When we first moved to Bloomington, there was a bit of dispute in our house about “Café et Crêpe.” This dispute, mind you, took place in the absence of any actual EXPERIENCE with the place (that’s just the kind of people we are…who needs actual data to support opinions?) When one of us, with much cajoling, whining, and frankly pathetic and underhanded manipulating, managed to convince the other one to go, it was clear that all foot-dragging had been a complete waste of precious good eating.
What was the hesitation? There was a bit of snobbery….who wants oversized, over-sugared, American-style crêpes? They are incredibly easy to make, and frankly, we have a copious supply of butter and sugar at our OWN house….and I know OUR crêpes aren’t likely to be 24 inches in diameter. AND there was the association of crêpes with SWEET things, a perception most likely born of our experience at little street side crêperies in France.
So….I must confess that my resistance (come on, it was clear that I was the resister) represented a significant error. Café et Crêpe offers the most amazing selection of SAVORY crêpes, with fillings that have a lovely balance of flavor and high-quality ingredients. The mushrooms have a hint of sherry in them, and they are always good about balancing vegetables with cheeses and not producing a gooey, gloppy, mess.
I have never had a savory crêpe there that I haven’t loved, and it is always difficult to decide what to have (although for me, the chicken Florentine often wins). It is good to be warned, however, that none of the savory crêpes arrive without a generous garlic bite, which is great with us, but not always thrilling to everyone. The OTHER wonderful thing about the restaurant (aside from the Algerian mint tea) are the salads that accompany every crêpe. Lots of fresh vegetables, a light vinaigrette, the perfect lunch or light dinner. And I should note, for those of you who love a little strawberry and nutella in your crêpe, there is an entire selection of sweet crêpes, so do not fear!
Interestingly (disappointingly), Café et Crêpe has weird hours. They don’t open until 11am, which might be fine for the late-night undergraduate crowd, but some of us are up and hungry way before 11 (those same ones of us who go to bed at 10pm, I suspect). The late opening seems especially odd in light of the fact that many of their crêpes contain some variant of scrambled eggs. However, we are willing to wait, twiddling our thumbs in anticipation, until the appointed hour arrives. The wait hasn't disappointed us yet!
Overall rating: 8 points
Food: 8/10
Pricing: 9/10
Ambiance: 7/10
GRADING SCALE:
Food: 1=inedible, 10=unforgettable; Pricing: 1=totally unresonable, 10=worth every penny; Ambiance: 1=I'd better bring this home, 10=I want this to BE my new home
Location: 316 E. 4th St.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
A tasty bar snack....56 degrees bar
In a most inauspicious location, tucked into a slightly shady strip mall on the east side of town, lies one of our favorite weeknight spots--56 degrees bar. This is the bar section of the restaurant Truffles, which will get its own review in its own due time...have some patience, we have JOBS here....
What is to love about 56 degree bar? It is NOT the location of the restaurant itself (aforementioned dingy lot), NOR is it the placement of the bar itself--directly in the line of blasts of cold air from the front door. And, admittedly, it is not the decor either, which, to our taste, is rather cold and unwelcoming, and a bit dated. BUT WAIT! There is something redeeming about this place, something which causes us to turn a blind eye to these other distracting characteristics.
The bar snacks.
This is a great place to get a delicious, non-greasy bite to compliment your martini (which, on Thursdays, are half priced). The prices are quite reasonable, and the food is very good. I have never had anything from the menu that I didn't like, although some things are better than others. The ultimate, in my opinon, is their version of a cubano (called something creative, like "cuban pork sandwich"), which consists of ham, pork, mustard, swiss, and dill pickle. Friends, there is nothing quite like a cubano--the saltiness and slight richness--to compliment an icy mouthful of vodka. And amazingly, such a combination is available just minutes from your front door--and you can even do your grocery shopping at Kroger before you head home. Now THAT'S convenience.
I should mention that they have other drink specials on other evenings, and thus it is possible to have an economical evening on many days of the week. The bar area has many tables, so you can go with a group or with your most beloved friend....there's room for everyone. Now if only they'd get rid of those harsh black tables....
Overall rating: 7.5/10
Food: 7/10
Pricing: 10/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Rating scale:
Food: 1=inedible, 10=unforgettable
Pricing: 1=totally unresonable, 10=worth every penny
Ambiance: 1=I'd better bring this home, 10=I want this to BE my new home
LOCATION: 1131 S. College Mall Road
What is to love about 56 degree bar? It is NOT the location of the restaurant itself (aforementioned dingy lot), NOR is it the placement of the bar itself--directly in the line of blasts of cold air from the front door. And, admittedly, it is not the decor either, which, to our taste, is rather cold and unwelcoming, and a bit dated. BUT WAIT! There is something redeeming about this place, something which causes us to turn a blind eye to these other distracting characteristics.
The bar snacks.
This is a great place to get a delicious, non-greasy bite to compliment your martini (which, on Thursdays, are half priced). The prices are quite reasonable, and the food is very good. I have never had anything from the menu that I didn't like, although some things are better than others. The ultimate, in my opinon, is their version of a cubano (called something creative, like "cuban pork sandwich"), which consists of ham, pork, mustard, swiss, and dill pickle. Friends, there is nothing quite like a cubano--the saltiness and slight richness--to compliment an icy mouthful of vodka. And amazingly, such a combination is available just minutes from your front door--and you can even do your grocery shopping at Kroger before you head home. Now THAT'S convenience.
