Rue Announces It's Bringing French Small Plates to Buckman Early 2016

By early next year, there's going to be a new French bistro just down the street from Le Pigeon in the newly erected Lower Burnside Lofts building. Rue, the brainchild of brothers Jason and Tim Roberts, will be a 55-seat space that serves upscale, French-bistro-inspired small plates. Helming the kitchen, Jason says, "The way I cook is spontaneous," and the dishes will mainly revolve around the seasonal produce he can procure. While the menu will be vegetable-heavy, Jason is quick to point out it will be neither vegetarian nor vegan.

As for drinks, Rue will have a full bar with a small, carefully planned cocktail menu and a focus on Oregon and Washington wines. Tim will design cocktails to compliment his brother's cooking. Think cocktails with very fruit and vegetable-forward profiles.

The restaurant will roll out dinner service to test the waters, and if there's demand, it will launch lunch and brunch. Licensing, permitting, and inspections considered, Jason and Tim say they hope to serve their first guests by March 1, 2016.

Rue: 1005 SE Ankeny St.