Bistro Bardot — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

@Bistro Bardot in Helsinki, on 16th of August, 2023; quelle déception! Our intent was solely to procure a glass or even a carafe of wine, a modest desire that should have been met with the grace and ease expected from an establishment of such purported sophistication. One might be initially beguiled by the praises showered upon this establishment, but alas, our experience was far from delightful. Our encounter with the staff, particularly at the bar and terrace, left much to be desired. Our party consisted of an esteemed international film group, among whom was a distinguished French costume designer hailing from the artistic heart of Paris, a connoisseur of both aesthetics and fine taste. This luminary, who also possesses proficiency in the Finnish language, was aghast at the haughty demeanor displayed by the bartender when she inquired about their vinic offerings. The bartender, a young man perhaps intoxicated by his perceived importance, took it upon himself to mockingly question the notion of an "offer." His condescension was palpable as he looked down upon our esteemed guest, insinuating that our presence was an intrusion upon their sanctuary of snobbery. Rather than engaging in a conversation befitting the domain of wine, he exhibited his prowess in belittlement. This, despite the ample opportunity to grace us with discussions of vintages and serve us in a manner befitting their supposed expertise. Having spent time amidst the vineyards of France, the costume designer was accustomed to a realm where wines are reasonably priced, not exorbitant productions exceeding the century mark. The shock at the pricing scheme, evident in her furrowed brow, was a testament to the incongruity of expectations and reality. As for my disconcertment, it was the reprehensible conduct of the waitress at the bistro’s terrace that lingered in my memory. A simple request from our group's film director to wait by the table until it was ready resulted in an admonishing gesture, coupled with a curt ushering toward the bar area. There was no acknowledgment of her tone nor any semblance of apology for the imposed inconvenience. Such brashness would be deemed inexcusable even in the most mundane eateries, let alone one aspiring to an air of sophistication. And the climax of our disillusionment? Upon our entry into the bar, another bartender – this time a young woman – greeted us with a gesture that can only be described as preposterous: hands clasped behind her ears, a crude pantomime of exaggerated attentiveness, before we had even perused the libation list or the menu. A spectacle of absurdity, indeed. While the décor of the bar exuded an air of refinement, our impressions were swiftly tainted by an aura of ineptitude and incivility exuded by the staff. It was with a heavy heart and the weight of regret that we made our retreat. As we finally took our leave from Bistro Bardot, a somewhat ironic twist revealed itself – while our departure was punctuated with polite expressions of gratitude and farewell, the anticipated "bisous" were notably absent, mirroring the establishment's knack for falling short of its own promised allure. Bistro Bardot, once a beacon of promise, revealed itself to be a mirage of professionalism and manners. A tableau of disillusionment that shall linger in the annals of our collective memory. Je suis...

It's rare to get a 4 course meal where each dish is equally well made & satisfying but Bardot delivered!

We started the evening from the bar with drinks. Waterloo was spicy & fresh, Barbie was more thick with yummy strawberry fragrance.

We were taken to our table perhaps 10 minutes late but we didn't mind as the waiter was friendly and the place was packed on the last evening before Christmas.

Starting from the hors d'œuvre menu, I opted for the classic croque monsieur and it did not disappoint. The crunchy brioche bread, the softest of bellota hams and velvety mournay sauce made for an excellent appetizer! It might sound heavy but it somehow wasn't. The nutmeg and the (assumed) Gruyère together gave a strong, even mustardy feel. My companion's savory choux pastries with gooey and fragrant Comté filling and truffle were yummy. Off to a great start!

For the entrée, I took a side step from the French theme and selected the Pulpo Gallega which came with smooth, flavorful romesco sauce and a fried potato vedge. The simple flavors together created another 5/5 hit! The octopus was the most tender I've had in Finland.

After the excellent starters the expectations were high. Again, Bardot delivered with their duck dish titled Canette à la Montmonercy. Tender and gamey, the duck was served as fillet slices and as "pulled duck" with delicious cherry sauce which provided just the right amount of sweetness to the duck's fat and salt. The firm and crispy fries served with the duck complimented the main ingredient. My companion's lobster pasta suffered from too much dill and he, too, wishes he had chosen the duck instead.

My streak of 5/5 dishes lasted until the very end. The classic Tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream was simply mouth-watering. The caramel was creamy and silky, and the apples were cooked to perfect softness. The puff pasty held it all together and I swiped the plate with my finger at the end (sorry not sorry!)

Our waiter was lovely and her Chardonnay recommendation was spot on for the lobster pasta. The Créman we had in the beginning was great for the cheesy & flavorful appetizers we had. My pinot noir was tender and lovely but perhaps I would have opted for stronger flavors with the gamey duck.

This was our first (long overdue) visit to Bardot but definitely not the last!

I learned that you can order food at the bar & dine there, so perhaps I'll already revisit the croque monsieur with a glass of bubbly in...

If you want to find a wonderful place to spend some time with your friends.. then keep looking We had dinner reservation at 9.30pm and after 15 minutes of waiting we were seated. Ordered cocktails and snacks (10 minutes before kitchen closing) and finally tried to enjoy the evening. All of a sudden restaurant manager approached us with a forbearing smile. Clapping my friends’ shoulders (which is totally unacceptable) he explained that we ought to order main courses (10 minutes ago when the kitchen was working, thank you, good timing), but now he just offers us his valuable piece of wisdom to never make this mistake again at Bardot. We would gladly do it in the first place IF WE WERE WARNED BY OUR OWN WAITRESS WHO DIDN’T DROP A WORD OR A HINT. More than that manager explained that he had to turn down some other walk-in clients in our favor. (We booked 2 weeks in advance) oh dear lord, the restaurant is half empty at 10 pm!!! Of course we understand the meaning behind booking a table and ordering mains during lunchtime or dinner, but does it hurt anybody to remind just in case at 10 pm?? Thank you for a pleasant evening of celebration my friend’s birthday, the whole mood was ruined and we were shocked by audacity of unwanted advice instead of a normal client service and simple communication. After that we paid and left immediately in case of showing up some real worthy clients who might want to dine at night and not to waste precious patience of...