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Pierre’s Last Stand?
Is Pierre’s Bistro on its last legs? A reader wrote in to tell me that things look bad: “Pierre’s Bistro on 50th and Penn has had a tough time keeping viable with the construction on 50th the past couple of months,” wrote Chris B. “So much so that the owner, Pierre Gardien, recently let the kitchen staff go. He’s projecting that if things don't change, he’ll be closing the doors in 60 days. I am doing what I can to keep this great little place around for people to enjoy by encouraging family and friends to return to Pierre's or give it a shot if they've never been. It would be really sad to lose another chef-driven place in town.”
It would be sad. I was hoping Chris was mistaken, or at least exaggerating, but I called Gardien and, indeed, he told me that things look dire: “Business is so bad, it’s been bad the last six months” sighed Gardien. “For some time it’s been a drag to get here, with all the construction, but at this rate I don’t have much to go here. It’s critical.”
What terrible news! I know that lots of people in Southwest Minneapolis and Edina adore Pierre’s. I know this because they’ve written to me over the years singing the praises of Gardien’s traditional French food and his intimate, cozy restaurant. Well, it’s time to put an APB out: If you care about Pierre’s, the time to go is now—or, sadly, you may never get the chance.
Pierre's Bistro
2221 W 50th St., Minneapolis
(612) 928-0582
www.pierresbistromn.com
Posted on Thursday, July 24, 2008 in Permalink
Comments may be edited for length, clarity, or appropriateness.
Reader Comments:
No way! I love Pierre's, although I wondered what the construction and the influx of good, new restaurants near by would do to his business. I mean, he kept on ticking with 2 excellent Broders' eateries near by. I hope he can keep going. I'll have to swing in this week and get some of that delicious apple wood smoked salmon and the roasted chicken w/ caper sauce. It's right around the corner from my place, and I would hate to see it go!
Dara,
It's interesting how City Pages continues to rip off the shtick of the Minnesota Monthly (where you currently write).
Case in point: This week there are simultaneous stories on T. Pawlenty as a cipher governor/ whisper Republican veep, and also on Smalley's jerk style bbq. Is there a mole at the MM feeding story ideas?
Also, although I appreciated what you said about Smalley's but your writeup wasn't exactly convincing. It's mediocre food in a hot mess decor place. I know there is a big rush to hand over our wallets to anything McKee in this town, but this concept is ersatz theme-park and I thought it would be sniffed out as a bogus replica attempt rather than serious food.
My prediction: "Pirate Food," and off-menu garbage rum drink collages might work two or three months out of the year here in Coldsville U.S.A., but this shack will be dead by next spring, with only a tangentially related Jimmy Buffett-esque bar 'n beach theme left standing.
My wager is a bottle of ye finest Grog, Dara. Keep up the interesting blog