French Bistros ideally should always be bustling and that was certainly the case at La Cigale even in the early hours on last Friday night. La Cigale is French for a cicada, an insect similar but not related to locusts, so it’s somewhat fitting that patrons tend to flock to this place. The restaurant is owned by Bridgette Raye and her son Kevin Raye is behind the stoves. The Raye’s were previously part of La Régalade, in West Vancouver, a timeless treasure, that is now run solely by Alain Raye, Bridgette’s ex-husband.

As opposed to West Vancouver’s La Régalade, Fourth Avenue’s La Cigale’s room is more modern with various shades of grey on the floors and banquettes, and an appealing and conversation-worthy chandelier made from upside down wine bottles.  While some dishes may be similar to La Régalade, La Cigale’s ever-changing menu does show that the younger Raye has a mind of his own.

When guests arrive they are presented with a chalkboard of specials along with the regular menu while French music softly plays in the background and servers rapidly bring appropriately paired wines once you order. This time we opted for the French Onion Soup, Escargots and Duck Confit and the necessary order of French baguette, which does cost extra but is totally worth it, especially with the side of excellently garlicky Olive Tapenade.

The Escargots were tender and came topped with plenty of herbs, but I would have liked more garlic in the sauce.

The soup came crusty and hot, full of depth that can only be achieved with a well-executed broth; a meal in itself.

The Duck Confit was rich, a stunning success, and served over potatoes that appeared to be also done with plenty of care and a good dollop of duck fat.

On previous visits we’ve sampled various dishes such as the beet salad, various versions of the daily catch, and some excellent braised short ribs. For the most part we left feeling well-looked after, although on one visit we did concur that the halibut cheeks, were cheekily too small a dish for the price they were asking. La Cigale tends to be more of a splurge once you factor in sides, or order some of the more pricey dishes, although you could get away with just a pasta and leave with a bill close to the $15 mark before tip and taxes.

We never got around to dessert here but have heard the chocolate mousse is worth saving room for, but there’s more than just sweets that will ensure we will return to this rather charming locale.

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