ARDO Restaurant

We met our friends at Ardo last night for a dinner date. My husband and I had never been before. We were so happy to be introduced to this wonderful culinary delight. A cosy, Sicilian feel in ambiance and service with clever and successful flavour combinations that made our gastronomic experience rich and satisfying. We liked the import of slow food culture, where the service was attentive but relaxed, engaging but respectful. So appreciate a restaurant that encourages us to relax and enjoy, not sweep away plates before all parties are finished. A small and comfortable seating space, that meant there was the usual din of dining with others but still able to converse with our friends and towards the end of our never rushed experience we were able to talk without the noise of fellow diners. My husband and I shared the Panelle as an app and had the Con Le Sarde (cured sardines, fennel pesto, anchoives, pine nuts, chilli) which was a surprising fusion of flavours perfectly blended to provide a unique and delicious experience. I can still taste the enjoyment of the flavour blend a day later! There was an oversight in forgetting my husband's gluten intolerance in the main course, but our server took care of the problem seamlessly. Kudos to a good business model or taking care of the diner's experience with respect and care. We also enjoyed an spuntini of panelle (which was gluten free) So tasty and satisfying. Our friends had the Burrata which they generously shared and we loved. They also enjoyed the gnocchi and the ragu pastas as mains. Based on their cleaned plates they truly enjoyed. The service was comfortable, attentive, relaxed and excellent. Kate made my special cocktail for us all and was enthusiastic about co creating something new. We had a wonderful time and want everyone to know what a gem this restaurant is. Looking forward to coming back with other friends soon.

This place is cute, but strange. A friend and I had dinner here tonight. I’m celiac and asked if I could substitute something else for the sourdough that came with the tartare; the bartender said, “we can work something out for sure” - then brought me the tartare by itself. When I asked if there ended up being any subs for the bread, he said, “unfortunately no, we don’t do any substitutes”. I wondered if I’d misheard him initially but my friend commented to me that the sequence of events was so strange. The tartare itself was mediocre. Next, the chef spilled the mussels I ordered for my main all over my skirt (and apologized profusely, but it added to the unfortunateness of this whole experience). 5 of the ~20 mussels were not open, indicating they were not safe to eat. My friend was served a comically small tenderloin for his steak and frites that had a 1.5in diameter. Lastly, when the bartender asked if we wanted dessert, I said “maybe, we’d take a look”! To which he replied, “Ok, well you let me know if your maybe turns into a yes.” and turned away from us. All in all 3/5 food, odd service. It’s a pretty bar, though.