La Petite Iza - Review

Enchante

How problematic to start writing reviews again as Alberta plunges into Phase 1 again. Alas, it has to be done. I also need more avenues to talk about food as I’ve been sitting on so many restaurants to talk about. Most have been good experiences with great food. Others were just nightmares. La Petit Iza was a great place though, so hopefully, this lockdown is over soon to enjoy its ambiance. 

Escargots, tres bien

I mention ambiance as it hits you right in the face after you climb a few flights of stairs. The ceilings are covered in a stained glass-style portrait of two women. The woodwork that lines the walls is reminiscent of a Parisian salon where poets and artists gathered to talk shop. I’m basically Owen Wilson in Midnight in Paris. 

This review cannot be based on atmosphere alone, because the food was a nice surprise. For appetizers we ordered Escargots à la Persillade and the Gratin de chou-fleur. If 12 years of French immersion was lost on you (like moi) these dishes were snails and cauliflower. I’ve never had escargot like this before and is probably now my new favorite style of escargot, the persillade was mouth-watering for just being butter and parsley. Really enjoyed dipping my bread into the persillade as well, bonus appetizer. The cauliflower had a mornay sauce that I thought would be a little bit more cheesy in taste as I was confused if it were more of a bechamel. 

For the main course, we had the Soupe Bouillabaisse and the Gnocchi. The bouillabaisse had Halibut, rockfish, oysters, mussels, potatoes in a saffron broth. Flavors were rich and all the seafood went well together, I just wish the portion were a little bigger. The gnocchi here was quite excellent. I cannot remember what was in it but the pieces of gnocchi were pillowy soft outside and had a slight crust on them, so texturally it was satisfying.

Dessert had me ordering the Creme Brulee and the Mousse au Chocolat Noir et Noisettes. Creme brulee was excellent. If not one of the best in the city. Had probably some of the freshest fruit I’ve ever eaten in months thanks to poor Covid eating habits. Creme was soft and the Brulee was not too sweet. The mousse was not too sweet and had a great consistency that didn’t bog you down. Visually both these dishes were very instagrammable (i hate saying this). Regardless the visuals matched the taste. 

While all the dishes, flavors, the presentation was there. Not one dish really had me rolling my eyes in the back of my head. Well except for maybe the creme brulee. Prices were fair to a little too much in my opinion, but there was some real value if you take visual presentation into consideration. But with this place being new, I can see them getting better with age. Hopefully, we enter phase 2 again soon so patio cocktails can be enjoyed in the future. 

Sal says: Just Try It (3.9/5)

Amanda says: Cute vintage vibe. Nice spot for skyline views. Food was excellent. Prices were fair.