Restaurant of the week: "Saint-Malo"

This Francophile outpost makes no secret of its allegiance: As you approach, you can see the French flag proudly displayed from afar. It’s fitting: Promising a culinary journey through France without leaving Vilnius, Saint-Malo is a culinary embassy that avoids clichés by serving classic and authentic dishes drizzled in butter.  The atmosphere—and flavors on offer—is refined, combining Gallic elegance with Nordic restraint. Just take their bread: Baked in-house, it has a baguette-like crust and genuine sourdough flavor—served with truffle butter, it’s a revelation in itself. If you only ordered that and nothing else, you would still leave satisfied.

But Saint-Malo’s quest for excellence certainly doesn’t end there. The mood is set by the background music and the service. During our visit, the sommelier and waiter had a heated debate about which dishes on the menu should be given a special recommendation. In the end, both were right: The scallops baked in mushroom sauce or the grilled squid with creamy lemon sauce were both exceptional. If the whole restaurant had to be summed up in one dish, either would fit the bill.

Unsurprising for a French establishment, the wine list is the size of a bible, and treated with nearly as much reverence. All bottles stem from France and are listed by region, with short introductions describing the unique attributes and terroirs of each. While highly informative, there is no need to study it in depth: Saint-Malo’s sommelier Ignatij Semionov has just been named the best in the Baltics. Their coffee deserves a special mention, surpassing most restaurants in France. Even if Saint-Malo were located in Paris and not Vilnius, its savoir-faire would set it apart.