Les Petites Canailles is a French farm-to-table restaurant in Paso Robles’ wine country.  Their cuisine is a perfect balance between authentic French cuisine and the Central Coast, with options like Steak Frites and Le Burger on the menu made with ingredients sourced locally.

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THE MENU

The cuisine at Les Petites Canailles is traditional French, but made with ingredients sourced locally from the Central Coast and served in a laid-back casual Californian style.  

The menu itself is broken down into three courses: appetizers, mains, and desserts.  The appetizers feature traditional French options like Steak Tartare and Salade Lyonnaise, but also include seafood, vegan, and vegetarian options. There are also several items “To Share” with the table (ideal for groups), like the Charcuterie Board and the Tarte Flambée.  

Learn more about all the Food & Drink in Paso Robles!

The Mains section of the menu is where you’ll find the entrees; traditional French dishes like Steak Frites and Bouillabaisse are offered alongside Le Burger and Wild Black Cod, and even Cauliflower Steak.

Similar to the appetizers, there is also a “Family Style” entree section of the menu where groups can order whole roasted chicken, bone-in braised veal shank, or a whole fish for the table.  

In addition to the appetizers and main dishes, Les Petites offers a few sides to add to your meal. 

Dishes like their homemade frites with sauce, macaroni and gruyère gratin, and sauteed mushrooms are all available and make a delicious compliment to your meal. 

The desserts at Les Petites are the perfect way to end your meal, and offer a window into the delicious world of French sweets.  Many people are familiar with crème brûlée, a traditional French dessert, but possibly not the profiterole or assiette de fromage, or other French desserts.  Regardless of your familiarity with the desserts or not they are all amazing, and put the most delicious stamp on the perfect meal. 

THE WINE LIST

Every French meal should include great wine, and the in-house sommelier at Les Petites has risen to the challenge of ensuring the restaurant provides exactly that: a perfect pairing.  He has curated an extensive selection of the best local and world class wines, and is ready to help you find the best match for your meal.  If you already have that perfect wine in mind you are also welcome to bring in your own bottles, but you are limited to two and expect to pay a corkage fee.  

While at the restaurant make sure to check out the cellar, even if you don’t drink wine. It is impressively cut into the structure of the building, and glass on three sides giving patrons direct views inside.  The cellar is a prominent feature of the main floor, and you can get a closer look on the way to the restrooms. 

OUR EXPERIENCE

We were able to visit Les Petites Canailles during their soft opening in Fall 2019, and it was one of the best experiences we have ever had with a restaurant that was so new.  Everything about that night was on point, and ran as seamlessly as if the restaurant had been there 30 years. 

Owners Courtney and Julian Asseo exemplified in that one amazing meal that they are passionate and dedicated to the hospitality industry, and how excited and prepared they are to establish Les Petites Canailles as an important part of the community that makes Paso Robles and SLO County so special. 

Les Petites already had a big following by the time they were ready to open to the public, and the restaurant was full of patrons excited to try the food the night we visited. 

We were greeted at the door and escorted to our table by the owner, and were quickly given water and menus. The in-house sommelier also checked in on us shortly after being seated, as if it were all part of this larger choreographed dance that was our meal with everyone showing up at just the right time.  

The menu on opening night was full of delicious options, but maintained that perfect balance between variety and focus, and authenticity and accessibility.  We ultimately decided on Marinated Salmon and Baby Gem Cesars Salad for our appetizers, and  Steak Frites and Wild Black Cod for our mains, and could not have been happier with our selections.  

The salmon basically melted in our mouths. It was so buttery, and we could have easily poured the marinade it came with on anything it was so delicious. The Baby Gem Cesars Salad was also very good, and you could tell it was made with some of the highest quality ingredients.  

The appetizers set a high bar for the mains, which did not disappoint.  The Steak Frites was perfectly prepared, and for those unfamiliar with French cuisine it is the perfect introduction (the meal is literally steak with fries).  The Wild Black Cod was also amazing, and the sauce again was something we could have eaten with anything.

The portions for both the appetizer and main dishes left us both full, but with room for dessert. This time we ordered the Profiterole XXL and Mamoune’s Crème Brûlée.  The crème brûlée was definitely one of the best we’ve ever had, but the profiterole stole the show and is definitely something we will have again.  

Overall we had an excellent experience at Les Petites Canailles, and can’t wait to come back for more of their French cuisine. 

HISTORY

Owners Julien and Courntey Asseo could not be the more perfect pairing to bring something as special as Les Petites Canailles to Paso Robles. As the “winemaker’s son and butcher’s daughter” they’ve brought together their passion for food and expertise in the hospitality industry, and created one of the best new restaurants in SLO County.

Both of their stories in the food industry go back to their childhoods; Courtney’s family owns and operates Mays Meat Processing in Taylorsville, NC (the oldest family-owned slaughterhouse and butcher shop in the southeast), and Julien grew up on his family’s vineyards in France before moving to Paso Robles where his father founded L’Aventure winery.

After culinary school at Lycee Hotelier de Gascogne (near Bordeaux) and a few years at La Fontaine de Mars as a commis (in Paris), Julien returned to California from France and began work as a Pastry Chef in LA.  It was here that he met Courtney, who was working as a server in the same restaurant.  

In 2008 Julien and Courtney moved to Las Vegas where he worked as Sous Chef for Joel Robuchon, and eventually as Executive Chef for Restaurant Guy Savoy while she worked behind the bar for Todd English, and as the Bar Manager for DB Brasserie by Daniel Boloud.   

With a happy life and two children, Julien and Courtney dreamed of one day moving to Paso Robles and opening their own restaurant.  In 2019 that dream became reality and they opened Les Petites Canailles, which quickly became one of the most popular restaurants in the county.  Today locals and visitors to SLO County can visit Les Petites and expect to see friendly faces, have an absolutely incredible meal, and experience one of the best sides of Paso Robles’ wine country.

LOCATION

Les Petites Canailles does not have a dedicated parking lot, but there is a public parking lot next to the restaurant and more public parking around the Downtown City Park across the street.  

CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone:
(805) 296-3754

General Inquiries:
info@lpcrestaurant.com

Reservations:
https://www.exploretock.com/lespetitescanailles

Hours of Operation:

Monday	5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday	5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday	5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Thursday	5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday	5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday	5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sunday	5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.