I should mention that they have other drink specials on other evenings, and thus it is possible to have an economical evening on many days of the week. The bar area has many tables, so you can go with a group or with your most beloved friend....there's room for everyone. Now if only they'd get rid of those harsh black tables....
Overall rating: 7.5/10
Food: 7/10
Pricing: 10/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Rating scale:
Food: 1=inedible, 10=unforgettable
Pricing: 1=totally unresonable, 10=worth every penny
Ambiance: 1=I'd better bring this home, 10=I want this to BE my new home
LOCATION: 1131 S. College Mall Road
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Farm Bloomington
"So how long have we been talking about coming here?" I asked one of our friends tonight. "Months," she confirmed.
We have been looking forward to the launch of Farm since about September. We need a place that has good food, a liquor license, and a decent bar space. The ideal combination has been lacking; although there are places with good appetizers, they rarely have liquor licenses, and the places that manage to get liquor licenses tend to be less focused on quality than on quantity. So here we are, in a place with appetizers AND vodka, and we are....disappointed.
First, the Farm seems slightly schizophrenic--do we really need to buy a sponge at the same locale as our $36 steak? We think not. Not to challenge our rights to capitalize on consumerism, but let's strive for some sense of coherence.
And then there is the timing issue. Let's be clear: one's meal should not arrive before one's starter has been cleared. The kitchen must be informed.
Now to the details of the food itself--decidedly mediocre. The starters that our table had; the gravalax, ceviche, cesar, and mixed greens, were all quite good. But we weren't being charged "good" prices. This was no comparison, taste-wise, to the delights that one finds at Tallent, but the prices were more than commensurate. Remember, there is a delicate balance to be maintained between price, quality, and ambiance....The Farm is not, unfortunately, in balance.
Our entrees were equally uneven. The Farm burger was wonderful--plenty of goat cheese, lovely bread, and crispy fries. The skirt steak was also fine. But the elk special for the night--at $32--was quite a disappointment. Our general consensus was the the food was OK, but way overpriced.
It seems that either the Farm has to up the ante to match the quality of the food coming out at Tallent, or lower the prices to make the product better aligned with the price.
Overall rating: 6 points
Food: 7/10
Pricing: 4/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Food: 1=inedible, 10=unforgettable
Pricing: 1=totally unresonable, 10=worth every penny
Ambiance: 1=I'd better bring this home, 10=I want this to BE my new home
Location: 108 E. Kirkwood Ave.
We have been looking forward to the launch of Farm since about September. We need a place that has good food, a liquor license, and a decent bar space. The ideal combination has been lacking; although there are places with good appetizers, they rarely have liquor licenses, and the places that manage to get liquor licenses tend to be less focused on quality than on quantity. So here we are, in a place with appetizers AND vodka, and we are....disappointed.
First, the Farm seems slightly schizophrenic--do we really need to buy a sponge at the same locale as our $36 steak? We think not. Not to challenge our rights to capitalize on consumerism, but let's strive for some sense of coherence.
And then there is the timing issue. Let's be clear: one's meal should not arrive before one's starter has been cleared. The kitchen must be informed.
Now to the details of the food itself--decidedly mediocre. The starters that our table had; the gravalax, ceviche, cesar, and mixed greens, were all quite good. But we weren't being charged "good" prices. This was no comparison, taste-wise, to the delights that one finds at Tallent, but the prices were more than commensurate. Remember, there is a delicate balance to be maintained between price, quality, and ambiance....The Farm is not, unfortunately, in balance.
Our entrees were equally uneven. The Farm burger was wonderful--plenty of goat cheese, lovely bread, and crispy fries. The skirt steak was also fine. But the elk special for the night--at $32--was quite a disappointment. Our general consensus was the the food was OK, but way overpriced.
It seems that either the Farm has to up the ante to match the quality of the food coming out at Tallent, or lower the prices to make the product better aligned with the price.
Overall rating: 6 points
Food: 7/10
Pricing: 4/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Food: 1=inedible, 10=unforgettable
Pricing: 1=totally unresonable, 10=worth every penny
Ambiance: 1=I'd better bring this home, 10=I want this to BE my new home
Location: 108 E. Kirkwood Ave.
In the beginning....
This blog is being created in response to the popular media which, for understandable reasons, refuses to take a stand about Bloomington restaurants. On the one hand, we understand that a single bad review in a popular magazine might significantly undermine a restaurant, perhaps unconscionably. But at the same time, as recent Bloomington transplants, we are anxious for a place to hear legitimate exchange about the merits of various restaurants. Truly, we ask--how much money must we waste trying out different lack-luster joints before we stumble onto our favorites? It seems time to create a site for foodies to unite!
Our goal in this blog is to share reviews (and hope others will chime in with theirs). We often revisit restaurants, and change our minds—everyone has a bad night, right? The scale that we use in our reviews is a complex mélange of three important factors: Quality of food, cost of meal, and atmosphere (involving décor and service).
Our goal in this blog is to share reviews (and hope others will chime in with theirs). We often revisit restaurants, and change our minds—everyone has a bad night, right? The scale that we use in our reviews is a complex mélange of three important factors: Quality of food, cost of meal, and atmosphere (involving décor and service).
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