Brad Clark, former chef of Le Sélect, has smartened up Verveine’s old Leslieville space with a handsome bar, antique furniture and modern paintings. French jazz plays, napkins are laid just so, and the overall mood is as civil and assured as the service. Clark’s menu stays true to the French bistro ethos with clean, true flavours. Plump escargots tossed with a variety of mushrooms spill out of a light, buttery pastry nest. Specials are more adventurous than the printed card: gorgeous bavette of bison, for instance, medium rare under a seared surface, served with bordelaise sauce and irresistible thyme-flecked frites. Juicy tiger shrimp wearing waistcoats of kataifi pastry share a plate with soft merguez sausage; it’s an amiable pairing but no love match. Classic digestifs complete an eclectic list of 50 or so wines. Mains $24–$31.