IT'S no bad thing to have a warming back-story or a menu turning up something different when seeking to stand out in the ever expanding Dubai dining crowd.
Vibrant Bertin Bistro and Restaurant is able to tick both of those boxes at its prominent location beside the city’s most famous highway.
Vibrant Bertin Bistro and Restaurant is able to tick both of those boxes at its prominent location beside the city’s most famous highway.
WAVE HELLO: Bertin's distinctive restaurant premises, just off SZR
But before we tuck into the goodies available across the two storeys of this distinctive structure off Sheikh Zayed Road, let’s dip into something of a love story behind the business.
Bertin may be the product of three food-loving minds, but the name and inspiration stems from a boy from Strasbourg - the French town on the Swiss and German borders – born into a long line of bakers and chefs.
Following in the family tradition, Bertin helped his grandfather in the local boulangerie, even contributing his own recipes. At 18, the budding baker sought to produce the perfect Pain Perdu (a calorific, superior French toast), inspired by a young Spanish female customer whom he ultimately followed to Andalusia, where he opened his first bistro boulangerie.
When war and his best friend interrupted the course of their romance, Bertin quit Marbella to pursue fresh love in Morocco – and opened his first restaurant, inspired by the tajines he tasted on arrival at his future wife’s family diner.
Following in the family tradition, Bertin helped his grandfather in the local boulangerie, even contributing his own recipes. At 18, the budding baker sought to produce the perfect Pain Perdu (a calorific, superior French toast), inspired by a young Spanish female customer whom he ultimately followed to Andalusia, where he opened his first bistro boulangerie.
When war and his best friend interrupted the course of their romance, Bertin quit Marbella to pursue fresh love in Morocco – and opened his first restaurant, inspired by the tajines he tasted on arrival at his future wife’s family diner.
CLOCK ON: It's always dine time at Bertin, either upstairs or on the ground floor in the bistro setting
Fast forward and Bertin Bistro and Restaurant has three clocks displaying the time in Strasbourg, Marbella and Tangier – and also fills its menu with influences accrued from each of those places.
You'll find it at the distinctive white wavy building over the other side of SZR from Times Square Centre.
The exterior architecture gives very little away, however.
The ground floor serves French bistro-style cuisine in a layout plucked from modern Europe. Open preparation and cooking areas compliment a spacious setting lined with white brick tiles, marble flooring, warm woodwork and seating that is bathed in natural light by day.
Diners can watch the bakers and chefs working behind counters atop display cabinets filled with tempting creations. This clean-cut elegance is backed up by a menu aimed at breakfast, lunch and dinner customers with options ranging from ‘Bertin Eggs Benedict’ and ‘Flammekueche’ (savoury, thin rolled bread dough baked with various toppings) to hearty dishes such as ‘The Six Hours Lamb’ and the now signature ‘Bertin’s Pain Perdu’, freshly-baked with caramel fluer de sel and orangette.
You'll find it at the distinctive white wavy building over the other side of SZR from Times Square Centre.
The exterior architecture gives very little away, however.
The ground floor serves French bistro-style cuisine in a layout plucked from modern Europe. Open preparation and cooking areas compliment a spacious setting lined with white brick tiles, marble flooring, warm woodwork and seating that is bathed in natural light by day.
Diners can watch the bakers and chefs working behind counters atop display cabinets filled with tempting creations. This clean-cut elegance is backed up by a menu aimed at breakfast, lunch and dinner customers with options ranging from ‘Bertin Eggs Benedict’ and ‘Flammekueche’ (savoury, thin rolled bread dough baked with various toppings) to hearty dishes such as ‘The Six Hours Lamb’ and the now signature ‘Bertin’s Pain Perdu’, freshly-baked with caramel fluer de sel and orangette.
STICKY MOMENT: The Pain Perdu has been refined to become a Bertin signature sweet
Take the stairs and the ambience and setting changes; Andalusian inspired, the decoration and furniture takes its cue from Moroccan and Spanish designs.
Our visit came on a Friday night in which we swapped the airy sophistication of the lower dining area for the buzzy first floor, alive with chatter and sweet shisha smoke. There’s also an outdoor balcony for the cooler months – accompanied by drinks that include a wholesome raspberry and mint juice among a variety of tasty-sounding concoctions.
The emphasis here is on relaxing with friends and the food allows for sharing, taking in Spanish tapas and ‘Seafood Paella’.
Those tapas dishes work well as shared starters, with plenty of innovation on offer to create a cunning mix of flavours.
The ‘Avocado Hummus’ is listed as a must try and is the missing link between guacamole and the regular Middle Eastern favourite, the green colour drawing you in and the subtle flavour keeping you there. Just as enticing was the ‘Fish Tahini’, the lemony, creamy texture contrasted by chilled slices of meaty white fish. The ‘Croquettes’ of chicken and paprika almost didn’t require their own dip, but the result was another scrummy slip road to the mains.
