Blush Restaurant & Bar, Bryn Mawr
24 North Merion Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610) 527-7700
Rating: 2 silver spoons out of 5
Get a $25 gift certificate for $10 at Restaurant.com!
Overview: Another tenant behind the firehouse in Bryn Mawr, another uneven experience. Blush certainly has the potential to be decent, but a first look shows flawed cuisine and service.
Food: A surprisingly large, varied continental menu that offers a little something for everyone. For appetizers, we tried the Sweet Potato stuffed Ravioli ($8) served with Prosciutto and Sage Cream Sauce then topped with Brown Butter, which wasn’t bad but failed to overwhelm. It was tasty, but the sauce was a bit too heavy. The Duck Quesadilla ($10) was also palatable, although I think I enjoyed the one I had recently at World Cafe Live more (which shouldn’t be at Blush’s level).
For entrees, the Ancho chili crusted rib eye ($30), served atop avocado rice with sautéed sofrito vegetables and finished with a chipolte demi glace, was pretty disappointing. The steak was tough and less flavorful than I would have hoped, and neither the ancho chili or chipolte added much flavor (nor did the bland rice). For the price I would have expected something better. The Plancha seared halibut ($27) served with a fried shirimp & zucchini blossom over veggie risotto in a melted tomato sauce was decent, but it was not served as described on the menu (or by the waitress), creating a poor experience for us.
Our favorite entree was the Pan seared sesame crusted tuna ($25), served with sun-dried tomato mashed potatoes, marinated portabella mushroom and finished with cilantro cream and a chile aioli. The mushroom was kind of thrown on the plate haphazardly, but otherwise this was a tasty dish.
We ordered the Slow Roasted Salmon as well, but for some reason another Tuna was served to the person who ordered it.
Service: Our experience with Blush’s service was flat out poor. As I just mentioned, one member of our table was not even served the entree that he ordered. The waitress was barely apologetic when we pointed out this mistake. Earlier, my inquiry about what “melted” tomato sauce was was laughed off by the server (perhaps she was unable to describe it properly?), as if my seriousness about the food was ingenuine. We were in good spirits that night, celebrating and laughing (at least at the beginning), but I take my food seriously and expect serious answers when I ask about the makeup of an entree, especially at these prices.
One of the entrees was not described correctly on the menu or by the waitress, creating a problem for one of the people in our party. It is unacceptable to leave ingredients off the menu and not describe plates as they come to the table. (It should be noted that we did not pay for this item).
Of course, we were offered free dessert after this comedy of errors. And of course, we didn’t want dessert — we wanted to go home! I will never understand the customer service decision to prolong a bad experience for people. Just admit your mistake and offer to comp the offending meals! Making me stay is only going to make me dislike your restaurant even more!
Bar: Like everything else at Blush, wine is not cheap, but they had a few reasonable values. I’d recommend the Cline Zinfandel for $30 as a nice low-range selection.
Ambiance: Housed in the same room/layout as Bianca, the one thing Blush has going for it is a very nice veranda upstairs. The view is just the parking lot, but the area has a tuscan feel and is one of the better outdoor spaces in the area.
Value: Blush is pretty darn expensive, with entrees in the upper 20s and low 30s. Normally for that price, especially at a restaurant with a full bar, one might expect some pretty spectacular food. At Blush, however, the food is merely decent and the service is poor… hardly a good value.
Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 1
Reservations: Yes (OpenTable)
Bar: Full
Cards: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Hours: Lunch: Monday – Saturday: 11:30am – 3:00pm
Dinner: Monday – Thursday: 5:00pm – 10:00pm, Friday – Saturday: 5:00pm – 11:00pm, Sunday: 4:00pm – 9:00pm
Sunday Brunch: 10:30am – 2:30pm
Site: dineatblush.com
July 14, 2006 @ 9:05 am
I disagree with this review. I have dined at Blush twice since its opening, and have had enjoyable experiences both times as did my party. Service is always a work in progress, for any new establishment. As for the pricey wine menu, we found the list to accomodate both spectrums of the palate and reasonable in price compared to others around. I agree that the Tuna is one of the better dishes Blush has to offer, however, the pan seared scallop entree served to be just as enjoyable. That is just this diners opinion!
