Bistro Bla Bla Bla

Bistro Bla Bla Bla is a funky French restaurant with a twist near Chueca.  I went recently in a big group for a Christmas Party after being wowed by the extensive menu online and hearing a few recommendations in the office.

This intimate bistro provides a great atmosphere and would be perfect for an impressive dinner out or a long brunch at the weekend.  The menu was extensive with a great selection of French delicacies, however, not all of them were executed well enough to live up to their delicious reputations.

Amongst us we ordered several starters to pick at including the "French Onion Soup", the "Hummousse" the "Prawn and Guacamole Wraps" and the "Seabass Ceviche".  I tucked into the classic warm and hearty French Onion Soup which didn't disappoint at all with it's strong kick of white wine and it's melting web of gruyere nestling on a bread crouton.  For me this was the masterpiece of the evening.

We then moved on and almost all of us went for some kind of "steak frites" combination.  Several of us opted for the chateaubriand in pairs which turned out to be a bad choice. With it's 38 euro price tag we expected the normal grandeur of a glorious tenderloin arriving at the table to be carved in front of us but unfortunately it was no way near big enough to serve two people and it was certainly not good enough to justify it's price tag (especially given that you pay extra for fries and salad or veg side orders).

Fortunately, the manageress (after some convincing) gave us some of their "Entrecôte with Café de Paris Sauce" to make amends which was rich and comforting, but again, it was nothing special compared to other entrecôtes I've tried in the city and overall the sizes of all main courses and the level of attention to detail was disappointing.

The desserts however, in true French fashion, were of a high standard with a deliciously torte "Lemon Tart", a non-orthodox "Tarte Tartin" and a "Dulce de Leche mousse".  The accompanying wine list was extensive but again, overpriced compared to many other better restaurants in the city.

With a great location and a funky atmosphere Bistro Bla Bla Bla has a lot of promise, but, to get any rave reviews it's going to have to raise the bar to the standards one would expect of a good quality Parisian bistro.  I'm afraid that the flashy website and the menu were all a bit "bla bla bla".

Price: 40€ per person

Service: ☆☆☆☆
Food: ☆☆
Decor: ☆☆☆☆

Calle Prim, 13 (nearest Metro Chueca or Cercanias Recoletos)

www.bistroblablabla.com