I'll preface this by saying French food is not my favourite so I'm a bit biased here. I've been here twice now as it's close to where I live. French food in general is very rich and buttery so you tend to leave here feeling like you'll have a mini heart attack. I've had the daily specials and the duck which is a very nice portion (breast), but a bit on the salty side. I'll add that the french onion soup is one of the best I've had. Service is excellent. I tend to stop by in the morning for coffee and pastries. In Toronto I've done La Banane as well, which has better execution and taste, but not necessarily worth the hassle and crowds. I'd say Gare de lest is a 3 star resto in the core/west end, but a 4 star resto in the east.