August 9, 2006 @ 4:40 pm
i went to blush restaurant and i felt the service was slow and the food was over priced! The owner nick came out to my table to apologize. But i felt his apology to be short just like him!!!!! So if u want to go to a good restaurant then skip blush!!!!!
August 13, 2006 @ 2:24 pm
I have to respond to what Sean McClain wrote on August 9th. First of all, I have eaten at Blush and personally was not impressed. I had many of the same thoughts and experiences as that of the reviewers of Main Line Dinning. However, having said that, I think it is incredibly ignorant and shallow to insult someone’s physical appearance because you did not enjoy your experience at their restaurant. What does his height have to do with the food?
August 20, 2006 @ 12:17 pm
I would like to say that when I dined at Blush I found the food to be quite good. Everyone in my party enjoyed their meals . I also had the sweet potato ravioli dish it was great and their seafood meals were excellent. Give Blush a try and see for yourself. Nick is a talented chef . PS My cosmopolitan was the best one I ever had.
August 25, 2006 @ 7:26 am
Went to Blush for a group dinner and a dinner with a friend. Food excellent both times, plus the Blushtini was fun. Yes, it’s pricy, not unlike many other upscale restaurants. Service was extremely attentive. I also heard the chef was cooking (special event) at the James Beard House in NY, which is quite a big deal. Would definately go again. Incidently, the decor is stunning.
August 27, 2006 @ 6:22 am
I have to say I agree with the review. Chef did not wow us with his performance. Both our main dishes were overdone and veggies were over cooked. Tried two different wines from the single glass menu and was not impressed. Service was slow and waiter was not cordial. The setting of the restaurant itself is nice, but for the quality of food it is not worth the price or time.
August 31, 2006 @ 7:25 pm
By the way, the James Beard house is a for profit organization. Anyone with a few bucks and a PR machine can buy their way in there for a night. That date was booked within a month of the restaurant opening. There’s no way Blush could’ve been invited there in that amount of time. More than half of the main line doesn’t even know it exists, let alone New York city. They should focus on fixing their problems and on the quality and execution of their menu before galavanting to the Beard House. Impress us first.
September 27, 2006 @ 3:20 pm
I went to Blush for a birthday dinner recently and enjoyed it immensely. Our service was excellent, even though we were upstairs on the outdoor deck. My husband, daughter and myself all ordered different entree specials and enjoyed them all. The tomato based Maryland crab soup was delicious as was the lobster “cigar”. We don’t normally order dessert but the chocolate pyramid and the layered hazelnut, buttercream chocolate cake (forget the name) were too tempting to pass up and fantastic. Perhaps they have read the reviews and made some improvements?
October 11, 2006 @ 9:23 am
I arranged a dinner for a large group and found the service to be quite disappointing. Food was ok, but worth the high price? I don’t think so. The waitstaff at our table kept changing throughout the meal – they all appeared to have just started working there that day! The upshot was trying to get our check – when I finally got the waiter’s attention he said it was because he had to go over it with the manager. I won’t return.
October 17, 2006 @ 7:49 am
I dined at blush last week, I found the menu to be OK. Service was also OK, I was intimidated by the thuggish manager who was not polite.
October 21, 2006 @ 8:52 pm
When are you going to review Blush again? I think you’re not giving it enough credit. Food is delicious, service is great. I think its one of the best restaurants in the philly area.
November 1, 2006 @ 3:47 pm
As Chef/Owner of Blush Restaurant, I’d like to thank our loyal patrons and apologize to those who, unfortunately, did not experience what Blush truly offers. Any new restaurant faces challenges, but I believe through hard work and personal sacrifice, we faced each challenge head on. At Blush I seek to give each and every customer a comfortable dining experience from start to finish. I take full personal responsibility for experiences at Blush. I have the utmost confidence in my own abilities and the abilities of my staff. Please accept my invitation to return to Blush for a full experience.
