Restaurant Review: Pierre's Bistro

Metal statues of pink flamingos work well to disabuse a diner of the notion that he or she might be entering one of those hoity-toity places. Pierre's Bistro is French, but it isn't hoity-toity. Pierre is Pierre Gagnaire, the three Michelin-starred chef whose earlier outing at the same venue was Reflets; the Bistro opened (in its place) last month.
As you enter, you see Gagnaire's profile shot in black and white on an entire wall, with a quote that goes: "I love creating emotions. Emotions make life colourful, emotions make life beautiful or tragic."
First up food-wise are madeleines. These warm, pillowy, savoury little cakes are baked daily. They're brought to the table in a bowl under a lid of crispy baked parmesan. The server cracks the parmesan with a spoon to reveal a surprise: sprigs of fresh, grown-in-the-UAE rosemary. The meats and cheeses are imported.
Wait till you taste that gorgonzola and burrata ice cream with campari tomatoes. And the "best butter in the world" from Bordier, France. A full-bodied pat of yellow, perfectly salted, and which, if you don't finish, could haunt you the next day. The mushrooms, microgreens, spinach, aubergines are all grown in the UAE. You root for this produce grown in the northern emirates as you say merci.
Taste: Standouts were the fregola pasta with the edamame, the fennel salad with chives and lemon, and that Aux de pomme, the apple tart. Flaky. Warm. Divine - also, very large, so share. Or get the meringue tart with passion fruit - flown in from Thailand (Dh65).
Ambience: Figurines of pink flamingos, brass turtles, and giant leaves of tropical plants abound. Check: diffused coppery lighting, sense of an open space. I liked that cutlery for dessert is black. Tables nicely spaced out so you don't have to lower your voice if you're having a good gossip.
Service: Herve Lorit, general manager, is happy to offer info on dishes and helping with translations if you don't know some French word. The wait staff is attentive and smiling without being overbearing. Chef Balbino tells me he believes in getting feedback from guests.
Presentation: The sardines and pimentos, the 'guindilla peppers' were laid out in a perfect chevron pattern. The arancini croquettes arrived on a bed of blackened crushed bread. Very nice. The chocolate soufflé is sprinkled with magic pops. Chef Gagnaire's frequent personal inputs show!
Value for money: For this quality of food, it's great value for money. The fregola pasta with crunchy vegetables, reminiscent of a Tom Khai Khai (Dh80) is as good and better than anywhere in Dubai. Exotic frog legs, either with parsley and garlic or creamy poulette sauce, for Dh120.
Rating: 5/5