| The first thing one sees when walking into JoJo Bistro Parisien’s new location in Marda Loop is a Fast Forward review on a mounted placard, a visit made just before JoJo closed down its old location on 17th Avenue S.W., where it built its reputation over the span of a decade. That autumn 2004 review was a positive take on an esthetically different bistro. The high-quality food itself hasn’t changed, but JoJo’s look has.
JoJo in its Marda Loop incarnation is an illuminated space filled with natural light, accented with burgundy trim and sunshine yellow walls. The sun pours into the new location, the opposite of the intimate, dark and romantic setting of its predecessor. The décor is light and lively too – framed Toulouse-Lautrec-style posters, a portrait of a waiter-costumed Yves Montand, copper pots hanging in the open kitchen and kitschy roosters above the entrance-way.
Esthetics aside, I focused on recapturing the experience of French cuisine, the sumptuous smells and rich tastes. Recently returned from a trip to the south of France, I wanted to see if a little corner of Provence in Calgary could hold its own. The answer is a simple oui.
JoJo’s offers a great selection of French wines. I chose a simple Beaujolais, the 2004 Morgon, a Georges Duboeuf selection. At $40 per bottle, it was a velvety wine with floral hints that drifted softly on the palate.
Several dozen wines are on offer, starting with house selections at $8 a glass to a list of high-end bottles, that reaches $185 for 1998 Bordeaux. If you’re feeling adventurous and money is no concern, then you are welcome to request a selection from JoJo’s Cave, the establishment’s private wine collection. You can purchase a bottle of red or white for $40 to $50 and have no worries about its palatability. The French know their grapes, mon ami.
For our appetizers, we sampled the duck pâté with green peppercorn ($9.50), and the mixed greens with smoked tuna and goat cheese ($9.50). The pâté, accompanied by some greens, wasn’t exactly melt-in-your-mouth but definitely was tasty, though perhaps somewhat ordinary. The tuna and cheese salad was reminiscent of great dishes served in France. Both the tuna and goat cheese were full-flavored and complemented by a light vinaigrette. Each appetizer was garnished with the traditional tomato and a cornichon.
The mains feature a range of classic French offerings, including rabbit, duck, bouillabaisse, as well as a Spanish option, paella Valencia. We stuck with a Provençal standard, bouillabaisse, billed as "a medley of fish and seafood in a fennel and tomato broth" ($27), and also chose the duck magret, with black currant berries and calvados ($25). If you wish to try the selections of the day, the "table d’hote" includes the soup of the day, an appetizer, an entrée and dessert for $35.
The bouillabaisse did sing, as advertised, offering up succulently-prepared salmon, scallops, shrimp, mussels and filet of sole. The duck was scrumptious, as was the berry pottage that accompanied it. The dish was topped off with julienne vegetables and a roasted potato. Magnifique!
With the day’s light fading, we readied for dessert and without hesitation asked for the traditional Muscat de Beaumes de Venise dessert wine ($7 a glass), only to be told that it wasn’t available and that, most likely, Muscat wouldn’t show its face around these parts much this year. Sacré bleu! Instead, we were offered a wonderfully chosen house selection, a favourite of the proprietor’s daughter (who also was our chef for the evening). The substitute sated our desires. Alongside the sweet wine, the Grande Marnier crème caramel ($6) was slightly disappointing. Tasting like it was fresh from the fridge, the dessert was a bit too cold and saucy, slightly deflating the denouement of our France-in-Calgary dining endeavour.
It was a quiet and delightful Tuesday and the bistro was warm and homey, though 33rd Avenue isn’t quite the same as a small lane in a hundreds-of-years-old village (or even 17th Avenue). But, it’s worth the jump outside downtown, and JoJo’s long established reputation is very much intact. Le grande total was $160, for two, including wine, tax and tip. The same meal might cost much less in France, but, considering the cost of airfare, JoJo is the next best choice.
JoJo Bistro Parisien is located at 101 — 2215 33rd Avenue S.W.; phone number, 246-0082. |
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