Frais is a restaurant that, thanks to clear improvements in the kitchen and more thoughtfully composed dishes, rightly earns its place in this selection this year. Located in the lively lower part of Banská Bystrica’s main square, surrounded by boutiques, bars and restaurants, it confidently holds its own in a competitive environment. With its generous capacity and two terraces, the restaurant offers a flexible space suitable for anything from a romantic dinner to a quick lunch, as well as corporate or family celebrations. Due to its larger size, the downside is that at certain times and on busier days, longer waiting times are to be expected. We recommend trying the duck pâté with a pleasantly tart cherry reduction. The sous-vide pork tenderloin, served with crisp potato gratin, was very well executed and brought together by a pronounced sauce of garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Same as last year, however, our choice of dessert proved less fortunate. The baked chocolate was more of a disappointment than a treat. What ultimately balanced the experience was the attentive and cheerful service, whose enthusiasm was evident from arrival through to the end of the evening.
