Mèreon, a West-Coast-by-way-of-Lyon brunch restaurant is now officially open in West Vancouver’s Ambleside neighbourhood. The 52-seat space will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Mereon will feature a full complement of timeless French fare, artisanal espresso-based beverages, classic, contemporary and zero-proof cocktails. They will also have a thoughtfully curated list of Old and New World wines, and the signature sense of hospitality for which French bistros are famously known. The opening menu will offer an array of hearty soups, salads and small plates, a trio of iconic ‘Croque’ sandwiches and mains and desserts. The menu was developed with well-known Vancouver restaurateur/chef Emmanuel Joinville, who helmed the beloved former Gastown Bar à Vin Jules Bistro from 2007 to 2023. Check out my full review of Mereon West Vancouver below!
Mereon West Vancouver – French Small Plates and Salads
I got a sneak peek of the menu and got a taste of the following to start:
- Mèreon Salad ($23.00)
- Chicken Liver Mousse ($11.00)
- Croque Monsieur ($21.00)
First up we have the Mèreon Salad which features beetroot, burrata, caramelized walnuts, green onion, grainy dijon dressing. The burrata was creamy and fresh, and the caramelized walnuts add a lovely crunch. A fairly standard salad made with fresh ingredients.
Next up is a must order dish – Chicken Liver Mousse. It comes with grape chutney, cornichons, pickled pearl onions, coffee bread toast. The mousse is so creamy and rich. The grape chutney really cuts through the decadence of the mousse. I’m not going to lie, I was eating this with just my fork after we ran out of bread because it was that good.
The Croque Monsieur is one of 3 ‘Croque’ sandwiches on the menu. It features ham, gruyère, béchamel, herbs de provence, cornichons, frites & salade. The sandwich had the perfect amount of ingredients, so that you get the perfect bite in every bite. The fries are of the skinny variety – piping hot and delicious. It comes with a side of mayo, absolute perfection.
Mereon West Vancouver – Main Dishes and Dessert
Moving onto the mains we got:
- Eggs Cocotte ($24.00)
- Mèreon’s Burger ($25.00)
- French Smoky Socca ($26.00)
- Lemon Crêpe ($12.00)
The Eggs Cocotte features smoked salmon, spinach, cream, salmon roe. The egg is perfectly cooked, with a jammy yolk. It pairs really well with the brightness and saltiness of the ikura. The brioche toast on the side is a nice complement.
Mèreon’s Burger is a decadent teriyaki prime rib burger, bacon, gruyère, pickled shimeji, tomatoes, greens, peppercorn sauce, frites. The bun could use some work (was a bit pale for my liking), but the patty and the mushrooms really shine in this burger.
The French Smoky Socca features a chickpea flatbread, smoked salmon, guacamole, capers, fried onions, frisée salad. Everything was fresh and deliious, and the chickpea flatbread was something unique that I never tried before. It reminds me of a flat potato pancake.
And of course we can’t go to a French bistro and not end with a Lemon Crêpe for dessert! This dessert features star anise and vanilla syrup, chantilly, berries compote. It’s a classic crepe and the vanilla syrup was divine. The flavours definitely leans more towards the star anise side than lemon.
Worth a Try?
Yes! Overall I was very impressed with the offerings at Mereon. The flavours are spot on and it’s such a charming little spot in West Vancouver. The menu is solid, and the portions are good. In particular I highly recommend trying the Chicken Liver Mousse and Croque Monsieur. Those were my favourites of the day.
Mereon
Address: 1479 Clyde Ave, West Vancouver, BC V7T 1E9
Website: https://www.mereon.ca/
