Les Faux Bourgeois Café

Les Faux Bourgeois exterior

Les Faux Bourgeois is a terrific French bistro at Kingsway and Fraser (reviewed here, here, here and here). On February 1 they opened a teeny little café in a corner of their space. It's very small -- cosy in fact -- with four little tables and three seats at the bar. This morning it was bright and welcoming with the sun streaming through the windows. The café feels like a little corner of heaven on the edge of, well, a busy city intersection.

The view out the windows is pure Edmonton:* cars, asphalt, trolly lines, power lines and traffic lights with only the very occasional pedestrian sauntering past. This is not a place for people watching! But inside: a few tables, a little bar with maroon upholdered stools, an iPod playing French music, and lovely young French woman serving perfect coffee.



Les Faux Bourgeois interior

I'm fascinated by their decor. Either this place was created in the 1940s and hermetically sealed until last week, or their interior designer is an utter genius. The wood veneer on the banquettes and the bar looks exactly like it came from an Alberta Legion. Do you know what I mean -- the kind of wood they put on the walls back in the 1940s, seen to this day in Canadian Legions? Real wood, with an ashy stain -- this is what fake wood panelling from the 1970s was trying to be. The floor and backsplash behind the bar are clad in little white hexagonal tiles, and the walls are covered in cheesecloth and whitewashed over. If it weren't for the iPod on the bar I'd think I'd timetraveled walking through the door.



Les Faux Bourgeois coffee

Ah, the coffee. Rich, creamy coffee -- shade-grown, organic, fair trade from Farmer First. We had to stay for two cups. And the pastries! Only two kinds available, croissants and pain au chocalat both from brilliant Thomas Haas, North Vancouver cult chocalatier. Exquisitely tender, flaky, melt in your mouth pastries to die for.

Birds were singing like crazy as we walked through east Van on our way to check the out the cafe. I think spring has finally arrived. In fact, here's proof just up the street from the café!



Sophia and 15th, signs of spring

*Actually I love Edmonton, just not its car-centricness.