Bistro 18

April 3, 2009

Another year, another birthday, and another dinner at Bistro 18!

The unassuming facade and minimal interior of Bistro 18 stand in stark contrast to the rich flavors that jump off of their menu. Thai chicken, pan-fried fois gras, pork tenderloin marinated in olives and sun-dried tomatoes…

I’ve celebrated numerous birthdays at Bistro 18.  The back room with its long table, our backs to a wall of wine bottles, is an intimate setting for an often rowdy group of friends for dinner. The restaurant got off to a rough start a couple of years ago, but after a few months of tweaking the menu and training the staff, it’s now one of our favorite stops for a night out. The band REM was chased out of the back room by a particularly wild birthday party last fall,  but they found a quiet refuge at a private table in the restaurant’s wine shop.

The website claims it is a French-style restaurant, but a glance at the eclectic menu suggests an international theme.  No matter, the food comes hot, and sometimes spicy, and always elegantly presented on large white plates and shallow bowls.

I always order the same thing: Creamy Tomato Soup and Warm Goat Cheese Salad. Other favorites of my friends are the Thai Chicken Soup (definitely spicy) and the Rack of Lamb.

Whether a local or a visitor, if you’re tired of potatoes and vodka, Bistro 18 is a great place for dinner.

Stiklių g. 18, Vilnius, Tel. +370 687 72091

Filed under: Food & Drink,Lithuania

Tags: Bistro 18, food, Lithuania, restaurant, Vilnius