Bourbon's Bistro

As you all know, Bourbon's Bistro is one of my favorite places to go. I love the atmosphere; the employees are the best around; and Michael Crouch certainly knows how to cook up some good food. My birthday was the 5th of July, and most of my friends were out of town on vacation, so I decided to go to Bourbon's Bistro solo. When I'm dining alone, I enjoy sitting at the bar, so I found a stool on the end in the corner where I could people watch. Bourbon's Bistro really attracts an interesting mix of characters.

I began with Noah's Mill on the Rocks. If you are a bourbon lover and haven't tried Noah's Mill, it is an absolute necessity. This 114.3 proof, small batch bourbon is aged 15 years-to perfection. It is subtle and smooth with hints of vanilla and a little nuttiness on the finish. It is the number one bourbon on my list.

I asked Kyle, the bartender, to ask the chef if he had time to create something special for my birthday. They were a little busy, but not full, so I had high hopes. I then ordered a salad special to start off with. The salad was mixed field greens with figs, strawberries, candied almonds, and goat cheese with a champagne vinaigrette. The figs and strawberries were so fresh and flavorful and were complemented nicely by the crumbles of tangy goat cheese. Topped with a light and slightly sweet champagne vinaigrette, this salad was definitely a worthy start to a birthday dinner.

When Chef Crouch brought out his creation, I was in awe. I didn't want to start eating the food because the presentation was so lovely. The plate consisted of a large round of beef tenderloin, wrapped in proscuitto, then topped with a small slice of brie and finished with a port and shallot reduction. Atop the tenderloin rested several succulent lobster claws. A smattering of sauteed shrimp were around the tenderloin, which was nested against fluffy garlic mashed potatoes and perfectly grilled sliced zucchini and yellow squash.

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This was the most decadent meal I've had in ages! Maybe ever. The tenderloin was cooked to a perfect medium rare, with a nice smokiness added to its flavor from the proscuitto. The beef was so tender, I barely needed a butter knife. The brie melted down around the meat and was complemented deliciously by the port and shallot reduction. And the lobster claws- so juicy and perfectly steamed. With so many amazing things happening on my plate, I struggled to figure out what the perfect bite was. I combined the light, garlicky shrimp with a bit of mashed potato. Perfect. I placed a bite of the tenderloin on my fork with the warm brie and swirled it in the port and shallot reduction. Even better. I had a simple taste of the lobster claw with a bite of the grilled squash. Heavenly.

There wasn't a thing on that plate that was less than stellar. I cannot stop raving about it. It was so kind of Chef Crouch to spend all that time preparing such an unforgettable birthday meal for me. The service from Kyle was outstanding, as usual. I never wanted for anything. John and Jason, the owners, are so hospitable and friendly; I always have the desire to return as soon as I'm leaving.

Thanks, Bourbon's Bistro, for always making me feel welcome and at home!

When my mom asked me a couple of months ago where I wanted to go for my d-bay, I told her Bourbon's Bistro. We had a truly wonderful meal and all my expectations were not only met but exceeded. It's great we have places like this in the Ville. So glad to hear about your wondrous dining experience.

Our menu wasn't customized as yours was but was delectable nonetheless.

It was as follows:

Apps:

Fried Cornmeal Dusted Oysters served with a Lemon Horseradish Sauce

Garlic Shrimp and Parmesan Grits topped with a Bourbon Molasses Red Eye Gravy
with Fresh Shaved Reggiano Parmesan and Wild Mushrooms

Salads:

Baby Spinach Salad tossed with Toasted Walnuts, Red Onion, Cucumbers and
Tomatoes in a Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Baby Arugula Salad tossed with Haricot Verts, Smoked Bacon and Gruyère in a
Caramelized Onion Sherry Vinaigrette, topped with a Poached Egg

Mains:

Dijon Mustard Rubbed and Pecan Crusted Baked Salmon on a Bed of Roasted Onion and
Asparagus Risotto drizzled with an Orange Bourbon Molasses Glaze

Pan Seared Diver Scallops served with a Grilled Polenta Cake,
topped with a Sweet Hickory Smoked Bacon and Black Truffle Sauce,
served with Grilled Asparagus

Service was friendly and attentive. We were offered dessert, however we had eaten all we could and politely declined. Since my dad died, my mom doesn't get out much and she sincerely enjoyed our dining experience.

Wow!...Talk about a Surf & Turf Special!...

Wow, Doogy, it sounds like you guys had an amazing meal as well. I love love love the shrimp and grits.

The service staff is genuinely happy to be working there and happy to give excellent service, which I find quite rare in recent years.

We have always loved Bourbons too. We have found the service to be very friendly and the food excellent. One of the best things we have found is the fact that everyone there is very friendly and accommodating to my 18 month old son. We have been taking him there ever since he was few months old. But they go out of their way to make sure he is taken care of. He loves to go outside and watch the cooks. Even when we are standing at the window people talk to him and interact with him from the kitchen. It is great to have a nice resturant to go to where we are not looked at as a burden because we have a child. My son (as do I) loves the goat cheese app.