Sincerely,
Nicholas Farina
Chef/Owner
Blush Restaurant and Bar
November 1, 2006 @ 7:51 pm
After dining at Blush for the first time this evening, I found that the food and the environment were absolutley stunning!!!! This is great place to dine and I will most definitely be back time and time again. After reading some of the other reviews on Blush, I disagree and can only say that as a person that has dined in nearly every restaurant in the greater Philadelphia area, do yourself a favor and don’t pass Blush up. The managers were great and Mr. Farina himself came to our table with a warm, sincere greeting. The other reviews seem to take personal stabs at him and again, I 100% disagree. He is a great chef and I am going to have he and his staff cater my company christmas party. Great Restaurant!!! Keep up the good work!!!!
November 2, 2006 @ 6:44 am
Recently my family and I held a private party in the upstairs dining area and veranda. The whole experience from begining to end was a complete success. The service and food were exceptional and the attentiveness of the staff, kitchen, and the chef himself made the night very special. I have been to Blush for dinner, drinks, and this special event, and will continue to be a loyal patron.
November 3, 2006 @ 11:23 am
I hosted a private party at Blush shortly after the restaurant’s opening. The party was a great success and a great time was had by all. The staff worked easily with an outside karaoke vendor, and also accomodated my background music requests. The organizer of my event was very attentive, both before the event and during. The service, food, and drinks were great and the restaurant itself is beautiful. All of my guests were really pleased and enjoyed themselves. I would highly recommend Blush.
November 6, 2006 @ 12:07 pm
GREAT GREAT GREAT! The warm greating at the door began a most interesting dining experience. We started with a “Blush-tini” and some great appetizers. I had the salmon and my date had the chicken, both were fabulous. I had such a great meal, I hosted a work event downstairs in the late afternoon and a surprise family party in the upstairs room. Both events went smoothly and the staff were more than accomadating. Can’t wait to return.
November 6, 2006 @ 12:11 pm
Blush is one of my favorite places for dinner. I’ve tried most of the dinner choices and cant decide which is my favorite. Definitely try the sweet potato fries, I can see why they won the BEST OF PHILLY award. Enjoy!
November 7, 2006 @ 11:57 am
Blush was alright…… I’ll go to the city next time I want fine food. I HEAR YA PAUL haha, I was greated by Luca Brasi.
November 9, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
Seems like Blush is posting fake posts. ” GREAT GREAT GREAT” !? thats funny
November 13, 2006 @ 7:04 am
Went this weekend. Had nice food, nice time. I’ll go again.
November 16, 2006 @ 6:40 am
I have dined at Blush a couple times in the last two months, and I have yet to find a flaw. The service was exceptional and the food was great. I was greeted by the manager who was very polite and assisted me with all my questions. I felt like I was treated like a queen. Blush is a breathe of fresh air for the main line dining scene.
November 19, 2006 @ 4:29 pm
In a word, terrible. I live in the neighborhood so, despite having been warned not to go there for dinner, I decided to give brunch a try this morning. How can any place screw up breakfast?? I went with a friend at about 11:30 — the place was TOTALLY empty so we had it to ourselves. This was not a good sign.
We had a daffy waitress who, despite having only our one table to focus on, just couldn’t get it together. I asked for a slice of lemon for the water — I’m still waiting for it — and my friend needed to ask three times for cream for her coffee. Inexcusable.
A very limited brunch menu and fairly expensive. I ordered Eggs Benedict at $12, one of the least expensive items. The chef obviously does not know what Eggs Benedict is supposed to be — the egg yolks were totally cooked so the dish was sorely lacking despite the relatively tasty hollandaise and good ham (Blush uses ham rather than the more traditional Canadian bacon). The small side of potatoes was cold, and the half-strawberry/orange slice placed on the plate for “garnish” would have been better omitted.
My friend ordered pancakes with a side of bacon — she liked the bacon a lot but the pancakes were lukewarm and the fruit compote that came on the side was not only a really small portion but did not look particularly appetizing.
We didn’t complain or send things back — I wasn’t in the mood to explain that Eggs Benedict should have runny egg yolks and potatoes should be hot, etc. — and what’s the point when the restaurant could not get service or food right under these circumstances? This was a totally no pressure situation with no other patrons in the restaurant — a chance for the chef to shine and the waitstaff to be top notch. Blush failed miserably on both counts.
