by GENEVIEVE PAIEMENT

When it comes to eating out, it’s the little things that can bring so much pleasure. Friendly, knowledgeable service, uncomplicated food done just right and value for your money—often that’s all it takes to make a meal memorable.

Diminutive and unassuming, Bistro Justine opened just over a year ago on Van Horne in leafy, bourgeois Outremont. And ever since, it’s been wowing diners with deliciously simple, dependable French bistro fare at decidedly rock-bottom prices. Within a two-block radius of Bistro Justine, there are more than a half-dozen lauded French restos, running the gamut from fine dining to casual (les Chevres, Christophe, le Chou, Paris Beurre, le Bistingo) and while she might not be the head of the class, la petite Justine can definitely hold her own.

What you will not find at Bistro Justine: esoteric menus where any reference to archaic categories such as entrées, mains and desserts have been thoughtfully eradicated; towers of baby vegetables spritzed with cappuccino-esque froth; miniscule slivers of meat fanned out on a giant white plate and drizzled with essence of something-or-other; pretentious servers; try-hard fusion dishes.

What you will find: well-executed, unpretentious cuisine typique. Soup of the day is $3, entrees and salads are $5, mains are about $12 to $15, dessert is $4.50, wines by the glass go for about $5, and a lunch special (soup and main-size salad) sets you back $9.

As soon as you sit down, a generous basket of fresh and delicious baguette appears before you. Always a good omen. And none of this Oliver Twist-ish begging for more—the bread keeps a comin till that last drop of sauce has been sopped up from your plate. Yum!

On a recent Friday night visit, the place was alive with a raucous group of middle-aged francophone couples celebrating a birthday. My two dining companions started with the soup, a delicately flavoured potage of vegetables with cumin oil, and the salmon with grilled pineapple, respectively, while I opted for the salade de chèvre chaud on mesclun. The salmon was a trifle overpowered by the sweetness of the pineapple, but my salad was a perfect marriage of creamy chèvre goodness and refreshing, vinaigrette-coated greens. We also shared the foie gras with grilled peaches—the golden-pink nugget of pâté and toast paired wonderfully with the slender and lightly syrupy (but not sickly sweet) peach slices.

For mains, I went for the haddock with herb crust served with ratatouille ($13.50), and my fellow chowhounds chose the braised lamb shank with diced veg ($13.75) and the filet mignon with gratin dauphinois ($14.95). “It’s like butter!” the lamb-eater cooed as he sliced into his luscious, saucy shank, the meat falling away from the bone, seemingly of its own accord. We paired all this with an outstanding The Mill cabernet-merlot from Cowra in New South Wales, Australia ($36). Crikey, was it good—light enough not to overwhelm the fish, full-bodied enough to stand up to the beef and lamb.

The herb crust on my haddock had a delightfully subtle crunch that complimented the flavoursome drizzle of bright green basil-infused olive oil. The fluffy mashed potatoes on which the fish was perched added to the mix of delicate tastes and textures and the ratatouille made for a harmonious match. As for the steak, its red wine reduction sauce was deemed overpowering, but the meat was of such great quality, so tender and cooked to perfection (medium rare, glistening pink on the inside), and the accompanying creamy dauphinois potatoes were so luscious, that this slight aberration was nearly completely forgiven.

Finally, it was time for our happy ending: dessert. We opted for the crème brulée, the cherry clafouti (a flan-like cake) and the dark chocolate and pear truffles. Again, nothing out of the ordinary, all oldies-but-goodies, done just right. It seems the people behind Bistro Justine have taken that old adage about “a good thing” to heart: they’ve got it, and they’re not messing with it. Let’s hope they keep it up for years to come.

Bistro Justine
ADDRESS: 1268 Van Horne
PHONE: 277-2728
HOURS: Mon-Fri, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sat 5-10:30 p.m.; closed Sun
BEST FEATURES: Tasty, charming, cheap
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Small step up
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: So-so
CREDIT CARD: Yes
PRICE: $9–$25 per person before wine and tip
RATING: *** out of ****