 |
 |
| Northwest Wine Fan Visits Bluefish Bistro |
| Ambience: Bluefish Bistro is one of those intimate sized restaurants you love to frequent. From the small dining room divided from the entrance with a water feature to the cozy bar/counter area everything here just seems to fit. We especially like the jazz playing softly in the background. At times it is a little noisy (from patrons enjoying themselves) but you come to expect this in a smaller restaurant. The great service and food will satisfy the most discerning of palates. Service: We have been to Bluefish Bistro many times including a family dinner, some business gatherings and just the two of us out for a bite. The service here is consistently good. Their attention to detail is appreciated, including the last time we went when our waiter came to the table, saw our bottle of wine and immediately set us up for glasses and opened our wine for us. I know we say this often but it is really great when you can ask your waiters opinion and they have suggestions that make your evening more enjoyable. The Food: A small menu that is chock full of great selections! With only about 16 choices on the menu plus nightly specials you might think it difficult to make a great dining choice. Not so here. Yes the menu is small but the offerings are excellent. Starters on the menu you will not want to miss are the Pan Seared Scallops with yam goat cheese puree, brown butter and white truffle oil and the Ahi Firecrackers which consists of fresh poke wrapped in nori with wasabi and served with cucumber noodles. Pair either of these with a glass of the Bluefish Riesling, you won't be disappointed. We have tried all of the salads and they are all good. I tend towards the Bistro Salad with pinot noir vinaigrette, toasted pumpkin seeds and marinated mozzarella cheese curd, but I was really taken aback our last visit when I tried the Caesar (see picture), a Chiffonade of romaine layered with parmesan crackers. If you think you have tried all of the Caesars possible this one is unique and great. During our most recent night out at Bluefish they had Rack of Lamb on the menu and it lived up to my expectations. One of my favorite entrees (as you can see in previous reviews) it hit on all cylinders. My favorite this season though is the Roasted Quail with creamy gorgonzola cous cous, seasonal vegetables, and herb demi- glace. This with a bottle of Beaux Freres "Ribbon Ridge" Pinot Noir from the wine menu really puts you over the top. Carolyn always likes to try the fish entree and this trip focused in on the Fresh Alaskan Salmon and Warm Beet Salad with smoked prosciutto vinaigrette and sauteed young greens. It was melt in your mouth good. Wine Menu: An adequate by the glass menu here offer you choices of around 8 whites and the same for reds with glass prices ranging from $7 to $11. Standouts here include the Belle Pente Chardonnay and the D'Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz as well as the Nelms Road Merlot. The bottle menu is where it gets more interesting. Granted there should be some Northwest sparkling wine on the menu but except for that there are many good choices. White wines range from $25 to $75. The King Estate Domaine Pinot Gris, Duckhorn Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine Drouhin "Arthur" Chardonnay and the Chateau Ste Michelle Eroica Riesling stand out. There are over 50 red wine choices ranging from $30 to $180. Favorites here are the Beaux Freres "Ribbon Ridge" Pinot Noir, Whitehall Lane Merlot, Dunham Cellars "Trutina" Red Blend, Woodward Canyon Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon and of course the Leonetti Cabernet. Wine Service: The stemware is adequate if not exciting. Wine service though is above average and a lot of attention is paid to your wine enjoyment including switching glasses when moving from white to red wines. The staff knows the wine list and can make informative suggestions for you. Overall Impression: We know it is a little on the expensive side but we like it. We like it a lot! |
 |
| Bluefish Bistro 718 NW Franklin Ave. Bend, OR 97701 541-330-0663 Open 7 days a week for dinner 5:30 to close Proprietors: Doug Robertson, Matt and Shanda Mulder Chef: Matt Mulder Food Prices: Moderate to Mildly Expensive Wine Prices: Moderate Corkage: $15 Reviewed by Tim and Carolyn Sinniger September, 2007 |
| Talk To The Cellarmaster: |
| Tim Sinniger |
| Name: |
| Email: |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|