I just had the best meal of 2025. Sure, the year’s only half over, but I don’t anticipate eating better than I did at Bar Gigi last Saturday. For this post, let’s listen to E-Pro by Beck.

I was shocked at how small Bar Gigi is. There were barely a handful of tables. I understand now why it’s so hard to get a reservation. If you make a reservation, keep it. A last-minute cancellation can seriously hurt their end‑of‑day sales.

Our server was an absolute star. When I mentioned my recent appetite issues, she suggested half pours of wine and smaller portions so we could try even more dishes. Who does that? Let me answer that for you. No one! No one but her! I’m going to give our server the pseudonym, Fairy Godmother, or FG for short.

FG recommended pairing a glass of the Bernard Defaix Chardonnay Chablis (2023, $20) with the scallop crudo ($22). The scallops were silky, lovelier yet with a delicate crunch from celery and onion crisp on the top. Chew Steel thought the wine went well with the thick viscosity of the green lime yuzu.

FG paired the Loimer Gruner Veltluner (2023, $20) with the prawn toast ($21). I loved this wine pairing, and since I can’t pair wine with food for the life of me, I was in bliss. The bread had a buttery, golden crunch that gave way to the prawn filling of rich, almost devilled egg–like creaminess. It brought to mind the fried goodness of a dim sum shrimp spring roll. The wine, served icy cold, sliced through the toast’s fatty goodness.

FG recommended dipping our toast into the green yuzu sauce, which toned down the richness of the dish. Chew Steel initially rebuffed trying the sauce, but after he dipped, he agreed it was a good combination. I reprimanded him, stating FG has proven her worth.

I’m unsure if FG paired the Squash Blossom ($18) with a glass of pink Améztola Txkoil Rebentis Hondarrable Zurl (2023) or a Sauvignon Blanc, Château de Poot (2022). I just know I had both on the table, and that I was having the time of my life.

The fried squash blossom was a winner. It’s lightly battered, delicate, and sweet, stuffed with a warm ricotta filling that was as smooth and heavy as whipped potatoes. Topped with a hint of honey, this is easily one of the best things I’ve eaten all year.

I was full at this point, but I ordered the Chew Steel Potato Bread ($14) because I could see him eyeing it as it sailed past us to the following table. I took a bite. The bread was warm and pliable, made decadent with salty charred leek butter, bespeckled with black olives. I took a swig of my rose, loving how smooth it tasted against the herby oil and salty bread.

For Chew Steel’s main, we ordered the Ricotta Cavatelli with Morels and Tarragon ($34) paired with a glass Reserve de Vignerons Cab Franc (2023, $16). The wine was delicious on its own and with the pasta, which Chew Steel mentioned brought out the creamy nutmeg flavour in the sauce.

Though I was too full to eat Chew Steel’s pasta, I wanted dessert, the Sour Cherries Amaretto Cream Phyllo Pastry ($14). Oh, this was way too good to share. I loved the cold tartness of the cherries, the softness of whipped cream, and the crunch of the phyllo. I would order this again.

We washed the dessert down with Lo Milla grappa ($14). Honestly, at this point, I just remember raving and rambling about how happy I was to find a restaurant that quenched the thirst that Bar Von Der Fels left behind.

I think there’s something so magical about a small restaurant run by big talent. And while I am naturally an enthusiastic person, the food, service and wine at Bar Gigi lives up to its hype. Trust me! Hitting the Sauce gives Bar Gigi and the Fairy Godmother two phat thumbs up.