Bistr’eau (I love the name!) is a new seafood bistro that opened on the Batroun port as an extension to the beautiful L’Auberge de la Mer hotel. The bistro overlooks the port and fishermen boats and is few meters away from the beautiful Mar Estephan (St Stephan) Cathedral.

I headed there last Saturday for lunch before heading to the beach. To be honest, I was expecting it to be a small place but it turned out to be a gorgeous bistro with a spacious inside and a cozy outdoor terrace. We sat outside, placed our order and went for a walk about the port and the sea cathedral. The menu is not too big but what it offers is more than enough. The items were customized and prepared by Chef Jean, a passionate food lover and amateur chef who you might know from his mouthwatering mini burgers at outdoor events and food markets with Bibayti.

Here’s what we ordered:
– Hummus with Shrimps: Some may not like the combination but shrimp goes well with the Hummus surprisingly enough and I loved it!

– Smoked aubergines with sun-dried tomato tartar: I’m not an aubergine fan but the tartar and sun-dried tomato mix made all the difference. I loved that it’s served cold as it adds to its freshness.

– Fattoush & Tabbouleh: Both were fresh and tasty. Not too salty, not too sweet, just right.

– Stuffed Calamari & Grilled Octopus: The stuffed calamari is refined Calamari dish with a rich filing including: Octopus, Calamari, Shrimps, Garlic, Onions, Tomato, Basil & Olive oil. It’s more of an amuse-bouche for one person than an appetizer for two but it’s worth trying.

As for the octopus, it’s a generous dish rich in flavor and my absolute favorite.

We didn’t try any raw fish this time as Brian was with us but I’m looking forward to try the seared tuna salad, the oysters and the Tuna Kebbe Nayye next time. I also want to try the baked fish as I heard it’s a must! As far as the service is concerned, the staff is young, polite and professional. Price-wise, seafood restaurants are usually a bit pricey but most items were fairly priced and you definitely get what you’re paying for in terms of taste, freshness and quality dishes.

My first visit to Bistr’eau was a very pleasant one. I loved the location, the food and the service. Bistr’eau is not your everyday seafood restaurant as it offers a special culinary experience with its refined seafood dishes. It’s definitely worth a try if you like to experiment with new dishes.

On a side note, I wish the Batroun municipality would work on improving the port a bit more as it would attract further tourists and locals.