In fairness,I did think Blush was a pretty restaurant and I have heard that their martinis are fab — but they are getting a bad rep in the neighborhood for food/service.
November 22, 2006 @ 9:07 am
After having several wonderful dining experiences at Blush, my husband and I decided to host our wine tasting group dinner in Blush’s upstairs dining room. Our group of 8 had a fabulous time; we found the food to be both innovative and delicious. Blush’s very pretty decor and the live Jazz band added to our nice experience. The waitstaff was very attentive and they did a nice presentation to go along with each wine (a history on the wines, as well as the “story” behind each wine).
November 29, 2006 @ 11:03 am
My friends and I dined at Blush last week. We had an excellent experience. The food, service, and ambiance were impeccable! I ordered the salmon and it was delicious. I would recommend Blush to any of my family and friends!
November 30, 2006 @ 3:56 pm
I do not normally review, however after reading some of the not so good reviews (which may be totally valid) I felt compelled to share my experience. Recently (Nov. 18) my friends and I ate at Blush for the first time. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much, I had been let down too many times with new restaurants on RT 30. The three of us ended up getting the 5 course chefs menu, typically this isn’t paired, however, we asked and they supplied! Kelly our server would surprise us with each entree, not to mention detailed explanations on the food and why the specific wine was chosen. It felt like a surprise party and culinary class rolled into one. We began with a tuna ceviche, then moved on to lobster and risotto (this was served with an ice wine, I raised an eyebrow, but what a perfect pairing! I would have never thought), from there, duck (I am partial to duck, but this was prepared to perfection), and on to lamb that was like velvet, lastly, we ended with cheese and chocolate w/port! All the pairings were dead on! Service was fun and perfectly spaced. All and all, I was totally impressed, a little broke too…$500 later…but it really was worth it, we had a blast! If you are up for a special treat with friends, and don’t mind dropping a dime for a special occasion, I couldn’t recommend the chef’s menu more……with the pairings! Just make sure you have a driver, or like us, we took the train home. I will definitely go back!
P.S. the live jazz was good too
December 7, 2006 @ 6:12 pm
I think the chef was wearing a backwords hat……… The food was as tasteless as him.
December 28, 2006 @ 8:43 am
Backwards, my friend? As tasteless as he, perhaps? Back words indeed. No matter. I have dined at Blush only once and I enjoyed the food and wine immensely. I chose the chef’s tasting menu (3 courses) and each course was better than the last. My favorite course was a sweet scallop and shrimp sugar cane skewer over their avocado rice. The seared tuna was flavorful and presented well. But the ono course was definitely a highlight. Although the courses were not paired, I asked the chef to recommend a white wine that would complement the courses and he chose the Edna Valley Chardonnay, which was a delightful surprise at a pricey $44. The service was acceptable – it was clear that our server was being trained. Nonetheless, the more knowledgable staff visited our table several times and were very attentive otherwise. My guests were extremely pleased with the food and we ended the meal with the chocolate pyramid and a few creative, personalized drinks at the bar. Overall a great experience.
December 29, 2006 @ 5:56 am
After being appointed to plan my company’s Christmas party, I was a bit hesitant to go to Blush after reading some of the horror stories published on this site. I decided to make an appointment with Blush’s event planner, Naomi, and receive a first-hand impression on my own.
I won’t bore you with the many details that I went into with Naomi while planning the event, but from beginning to end, she was nothing but pleasant, accommodating, resourceful, and highly knowledgeable. Every employee that we encountered followed suit, including our head server that night, Kelly.
We had the royal treatment starting the night with the entire top floor to ourselves, including a bar set-up and butlered Hor D’oeuvres. The personalized menu for the party was a hit; guests had three different choices for an entree (the apple bacon wrapped filet and portabella truffles were a favorite) and the meal was ended with festive tiramisu.
The decor and ambiance of the restaurant was also one of the most impressive things about it. Upon arrival, guests kept coming up and commenting to me on how beautiful Blush was. I was ecstatic and relieved!
Needless to say after reading my chatty banter, Blush is a great place to take anyone- rather if it’s a colleague, significant other, or family member- they are guaranteed to be impressed!
