Thursday, July 22, 2010

Bloom, 40 Monroe Center - 7/14/10

Update:  Bloom closed its doors, effective 11/1/10.

We’ve dined here at least four times previously and always love the food but hate how long it takes to arrive. It’s never been crowded, which makes the delay inexplicable. But the food is relatively creative and we think it's worth the wait. Located on a corner, the restaurant has an open design with exposed round duct work, wood trim, and warm colors. It’s not a cozy or intimate setting but it has an attractive, trendy atmosphere.

There were ten appetizers offered and the pressed quail stood out among them. Accompanied by peas, almonds, and drizzled lemon vinaigrette, the dish had a nice interplay of flavors. 

Next up was crispy pork belly, served with lentils, glazed turnips, mustard, and red onion/honey jam; a little heavy on the lentils but otherwise beautifully presented. The pork belly was done well with a crispy top but still retained great taste.

Our second main dish was seared whitefish, paired with crispy bacon, raisins, and multiple carrot preparations. This was interesting and so creative; carrots came pureed, marinated, and sauteed, and one cooked carrot was on the plate with a slice of bacon resting in it perpendicular. Who does that? Just the people at Bloom. We don’t know exactly what the “whitefish” was, but it was expertly seasoned and delicious.

Because of our past experiences, this time we checked the timings. Our appetizer arrived in 25 minutes and our server let us know after 20 minutes that it would be up shortly. The main dishes arrived 40 minutes after ordering. If you’re not in a hurry, enjoying your conversation and some bottled beer, this wait time is acceptable. But we did order our main dishes before our appetizer arrived, which we usually don’t do. There was only one server tending the tables but with just three or four tables filled at one time, no additional servers were needed. She was friendly and efficient.

Bloom offers a weekend brunch that is rumored to be excellent. Multiple menus are posted online. If you like a pleasant environment, are not in a hurry, and enjoy original, innovative cuisine, visit Bloom.

www.bloomgr.com
Bloom on Urbanspoon

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