Bibendum

Swilling a big Barolo as you work out that Bibendum is both the Latin word for «drunk» and the actual name of the Michelin man, may be reason enough for some to stop here; but not us. My wife and I were starving after striking out on three other rezless recs. Wine was not a problem, but would we find interesting chow? Indeed, we did: sautéed Chanterelle mushrooms with walnuts and sweetbreads. Scallops with green peas and sprouts. Lamb chops with mashed potatoes and truffle sauce. A delicious date night.

I swear the Paté Paté franchise has it all figured out: strategically place a winebar somewhere where people can find you, design it with hidden corners and mood lighting, stock up on a killer wine list, provide food for when we get hungry, and watch the kroner roll in.
Ended up at Bibendum on Friday night after a dinner nearby and a strong urge to share a bottle and discuss a variety of topics that tend to hit the table when you have a girl’s night with one of your closest friends. Lucky for us there was one table left in an otherwise crowded and jolly establishment, and over some candlelight and a bottle of rosé, we dished out the juicy details of our recent lives confident that the architecture of this basement bar would absorb our stories before the tables nearby did.
A perfect place for a night out with your favorite friend, but I think just about anybody would be thrilled to say they spent their Friday night here.
Pro-​tip: come early if you want cold wine — Friday night they apparently sold so much rosé that by the time we got there at 10pm there weren’t any completely chilled bottles left, and they didn’t have anything to make it colder apart from available time and an empty wine cooler. Thus, my reason for 4 stars, though not entirely their fault — on a summer night they should probably consider planning ahead and stock the freezer. :)

So my number two review reveals my habit of visiting wine barsBibendum is a truly cool place. I think it’s run by the same guys behind Panzon, but not sure. Bibendum is where I tasted fizzy red wine for the first time. I kid you not! It’s like drinking Ribena except you quickly realize it’s definitely not for kids. Good advice is to only bring cash, otherwise you will go bankrupt — there are too many tempting wines to taste and its bl**dy expensive! Lots of other cool places on the same street, among them my all time favourite Sushi place as well as a café full of stuffed animals dressed up in pearls and frilly blouses. But I will leave those for future reviews.