January 8, 2007 @ 7:16 am
Seems like Blush is taking a turn for the worst. I had several enjoyable evenings there and now the food is tasteless and the service is lost.
January 21, 2007 @ 4:39 pm
A+! We visited Blush in late October and have to say it is one of the most pleasant experiences we have had on the main line. New restaurants, especially independant, small establishments, have a greater learning curve than most. I found that for only being open less than 4 months, Blush was a fantastic experience. We were greeted at the door and seated immeadiately for our Opentable.com reservation. Our server was TOO softspoken, but she was very polite – she may have been new and nervous is all! The menu was extensive and the specials sounded so good, it made it harder for us to choose! We had the squash ravioli and duck quesadilla, both of which were fantastic. Even the homemade butters for our table bread were unique and tasty! We had the wahoo and pumpkin gnocchi and both of our dishes were unbelievably delicous, well plated and exceeded our expectations. I observed the owner / head chef throughout the night checking on the dining room and servers while he himself cooked in the kitchen. I felt this showed a level of service unto itself. Give Blush a chance… pride of ownership really came through on our visit and we WILL go again!
February 11, 2007 @ 7:17 pm
I would first like to comment that our service was very slow and we were the only table in the restaurant for brunch. We waited a long time for our appetizers to arrive, which incidentally turned out to be the only good part of the meal. We ordered the eggs benedict which were overcooked to the point that the yolks were not even runny and the hollandaise sauce was terrible. We also had the omelet of the day which was cold and was not accurately described on the menu. Both the potatoes that we had with our entrees and the entrees themselves were ice cold. It shouldn’t be that difficult to prepare hot food for brunch when we were literally the only people in the restaurant.
I would also like to mention that the dessert menu is not very imaginative at all. Almost all of the desserts are chocolate. Not one of the desserts had fruit or anything else interesting.
The entrees were extremely overpriced and there was a poor and limited selection for brunch with only a few true brunch type offerings and everything else seeming as if it were just taken off of the dinner menu.
I do not recommend this restaurant for brunch for anyone looking for a nice meal on the main line.
March 2, 2007 @ 6:57 am
I recently had one of the most unfortunate dining experiences I’ve had in quite some time at Blush. I was hoping for the best, and seriously disappointed. The dining room is lovely and the amibance is great. That’s the only good thing I can say about the experience. The service was unbelievably bad. It took 30 minutes for our appetizers to arrive, and the appetizer for one member of our party didn’t arrive – the server had forgotten to put the order in. She never apologized. Entrees were another 45 minute wait after the appetizers. While my entree was actually excellent (halibut), the rest of our group’s entrees were terrible. Two of the group ordered steaks, and they were so bad they didn’t eat more than a couple of bites. No real apologies – although we were offered complimentary desserts, like another diner. But again, when the experience has been that bad, who wants to hang around for dessert??? The food was very expensive to be this uneven and I’m not about to try again hoping for an improvement — not at these prices. I guess we’ll hope that the next restaurant that takes over this space will be better (since Blush won’t last long if they don’t get their act together!).
March 8, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
We were very disappointed in the food at Blush and felt it was far too expensive for the quality of the cooking and the ingredients. The calamari in the appetizer were tough and did not seem as though they had come fresh out of the deep fryer. The aoli had very little flavor. The chipotle salsa was quite nice, but there was a tiny amount of it – the wait person did bring more when it was requested, which was a plus. The crab cakes, described as jumbo lump, had a few small pieces of jumbo lump, but mostly filler and shredded crab. The seasonings were unmemorable and the cakes tasted as though they had been partially pre-cooked and then heated or finished at the end. Crab cakes are a test entree for me, and these crab cakes did not justify their description or price. I didn’t even finish the potatoes and winter greens, and I had been really looking forward to the latter – some of my favorite vegetables ever. The special pasta entry was OK, but did not live up to its $34 price tag – and was skimpy as well. The grilled shrimp that came with it was overcooked to toughness. There was quite a wait between the appetizer and the main courses. The service was adequate, though each time the wait person came by to see how we were doing she asked us how we liked something and then employed the assumptive close without waiting for an answer. “How’s the calamari…..Very nice?” We then moved up a notch – “How are your entrees….Great?” If this was her idea of pleasant service, she could use some training, I sure hope the wait staff are not trained like this.
