Petrichor Social French Farmhouse Restaurant — Restaurant in Vancouver

It is a very nice looking restaurant with good service, but the food was disappointing. I enjoyed the cocktail and beer I ordered. My girlfriend liked her wine, and we both enjoyed the salmon gravlox starter. But our mains were not very good.

A significant portion of my beef bourguignon was so dry that it was like eating hard beef jerky. The sauce tasted pretty good, but the main ingredient of the dish was no good at all. It seemed like it may have been cooked way too long or at way too high of a temperature, so all the moisture got squeezed out of the meat. The "aligot" was not aligot. It did not pull like melted cheese at all. It had the texture of lumpy mashed potatoes, and it had a kind of gross sour taste. My girlfriend's cassoulet was better than my dish, but it was kind of bland, and I thought the beans had a fishy taste for some reason.

We did eat almost everything because we were hungry, but it was disappointing for the $40 mains to be this low quality. If I'm paying that much, it has to be good. I'm not a very skilled cook, but I do know how to make braised beef that has a juicy soft texture, so I know that it's not that difficult to do. I expect an expensive restaurant to be able to do it too.

Maybe we just had an unlucky night, because looking at some of the pictures from other reviews, the food looks much better than what we got. The restaurant was pretty empty the night we went, with only one other party. I can imagine that it might be difficult for the kitchen to properly plan for slow nights like that and ensure that all the dishes are good quality. However, I would also expect that on such a slow night, the kitchen should have loads of time to make sure the beef isn't beef jerky before it goes out to a table. So I'm pretty sure someone in the kitchen must have known how bad the beef was but decided to serve it anyway. If all the beef you prepared accidentally got overcooked, then I think you should just tell the customer you're out of the beef bourguignon and order something...

While I had high expectations for this place given the positive reviews, my experience definitely fell short. This restaurant is still new and I understand they are still working out some kinks, but both my husband and I left disappointed that we spent $250+ on a less than mediocre experience.

Service: When we entered the restaurant there was no one at the host and we waited about 3-5 minutes before being greeted. There was one host and one server for the entire restaurant on a friday evening. The restaurant was about half full at the time. The server brought us water and then did not return for about 15 minutes, at which time we ordered our drinks (would have liked to order them first) and our appies & mains. Our appetizer arrived and we had to ask where our drinks were - it took about another 5 minutes for our cocktails.

Food: We ordered the crab cakes, Ribeye for two (most expensive thing on the menu), Pomme Dauphine and Sauteed Vegetables. The crab cakes were good and the pomme dauphine (side dish) were amazing. Unfortunately our Ribeye ($150) came over-cooked (well-done, no pink). Being such a high priced item we decided to tell the waiter to which he said "it looks fine to me but I will take it back". We waited about 20 minutes for a new steak, which was mediocre and cooked inconsistently throughout. The "sauteed vegetables" were just a mixture of onions and some other veggies tossed in a vinaigrette.

Drinks: Although service was slow, the actual drinks were excellent!

At the end of the meal, they comp'd our bill 15%. While this was a nice gesture, we still left the restaurant feeling like we wasted $250+ on an evening out. I rarely write negative reviews, and though the service and quality of food may get better over the next couple of weeks, I think there are lots of other places that would provide a better experience...

Recently visited the newly opened Petrichor Social in Gastown with friends and had a mixed yet overall positive experience. The ambiance is welcoming, and the location is ideal, especially with its inviting patio which seems perfect for a summer meal.

For dinner, I opted for the Braised Beef Chuck with sautéed vegetables, which was enjoyable but didn’t quite hit the exceptional mark I was anticipating. My friends chose dishes like the Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi with Chicken, which was the highlight in terms of presentation and taste, alongside the Warm Lentil Salad and Duck Breast, both of which were good.

We also shared a Mediterranean platter, which, while tasty, was let down by the serving of just one brioche for four people. A minor oversight, perhaps, but it would have been helpful if the waiter had suggested ordering more bread for our dips.

Service was prompt, and the staff was friendly, showing no signs of the teething problems you might expect from a new establishment. However, the meal portions felt slightly small for the price point, a common trait in French cuisine, yet it felt more pronounced here, considering Vancouver's competitive dining scene.

While Petrichor Social has a lot going for it, including a great atmosphere and friendly service, the dining experience and value left a bit to be desired. It's a solid choice if you're in the area and craving French-inspired cuisine, but it may not yet stand out amongst Vancouver's rich tapestry of culinary offerings.

A good spot with potential, I'm hopeful that Petrichor Social will refine its offerings and perhaps adjust portions or prices to better match expectations. Looking forward to seeing how this place evolves. A solid 3.5 to 4...