salmon-roasted corn chowder, and for March, in honor of St. Patrick's
Day, a "Rueben" chowder with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss
cheese.
"Wait and see," Jacobs said. "It works."
If it works anything like their wild mushroom and crawfish soup,
I'll be lined up, spoon in hand, at 7 in the morning.
Another cool thing about Bristol Farms cafe is the special
"themed" or timely events they hold. Reservations are always
required. You may remember the lobster fest last summer or their
Italian nights, where the food is big and the wine flows.
Bristol Farms has wine tasting events every Tuesday from 5:30 to
7:30 p.m., with four to six different wines and an appetizer platter.
The lunch crowd is always heaviest at Bristol Farms because of the
local businesses and local shoppers, but it sounds like dinner has
some pretty fine surprises.
For example, Valentine's Day in the cafe sounds divine, with a
four-course dinner served with four different wines and banana flambe
a la mode for dessert for $35 a person.
I am pretty excited about the catered Valentine's dinner, though
(oops, I think I spoiled my surprise) with dinner for two, served on
a silver platter. You have your choice of beef Wellington with a
mushroom burgundy sauce or salmon and spinach with a lobster sauce,
both baked in a heart-shaped puff pastry, Tuscany potatoes (a
tantalizing concoction of twice-baked potatoes, olives, capers and
cheese), and vegetables and dessert for $49.95. You do have to pick
this up, though. They expect to do more than 500 of these dinners.
Count me in.
As I said, Bristol Farms market is a food lover's store, but
clearly the cafe is operated by food lovers, as well -- creative,
dynamic, unique and adventurous food lovers. That's all I ask.
* KATHY MADER's dining reviews appear every other Thursday.
