With its large front windows facing Tomkins Park and 17th Avenue Southwest, Parc Café and Brasserie strives to make French cuisine approachable, casual and pleasurable. It often comes with preconceptions about snooty waiters and haute cuisine, but Parc manager Nicholas Hewton describes it in a down-to-earth way. “French food is the basis for a lot of what we have in Canada. Stews and braises are things people have been doing for hundreds of years. It doesn’t have to be ultra-fine dining for very few people.”
Launched by the Creative Group in 2015, Parc breaks from the Italian cuisine served at its sister establishments Bonterra Trattoria and Cibo. However, it features their friendly, community-restaurant approach. This approachability manifests itself in Parc’s appearance. It's a large, upscale café one might imagine finding in Paris, where people talk about life over wine and food. Nicholas describes the room as two restaurants in one. The front (with its bar, high ceilings and black-and-white tile floors) is high-energy and bustling. The back is quieter and much more like an intimate French bistro.
Please note for parties of 8 or more, a gratuity of 18% will be added to the bill and one bill will be presented to the table
fresh berries
granola and yoghurt
house made pastries
classic onion soup
house marinated olives
chicken liver parfait, caramelized shallot, crystallized maple, crostini
beef tartare, pickled onion, egg, crostini
foie gras torchon, ginger beet jelly, brioche
seared tuna, pickled vegetables, mixed greens, olives
Yukon gold fries, smoked lemon salt
mixed greens, pumpkin seeds, apple cider maple vinaigrette
butter lettuce, endive, spiced cashews, blue cheese, croutons, grapes
quiche, leeks, double smoked bacon, gruyere cheese
spiced beluga lentils, sunny side up eggs, house made merguez, winter squash
lamb neck parmentier
lacquered pork belly, celeriac remoulade, poached and pickled apple
croque madame, elquin ham, gruyere cheese, bechemel, sunny side up egg
daily omelette, roasted potatoes
duck confit, greens, pumpkin seeds, apple cider vinaigrette
beef chuck burger, double smoked bacon, gruyere cheese, tomato confit, lettuce, aioli
steak trites, charred leek mushroom peppercorn sauce
brie stuffed french toast, blue berry compote
two eggs with bacon or sausage or ham, lyonnaise potato, toast
brioche and mushrooms, two poached eggs
smoked salmon
Elquin ham
spinach and mushroom
fresh berries
two eggs
lyonnaise potato
toulouse sausage
double smoked bacon
toast and preserves
classic onion soup
house marinated olives
beef tartare, pickled onion, egg, crostini
brioche and mushrooms
chicken liver parfait, caramelized shallot, crystallized maple, crostini
seared tuna, pickled vegetables, mixed greens, olives
foie gras torchon, ginger beet jelly, brioche
Yukon gold fries, smoked lemon salt
braised leeks, fourme d'ambert blue cheese, walnuts, brown butter brioche crumb
tomato confit, smoked brandade, pickled mustard, caramelized shallot, aioli
mixed greens, pumpkin seeds, apple cider maple vinaigrette
roasted and pickled beets, chefs whim
butter lettuce, endive, spiced cashews, blue cheese, croutons, grapes
micro greens, roasted butternut squash, lardon, chevre, sherry vinaigrette
mussels, double smoked bacon, onions, cider
lacquered pork belly, celeriac remoulade, poached and pickled apple
croque madame, elquin ham, gruyere cheese, bechemel, sunny side up egg
white navy bean cassoulet
duck confit, greens, pumpkin seeds, apple cider vinaigrette
beef chuck burger, double smoked bacon, gruyere cheese, tomato confit, lettuce, aioli
lamb neck parmentier
confit pork shoulder, swiss chard, charred cauliflower, soubise
chicken, brussels sprout, lardons, red wine, pearl onions
veal breast, barley risotto, shitake mushroom, carrot
steak frites, charred leek mushroom peppercorn sauce
spiced beluga lentils, arctic char,house made merguez, winter squash
classic onion soup
house marinated olives
beef tartare, pickled onion, egg, crostini
brioche and mushrooms
chicken liver parfait, caramelized shallot, crystallized maple, crostini
seared tuna, pickled vegetables, mixed greens, olives
foie gras torchon, ginger beet jelly, brioche
Yukon gold fries, smoked lemon salt
braised leeks, fourme d'ambert blue cheese, walnuts, brown butter brioche crumb
tomato confit, smoked brandade, pickled mustard, caramelized shallot, aioli
mixed greens, pumpkin seeds, apple cider maple vinaigrette
roasted and pickled beets, chefs whim
butter lettuce, endive, spiced cashews, blue cheese, croutons, grapes
micro greens, roasted butternut squash, lardon, chevre, sherry vinaigrette
quiche, leeks, double smoked bacon, gruyere cheese
spiced beluga lentils, arctic char, house made merguez, winter squash
lamb neck parmentier
lacquered pork belly, celeriac remoulade, poached and pickled apple
mussels, double smoked bacon, onions, cider
daily omelette, roasted potatoes, mixed greens, pickled onion
duck confit, greens, pumpkin seeds, apple cider vinaigrette
glazed carrots and shitake mushroom barley risotto
chicken, brussels sprout, lardons, red wine, pearl onions
beef chuck burger, double smoked bacon, gruyere cheese, tomato confit, lettuce, aioli
croque madame, elquin ham, gruyere cheese, bechemel, sunny side up egg
white navy bean cassoulet
confit pork shoulder, swiss chard, charred cauliflower, soubise
steak trites, charred leek mushroom peppercorn sauce
Crème Brûlée
white chocolate, vanilla bean
Mousse au Chocolat
crème fraîche, cherry compote
Baba au Rhum
chantilly cream
Tarte au Citron Meringuée
lemon curd, sablée, black currant, meringue
Profiteroles
crème fraîche ice cream, expresso chocolate sauce
Madeleines
baked to order
Cheese Plate
selection of three
Cheese Plate
selection of five
Drinks
Wine ,Café, Thé, Expresso
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With its black-and-white checkered floors, white subway-tiled walls and giant portrait of Serge Gainsbourg in the back, everything about Parc feels authentically French. With a menu featuring French mainstays like beef tartare, steak frites and cassoulet, the look of the place accentuates the spirit of the food.
View this Smart ListCalgary’s French restaurant scene has exploded in recent years, and Parc serves some of the tastiest casual French food in the city. On the indulgent end of the spectrum (and really, with added Béarnaise, cheese and butter sauces, a good chunk of the menu falls into this category), be sure to take a look at the foie gras torchon, chicken liver pâté, lacquered pork belly and lamb-neck Parmentier.
View this Smart ListA proper Parisian-style brasserie should serve an excellent beef tartare and Parc, thankfully, does not disappoint. Served in the traditional style with pickled onion, egg and crostini, Parc’s expertly seasoned tartare is available either as an appetizer or an entree.
View this Smart List