
cream and whipped topping image
encrusting its triangular locale.

This is good for thosé who
patronize Bistro Piccolo, but less
good for haute cuisine trackers
who have yet to discover it and
Kaltenbach himself, who deserves
a much larger audience for his tal-
ents. a

Bistro Piccolo menu has chang-
ed only slightly since the last time
it was scrutinized by the Table
Hopping bureau.~ ‘

' Because of Kaitenbach’s low .-
staff overhead (Bistro Piccolo
‘could have its annual staff party in
a telephone booth) menu prices
represent extremely good value.

Entrees for diners grande range
between an $8.95 Breast of
Chicken Kiev and a $12.70 Pep-
persteak in a Crepe, while diners
petite can get away with a good
meal from the Piccolo’s light en-
tree selection, which features prices
pared to between $6 to $9 and
dishes ranging from Steak and
Mushroom Pie ($6.50) to Gourmet
Toast ($7.50 for a Filet Mignon,
peach half, pineapple and Hollan-
daise sauce aboard toast).

The restaurant’s atmosphere is
entirely dependent upon its
clientele: no loud themes, over-
powering music or overbearing
waiters at Bistro Piccolo, only the
glorious odors of excellent food
and the occasional crackle of en-
thusiastic conversation from
discerning customers who have had
the good fortune to have stumbled
upon the restaurant.

Also, for those who break into
cold sweats from fear of not fin-
ding a parking space whenever

considering a night on the town,
Bistro Piccolo has acres of nearby
Park Royal parking at its disposal.

A four-piece Table Hopping
party took a recent Saturday night
sniff and savor through the Pic-
colo's offerings.

Openers included Leck and
Potato Soup ($2.95), a thick, Ma-
vor-rich broth plugged with slabs

of potato and adrift with leek tops.

Around the table I spotted
Spinach Leaves ($2.95), dressed in

. asimple herb vinaigrette; and

Mushroom Caps Bourguignonne

($3.95), stuffed (as is my wife’s

wont) with herb butter and cheese.
Several head nods and ap-

preciative mutterings indicated

17 - Friday, Maret 4, 198% —- North Shore News

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

BISTRO PICCGLO owner and head chef Hans Kaltenbach
presents a Chicken Kiev in his West Vancouver restaurant.
Kaltenbach and his histro are two of the best kept culinary
secrets west of Marine Drive.

majority pleasure with the Kalten-
bachian symphony.

In the orchestral entree move-
ment, I could not resist the Pic-
colo’s first-rate Steak Tartare ($9),
partially because Kaltenbach
prepares the raw meat classic to
perfection, and partially because |
have harbored a soft spot for the
dish ever since | was introduced to
it in Lisbon’s famed Avis restau-
rant.

At the Piccolo, the dish,
prepared with anchovies, capers, a
dash of brandy, and flourishes of
paprika, cayenne and black pep-
pers, can be ordered to varying
degrces of spiciness. | chose a me-
dium hot, which was extremely
pleasant and far from overwhelm-
ing.

The meat and four delicate tri-
angles of full grain Nat bread were
surrounded with a veritable
vegetable and accoutrement
garden: red onion slices,
mushrooms, red peppers, pickles,
chopped white onions, Poupon
mustard and capers.

Around the table, Quails St.
Hubertus ($10.50), bathed in a rich
Burgundy wine sauce, Zurichet
Geschnetzeltes ($10.95 veal ina
wine and cream sauce) and Breast
of Chicken Kiev ($8.95) were all
being devoured with suitably ap-
preciative grunts, Entree vegetables
were carrots, snow peas and baked
pototoes.

Piccolo veterans will not need to
be told, but those who have never
been must be sure to sample the
restaurant's superb Sour Cream
Cake ($2.85), which is baked by
Kaltenbach. :

It is a delicious compilation of
yellow cake layers separated with

3] - sour cream filling and raspberry

bottom end. The icing is rich but
not too sweet.

Bistro Piccolo continues to
persevere despite occasional ne-
glect. The North Shore’s
gastronomic horizon is far brighter
for it.

Open Monday to Saturday for
lunch and dinner.

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