I've had a blog before, but gave up on it when Facebook came around and my will to spend time creating posts plummeted (why bother when a quick status update reaches more people?). But one of my favorite things to write was always restaurant reviews. And, such was the magnificence of the meal I had on Saturday at Bluebeard that I decided I needed to start blogging again. So, here we go!
My husband and I had dinner with our friends Stephanie and Dave on Saturday, who are fellow foodies. I'd been wanting to try Bluebeard since I first heard about it several months ago--Tim, less so (he hates 'small plates' restaurants and a cursory glance at Bluebeard's menu turned him off because the menu lists 'small,' 'medium,' and 'large' plates).Arriving there on a chilly November evening, we discovered that there was a wait of about an hour to sit in the dining room (they don't take reservations). However, they said we could sit on their outdoor patio immediately. I was a bit hesitant, but as soon as we felt the amazingly warm overhead heater they had rigged, we all agreed. While I'd still love to experience the restaurant from the inside sometime soon, I have to say that eating outside this time of year was a pretty fun experience. I imagine that, come Spring, I'll be daydreaming about sitting out there with a refreshing cocktail.
But on to the food. Tim and I do not have limitless funds, but we are willing to occasionally splurge on great food (and drinks). We knew going in that this would be one of those times. So, we decided to share a salad to start, and to each get a 'large' plate for our mains. The salad we picked was (from the website): "frisee salad, pancetta, honey crisp apple, fennel, red onion, 5 minute egg, banyuls vinegar, blue cheese dressing $14." It was really delicious. The apple, which was julienned, stood out to me and added just the right amount of tartness to an otherwise rich salad (thanks to the lardon and egg). The lardon was in hearty chunks, and added much-needed saltiness to the entire dish. The blue cheese was more difficult to detect on my palate. And, since it was fairly dark out there on the patio, I couldn't see it visually, either. Nevertheless, it was a nice start and a good indicator of what was to come.
Our friends shared a chopped salad: "chopped salad, romaine, salumi, tomato, garbanzo beans, provolone, pickled peppers, pine nuts, oregano vinaigrette $14." Stephanie said it was delicious, and it was certainly a very large salad. They thought they would have leftovers, but Steph couldn't resist picking at it until it was gone, it was so tasty. They also ordered the "grilled house bread, whipped herb butter, anchovy butter, roasted garlic oil $7" for the table. The bread itself was very good. It's made in-house at the attached bakery, Amelia, and my understanding is that you can actually go in and just buy bread from them (couldn't locate the bakery times). They also supply bread to stores and restaurants in the area. The whipped herb butter was a favorite at the table, the anchovy butter provided a more pungent, salty flavor, and my personal favorite was the roasted garlic oil.
After a brief period, our entrees arrived. I had a sirloin strip steak, sliced over mashed potatoes and beet greens with wild mushrooms and a horseradish demi ($32). And let me just say, it was one of the most flavorful, delicious steaks I have ever had. I had debated whether to get that or the skatewing that was also on offer that night (the menu changes regularly)--I've heard skate is wonderful--but sitting outside, I had a craving for something warm and comforting, so red meat and mashed potatoes won out. The demi was rich and provided a well-seasoned umph to the whole dish. The steak was tender and plentiful. I probably couldn't have finished it, but Tim was willing to help me out.
He got duck leg confit, which arrived in a bowl over a mixture of shaved brussels sprouts, wild rice, and dried cherries (description is no longer on the website--sorry! $32). There was also an extremely flavorful broth running through the mixture. I'm not a duck lover, but this was the best I've ever tasted. He easily removed the bones from the legs with no effort because it was so incredibly tender. And the portion (a 'large' plate) was hearty--two large legs--so after helping me finish my dinner, he had to take half of it home.
Because this was a major splurge, we decided to get dessert. We ordered the apple dumpling with vanilla ice cream, and it was, again, one of the best I've ever had. The format was more that of a streudel, with the apples sliced and cooked down with spices and covered with a soft buttery pastry crust (leaned more towards puff pastry than pie dough). It was warm and delicious.
And finally, the cocktails. I started with a Jailbird: "crusoe spiced rum, fruitlab oragne liqueur, applejack, wilks & wilson orgeat, tiki bitters $11." It was orangey and refreshing--I imagine it would be particularly good on a hot summer day, but I enjoyed it immensely. I followed that up with a Metropolitan: "vodka, cranberry syrup, fruitlab orange liqueur, burlesque bitters $9." This one was equally tasty, and reminded me of a fancied-up cranberry vodka. Tim went with the Hopped Gin and Tonic: "small’s gin, bitterman’s hopped grapefruit bitters, bluebeard house tonic by willks and wilson $7" and enjoyed it immensely.
A few notes about the service--our waiter could have been smoother and slightly more attentive. But, our meal was well-paced with no rushing through courses, and he was always there when we needed a drink refill.
This is definitely going to be a special occasion-only place for us, unless we can agree to share a large plate (and even then, we'll need to limit our cocktail intake). We just can't throw down that type of money on a regular basis. But it was a wonderful meal that rivaled our favorite--Recess/Room Four--and I know we both hope it's not too long before we have an excuse to go back.
(Apologies for no pics--I'll try to take some from now on!)
Website: Bluebeard
