He profits most who serves best.
-- Arthur Sheldon
Normally, I would have been extremely impressed when I walked into Bardea. But, I was so nonplussed, that it took me several minutes to recover before I could enjoy where I was. More on that below.
The first thing you notice about Bardea is that it is a lovely space. From the stunning tin ceiling to the beautifully polished wood tables to the comfortable yet interesting chairs, everything has been chosen with precision. The lighting is perfect as is the level of music (it is a bit loud in the restrooms, but that doesn't bother me so much).
When I eventually was lead to my table (again, more on that below), I was handed a menu as well as a charming little note from the owners of the restaurant thanking their customers for supporting them through the past year. I thought it was a very nice touch.
One of the reasons I wanted to go to Bardea was that I had heard they are making a cocktail that I have been on a search and destroy for. Unfortunately, they were out of the necessary ingredients. Oh well. I'll keep searching. In the meantime, I was joined by one of my oldest friends. Both she and I are very particular about our cocktails, but we were both very pleased with what was presented to us. Both were correct; both were a good size; both tasted delicious.
The menu is very interesting. Our server spent some time going through it with us which was helpful as some of the dishes contain ingredients or preparations that were new to me. The restaurant defines itself as "interpretive Italian." Some of the dishes were traditional Italian (there is a section of pizzas), and some seemed to begin with that cuisine and then veer off in another direction. Many of the dishes I would struggle to see how Italy even enters the picture.
It finally doesn't matter as the food was superb. I ordered fluke tartare which was the fish wrapped in a dried ancho chili served with pomegranate seeds. Fresh with a bit of heat, I loved it. I also ordered the charred octopus which was also excellent. My friend ordered the tiger prawns. Two enormous prawns turned up and were pronounced excellent and worthy of being ordered again. The dish of the night, however, was the grilled romaine, the second dish my friend ordered. Accompanied by a dressing that had some walnuts in it, it was light, yet full of flavor. I'm sorry I will never have it again.
Why? Because my friend and I were treated so badly that it would take a pretty important reason for me to step foot into the restaurant again. Let me be very, very clear. Our server was wonderful. Friendly and professional, she did her job to perfection. The problem is with the front door.
I arrived a few minutes before the restaurant opened. I was standing outside with another couple and we were chatting while we were waiting for the door to be unlocked. The floor manager eventually came to the door, unlocked it, then turned around and walked away. Both the couple and I were a bit taken aback. Wouldn't the polite thing to do be to open the door and welcome us in?
I walked into the restaurant and confirmed that I had a reservation. Behind me, yet another couple entered who are obviously well known in the restaurant. Those of us who had entered first had to wait while they were greeted by everyone and then shown to their table. By this time, the three of us who had been politely waiting were feeling a tad less polite.
Fast forward 45 minutes. My friend and I are enjoying our cocktails when our server asks us if we are ready to order. We were not. She told us that we only had the table for two hours and fifteen minutes and that another party was right behind us. What? I told her that we had not been told that and that we were not there to be rushed. Later, she told us that her manager had said that he had told us. Not true. No matter, we ordered and loved our food. At this point, I was a little miffed, but the food had been so good that I was willing to overlook what had annoyed me.
Then, things really went off the rails. After we ate, we ordered something else to drink. Before we knew it, the manager and the hostess were taking turns coming up to the table telling us that we had to leave because they needed the table. The third time one of them came up, I commented to my friend that we must be WAY over time. We looked at our phones -- we had stayed eight minutes beyond our allotted time. That was when my annoyance trumped the great food.
It's a shame really. There is much to like about Bardea, but the way that we were treated by the front door just doesn't fly in a city filled with places to eat. If they can whip their front of house into shape, it could become a destination restaurant in this part of the world. Until then, however, I will take my dining dollars elsewhere.
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| The fluke tartare |
620 North Market Street
Wilmington DE
302-426-2069
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