When La Cigale opened at 1961 W 4th Ave in Kitsilano back in the fall of 2012, the restaurant came with an impressive pedigree. Operated by Brigitte Raye, the former wife of West Vancouver's now-defunct but once cherished La Regalade's chef/owner Alain Raye, with their son Kevin in the La Cigale kitchen, the restaurant quickly took off as a go-to in Vancouver for French bistro fare.
Brigitte and Kevin Raye sold La Cigale in 2016 (you'll find Brigitte at her pasta-focused restaurant Orto in North Vancouver) but the bistro carried on under new ownership. That is...until things got a little wobbly a couple of years ago.
As it did for so many restaurants, the COVID-19 pandemic hit La Cigale hard. The owners explain they decided to "close the restaurant after many of months of COVID hardships," though the closure was considered temporary.
Now, however, comes word La Cigale's current owners will be reopening the restaurant, only with a new concept and name: Lavidas.
Lavidas was named for the owners' Rottweiler/Mastiff who passed away from thyroid cancer in 2022, according to the restaurant's website.
From La Cigale to Lavidas: Vancouver bistro's exciting makeover
Menu details and an opening date have not been shared online yet, but the restaurant indicates Lavidas "will be a contemporary comfort restaurant serving a variety of different cuisine," adding: "Our menus will be driven by local ingredients and cultural influences with fresh modern styling and molecular techniques."
Guests can expect a few favourite items from the La Cigale menu, "along with some new dishes inspired by PNW ingredients."
Lavidas is also keen to emphasize its values as a business and workplace: "We are a diverse and inclusive workplace/safe space that supports and celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community. We have two gender-neutral bathrooms and are also wheelchair accessible."
The La Cigale Instagram account has been redubbed for the new venture, so you can find updates about the forthcoming concept at @lavidas_restaurant.
