Life > August 30, 2007

By Caitlin Kenney | Editor in chief

Stepping into Bleu Restaurant and Bar is like stepping out of North Carolina and into a stylish, urban, fine dining room ­– the kind that pepper East Coast cities like Boston and New York.

Relatively new to Winston-Salem, Bleu opened early this year and has yet to show up on the radar of many Dash diners, but is conveniently located right behind the Village Tavern off of Hanes Mall Blvd.

The menu is extremely inventive and just a quick glance at the appetizer page will show you why.

Dishes that sparked my curiosity included the Vietnamese fried quail ($10), panko crusted tofu ($7) and chilled watermelon soup ($4), not items normally listed on local menus.

Don’t worry though, the menu isn’t completely exotic. The fare is upscale American, with an occasional French or Asian twist.

The entrees can be a bit pricey, so the best bang for your buck is to order off the “steakhouse cuts” menu, a list of grilled meats and seafood that come with a house salad and choice of side and dipping sauce.

For my entree, I opted for the seared scallops ($20) with a light lemon wine butter that perfectly complemented my huge, meaty scallops, seared to a light golden brown. My side of Yukon mashed potatoes was creamy, light and flavorful, with just the right amount of seasoning.

I sampled a fellow diner’s Ahi tuna ($20), which was cooked at a perfect medium rare and glazed in a tangy mirin soy sauce. The braised short rib ($19), not on the steakhouse cuts menu, turned out to be just as filling since a huge bowl of lo mein noodles and stir fried vegetables accompanied the tender, boneless ribs.

If you’re craving lighter fare, try a sandwich with a little panache, like the crab and shrimp cake sandwich ($10) or the brie, tomato and arugula sandwich ($9).

Another excellent choice for the penny-pinching or wallet-conscious is a salad, which can be topped with a number of meats and seafood for reasonable prices, ranging from $5-$8.

The appetizer menu is also a tapas menu, so you could easily make a meal out of two or three tapas for the whole table.

Bleu is decorated in dark woods with warm lighting, high ceilings and huge champagne bottles displayed on the walls.

While Bleu claims to be both restaurant and bar, the restaurant vibe is much stronger than the latter.

Bleu does offer daily drink specials, including $4 mimosas and bloody mary’s on Sundays, which would probably be great for the brunching crowd. But, though Bleu does have an extensive martini list, I’d recommend sticking to the even more comprehensive wine selection, since my friend’s pomegranate martini ($8) tasted more like a watered-down vodka lemonade and my Central Perktini ($8), while cleverly named was more Red Bull than raspberry vodka.

In fact, rather than finishing your meal with a cocktail, check out the dessert menu instead. You won’t regret it.

My cheesecake ($5), served with a pumpkin sauce, was some of the richest and creamiest I’ve ever had. The key lime pie ($5) was light and fluffy and paired perfectly with a raspberry dipping sauce.

Bleu is perfect for a posh night out with the girls, an intimate date or a special dinner with family. Be daring and try something original. It’s not everyday that Winston-Salem serves up such a unique and varied menu.