Bistro Niko is restaurant in midtown Atlanta with a Parisian cafe vibe. This is one of several restaurants part of the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group. Each summer the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group does a "summer dine around" program, where one can sign up and over the course of June - September eat at four of their restaurants.

For those who have been part of the program, the initial card is sent in the mail. For those new to the program, you can sing up online and decide which restaurant to start at. There generally is an incentive to participate in the program - aside from essentially getting (most of) one entree free at each location. The incentives have ranged over the years from a cookbook to an "extra" card to join them at some point during the year, to an entry into a raffle for a chef's table event.

Daniel has been a part of the program for many, many years, which I now benefit from. We have eaten out as a couple as well as we have gone in groups. (When in the group each couple would have their own card and separate checks.)

The restaurant is at the corner of Peachtree Road and Tower Road, officially at 3344 Ptree Rd NE. (Ptree is a common abbreviation for Peachtree for those not in the know.)

Each of the Buckhead Life restaurants have valet parking - there is no self parking. Depending on the restaurant, it can be paid through an app, cash, or a cashless transaction device. At Bistro Niko the valet is $5 (+ tip.) Getting out of your car is uncovered, so be aware if it is raining. However, just a few steps away is a covered walkway to the restaurant.

Being downtown, MARTA is always an option. The Buckhead station is about a 2-5 minute walk from the restaurant.

There are four general areas one can sit in at Bistro Niko - there is a room across from the kitchen, the general open area, the bar area, and an outdoor patio. I've walked through the bar area and found it noisy. The outdoor patio is along Peachtree Street, so depending on when one goes, there could be a lot of fumes from the traffic. The general seating is also very noisy, but not as much as the bar area. We often ask to sit in the room across from the kitchen - partially because I like to watch the kitchen activity, which is mostly expediting.

Most of the Buckhead Life restaurants have fairly static menus - I haven't seen them change much (or at all) in the past 8 years. Because of this, over time, if one is adventurous, you end up eating through the entire menu. Or at least of what you can eat (aka allergies.) The kitchen is often fairly accommodating, such as leaving off nuts if possible.

Each summer I have my favorites that I look forward to and have to debate between which I will eat this year. This year I had the frisee lettuce aux lardons and broiled hanger steak & frites. I finished with the chocolate sundae sans brittle.

The salad was off this year. I've learned to stir it up to ensure the dressing coats everything (as it is at the bottom of the bowl) and so that yolk of the poached egg can do the same. Despite giving a hardy stir, the frisee was more bitter than normal and the balance was off. The steak was on point. I don't know why it is offered with a bernaise sauce (which I've learned I don't like from a prior visit) as the steak is so flavorful on it's own. The fries are perfectly crispy outside and fluffy inside, and while well seasoned, I can't help but dip them in ketchup and/or mayonnaise.

Daniel got the french onion soup. I've had it before and it is the best version I have ever had. He also had the Faroe island salmon and finished with creme brulee. The couple we went with had the beet and goat cheese salad, sea bass, and the trout; they finished with the flourless chocolate torte. Everyone was very happy with their choices and how well they were cooked.