Our visit came on a Friday night in which we swapped the airy sophistication of the lower dining area for the buzzy first floor, alive with chatter and sweet shisha smoke. There’s also an outdoor balcony for the cooler months – accompanied by drinks that include a wholesome raspberry and mint juice among a variety of tasty-sounding concoctions.
The emphasis here is on relaxing with friends and the food allows for sharing, taking in Spanish tapas and ‘Seafood Paella’.
Those tapas dishes work well as shared starters, with plenty of innovation on offer to create a cunning mix of flavours.
The ‘Avocado Hummus’ is listed as a must try and is the missing link between guacamole and the regular Middle Eastern favourite, the green colour drawing you in and the subtle flavour keeping you there. Just as enticing was the ‘Fish Tahini’, the lemony, creamy texture contrasted by chilled slices of meaty white fish. The ‘Croquettes’ of chicken and paprika almost didn’t require their own dip, but the result was another scrummy slip road to the mains.
TAKE A DIP: One of Bertin's fusion options, this Andalusian Falafel takes tapas across the continents
The menu also allows you to pluck goodies from downstairs, meaning a tough choice between the ‘Chicken Tajine’ and that slow cooked lamb. Field beat coup for yours truly and up came two ceramic pots, one with a rich, fluffy potato mousseline, the larger a shank of lamb so perfectly braised the meat teased effortlessly away from the bone into a gravy boosted by Mediterranean herbs and cherry tomatoes.
Across the generous brass dish-like table, the ‘Saffron Chicken’ was as fragrant as it was moist. The marinated chicken breast could almost have triumphed without the accompanying pot of saffron sauce, even with its bed of basmati rice.
All this added up to troubled shirt buttons and some tough choices on the dessert front. Thankfully, that section of the menu is reasonably brief but no less alluring with the likes of chocolate-majoring ‘Black Pyrennes’ jumping off the page.
While the ‘Pain Perdu’ should have been in the bag, something lighter was called for – and ‘Apple Tart’ remains something those Gallic gurus usually excel at.
If this was a barometer for the rest of the desserts then that ‘Pain Perdu’ demands its own sitting.
Generously proportioned on a wooden board, juicy slices of apple glistened with caramel and a dusting of sugar on a rectangle of light pastry. A globe of ice cream melted in the middle, fluxing further a combination that felt slightly less naughty than it probably was.
Across the generous brass dish-like table, the ‘Saffron Chicken’ was as fragrant as it was moist. The marinated chicken breast could almost have triumphed without the accompanying pot of saffron sauce, even with its bed of basmati rice.
All this added up to troubled shirt buttons and some tough choices on the dessert front. Thankfully, that section of the menu is reasonably brief but no less alluring with the likes of chocolate-majoring ‘Black Pyrennes’ jumping off the page.
While the ‘Pain Perdu’ should have been in the bag, something lighter was called for – and ‘Apple Tart’ remains something those Gallic gurus usually excel at.
If this was a barometer for the rest of the desserts then that ‘Pain Perdu’ demands its own sitting.
Generously proportioned on a wooden board, juicy slices of apple glistened with caramel and a dusting of sugar on a rectangle of light pastry. A globe of ice cream melted in the middle, fluxing further a combination that felt slightly less naughty than it probably was.
UPSTAIRS AMBIENCE: Bertin delivers a Dubai dining experience of two halves
All in all, Bertin Bistro and Restaurant is a well-matched outlet for Dubai; a city that is, of course, a fusion of nationalities and cultures.
Walid, MD of the laidback eatery, sums it up nicely: “To express the love of food from three culinary backgrounds, Bertin offers its diners a diverse menu…a dynamic yet calming culinary adventure for the food lovers of Dubai.”
He has a point. you know.
DETAILS:
SEE the Bertin Bistro and Restaurant menu in full online at www.bertinbistro.com
FOR reservations, call 04 321 9239
TIMINGS: 8am-10.30pm for the ground floor bakery; noon-2am for the first floor lounge and restaurant.
CHECK out Bertin’s Bistronomy business lunch, a set menu featuring two options: ‘Hand Cut Prime Entrecote with Bertin Sauce’ or ‘Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna’, both with French fries and green salad. Available throughout the week noon-3pm, for 79AED.
FOLLOW Bertin news and offers @bertinbistro
Walid, MD of the laidback eatery, sums it up nicely: “To express the love of food from three culinary backgrounds, Bertin offers its diners a diverse menu…a dynamic yet calming culinary adventure for the food lovers of Dubai.”
He has a point. you know.
DETAILS:
SEE the Bertin Bistro and Restaurant menu in full online at www.bertinbistro.com
FOR reservations, call 04 321 9239
TIMINGS: 8am-10.30pm for the ground floor bakery; noon-2am for the first floor lounge and restaurant.
CHECK out Bertin’s Bistronomy business lunch, a set menu featuring two options: ‘Hand Cut Prime Entrecote with Bertin Sauce’ or ‘Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna’, both with French fries and green salad. Available throughout the week noon-3pm, for 79AED.
FOLLOW Bertin news and offers @bertinbistro
