This French bistro is simply one of the best places to eat in Leicester. Yes, it's part of a chain, but the food is deliciously continental and the wine list is just great. A lot of attention is paid to both, and there's no chance of disappointment.

The Venue
Le Bistrot Pierre is pretty from the outside, where wood panels with art nouveau floral reliefs frame the windows. It's difficult to walk past without stopping to admire this piece of France in the Midlands.

Inside, the place is dominated by yellow and dark wood. Portions of the walls have frescos imitating famous impressionist paintings. Elsewhere, stripes of newspapers create a grid of the wall and in other corners plenty of wine labels cover the bricks.

Le Bistrot Pierre is bright and elegantly old-fashioned. The staircase leading to the toilets has pretty metalwork with a grape motif and elsewhere you'll see wooden cupboards stacked with bottles of wine and Champagne, like in the rustic French tradition. A piano is in use in the evenings when dining becomes a slightly more upmarket experience.

The People
Le Bistrot Pierre has a quiet crowd both for lunch and for dinner. At midday there are older couples and young families as well as small groups of mums with or without their babies.

Later on, the place becomes a discreet, but still rather informal, spot for dinner. A few of the men wear blazers while the women may wear a couple of pieces of jewellery, but as the tables are completely private there's no pressure to dress up.

It's halfway between upmarket and French rustic. There are no tablecloths but the windows have red and cream curtains like a Parisian cafe. The French signs add to the atmosphere but you don't have to dust-up your rusty French to order as the staff are English.

The Food
Expect delicate flavours and generous portions, even for the set lunch. It's clear Le Bistrot Pierre is committed to quality food and ingredients. Their menus, different for lunch, dinner, early bird and for their special evenings, are rich with special preparations and fresh ingredients.

Entrees (£3.50 to £5) from the Menu A La Carte include croquettes de poisson (fried fish cakes) with wilted spinach and provencale sauce or filet de mulet rouge, a pan-fried fillet of red mullet with ratatouille, olive oil and lemon and brioche et champignons, a brioche served with creamy wild mushrooms and Alsace bacon.

Then carry on either with the grilled steaks (£9 to £13.50) or with one of their plats (£9 to £13). Pick from Agneau braise aux lentilles, a lamb rump with puy lentils, shallots, garlic croutons and smoked bacon, or the morue with sauce bouillabaisse, a roasted cod fillet with shallot and garlic pomme puree, light fish and shellfish sauce.

The cafe and lunch menu are less elaborate but rich with the same attention and care and everything tastes as it should.

If you find everything too tempting, it's worth when they're holding one of their soiree gastronomique, where they serve a six course dinner for only ��20. The Dine With Wine events with three course and three specially chosen glasses of wine for £25 are just as worthwhile.

The Drink
There are almost 50 wines to choose from. Surprisingly, not all of them are French. Wines are grouped by dryness and aroma, to make it easier for you to pick. Crisp fresh and sappy, richer soft and mellow, full aromatic and flavoursome for the whites (£13 to £24) and full velvety and round, hearty aromatic and toothsome for the reds (£13 to £32).

Only a few glasses are available (£3.25 to £6) but let the staff guide you to the perfect Syrah-Grenache, Chenin Blanc or Chablis and you'll not regret having a full bottle. For something you have never tried before, pick the Minervois, Madiran or Machon Uchizy.

The Last Word
This is the perfect restaurant for a pleasant and relaxed meal and it's ideal for when you want to treat yourself to fine cuisine without spending too much or having to dress up.

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