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When in the mood for French food: Slink & Bardot restaurant review
Parisienne chef Alexis Gielbaum and Canadian restaurateur Nick Harrison go all out to give an authentic taste of French cuisine to Mumbaiites with Slink & Bardot. But the limited staff at their eatery struggles to serve the many diners who keep coming back for more.
Past the main door, we entered a narrow hallway which opened to a full bar section. The maître d’ showed us to our table at the farthest yet cosy corner of the restaurant. We noticed that there was no table dedicated for two people — those who came in pairs were shown a table for four or corner banquettes.
For appetizers, we wanted something light so opted for two kinds of tartines. One topped with Goat Cheese, Beetroots, Walnuts And Rocket (Rs 190) and the other with Smoked Salmon, Cucumber Sour Cream, And Dill (Rs 220). While the former was not well- balanced as the cheese overpowered almost everything, the latter was easy on the tongue and let us experience the flavours of all the toppings.
We washed down the appetisers with I’ll Have What She’s Having (Rs 450), a not-so-sweet mix of sparkling wine, Bacardi Cata Blanca, elderflower and cranberry juice. The concoction was well-made and had a distinct flavour owing to the elderflower.
The restaurant, with its green walls and tall lamps, exuded the warmth of someone’s home. And to dole out the feeling of home further, co-owner Nick Harrison soon walked out to meet the patrons. Since we’d already had the appetisers, he suggested Seared Scallops with Bacon Caramelised Onions and Whiskey Cream (Rs 480) and Steamed Rose Snapper with Zucchini Spaghetti, Truffled Dijon, Pastis and Fennel Sauce (Rs 410) for the main course. As the restaurant had become popular for delivering fresh local catch, we didn’t mind the main course to entirely consist of seafood.But the two dishes took a long time to arrive. Also, the restaurant was full of patrons by then. This meant that it was hard to catch the attention of any attendants, even if it was just to ask for water.
After a wait of about half an hour, the meal arrived. The scallops were meagre but their taste made up for the lack of portion — making one want more. The snapper, on the other hand, was filling and the simplicity of the meat’s taste was slightly overpowered by spinach in which it came wrapped. For dessert, we called for Tonka Creme Brulee (Rs 240), which was delectable. But we didn’t find the caramel crust crisp enough to bite, so we kept it away.
The music playing in the background didn’t complement the classy vibe of the place, though it did get better towards the end of the evening. The service too, depends on how busy the restaurant can get. They give valet assistance but for the differently-abled, the space especially the washrooms, can be difficult to navigate. However, it is value for money and only the second place in the city for authentic French food. So, go figure.
(HT pays for all meals and reviews anonymously)
WHAT: Slink & Bardot
RATING: 3.5 / 5
WHERE: 329/A, Thadani House, Opposite Indian Coast Guard, Worli Village
WHEN: 7pm - 1am
COST: Rs 3,500 for two without alcohol
CALL: 9967115800
Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
The author tweets @iamsusanjose