We’ve had some very good food on the Main Line and elsewhere, but sadly, this wasn’t one of those experiences.
March 11, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
We ate at Blush for Sunday brunch this past Sunday. It was more than I could have asked for. The menu was fun and creative, the food was delicious and our waitress was so friendy! We couldn’t have asked for a better dining experience on the Main Line.
April 24, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
Kudos to Mariana for her response to Stan. I dined at Blush on Valentine’s Day, and the service was spectacular. The food was delicious, and I look forward my next visit.
May 12, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
Folks,
I have been to Blush for lunch five times and dinner four times. Every meal has been very good to excellent, including the tasting menu on monday nights.
At lunch I recommend the pasta of the day special. The kitchen has a way with mushroom cream sauces for the pasta. The calamari has always been great.
The Ono fish at dinner is very good. I do agree with others that the crab cake could have more flavor. I also agree that Kelly is an amazing server, one of the best on the Main Line.
July 19, 2007 @ 7:58 pm
Went to dinner tonight with my husband and in-laws. We decided for the 3-course tasting menu, we loved it. The waiter was not very attentive. We did have to repeat requests for cream and coffee, but the food was absolutely delicious. And the live jazz was great.
September 23, 2007 @ 4:36 am
We had gift certificates to Blush but after reading past reviews, we were not expecting much. We were pleasantly surprised with wonderful food, friendly and efficient staff and a totally enjoyable evening. Compliments to the chef on the smoked chicken soup, seared tuna and asparagus cooked to perfection. We will return, bring guests and tell others about this charming resturant. Thank you for a nice evening.
November 27, 2007 @ 9:05 am
Two friends and I had brunch at Blush in October—I thought the food was very good, the service attentive. I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in the U.S. and abroad and I would go back to Blush. I was very surprised to see all the negative reviews!
February 10, 2008 @ 2:31 pm
THIS IS THE WORST RESTAURANT ON THE MAIN LINE. WE WAITED 2 HOURS FOR YOUR FOOD AND IT WAS STILL NOT WHAT WE ORDERED. WE WAITED 25 MINUTES ATTHE BAR BEFORE THE BAR TENDER CAME OVER. THIS IS A HUGE WASTE OF MONEY. PLEASE DO NOT DINE HERE. GO TO NECTAR, BELROSE 333, GEORGE’S….ANYWHERE BUT HERE.
February 14, 2008 @ 5:47 pm
The food was good, but all three times that we ate at Blush, the waitresses were very rude and had a poor attitude. I would never go back(we only went back three times due to the gift certificates we received). There are plenty of other good accomodating restaraunts in the area where eating out is about the food, but also the about being treated politely.
February 15, 2008 @ 8:19 am
I’ve only been to Blush once, and it was a dinner in one of the private upstairs rooms.
When I arrived at the party, the large table was covered with an assortment of appetizers, which were all very good.
We stood around with our drinks for about an hour, and a good time was being had by all. Then we sat, and ordered from the menu (as opposed to having our choices limited due to the party atmosphere).
I ordered the veal chop with risotto. Can’t remember waht the veg was. Our host also ordered a bunch of side dishes “for the table” including something featuring mushrooms, which was beyond excellent. The veal chop was great, though I did not care too much for the risotto. I have always found restaurant risotto to be a hit or miss thing.
I can’t really speak to the service because of the specialized situation when I dined there, but I found the food to be well above average.
February 15, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
I have to comment on Charlotte’s review of Blush.
I have dined at Blush numerous times both for professional as well as social functions. I find it impossible to believe that anyone waited 25 minutes at the bar at Blush for the bartender to arrive. Two hours?? Please, lets be realistic. This is obviously an ubsurdity. First of all, if you really had waited two hours for your food, which I highly doubt, then I have a feeling that you wouldn’t have wasted a penny at Blush. I have heard of less than perfect experiences at Blush that have been resolved in ways the go far above and beyond the norm for restaurants.
In the future if there is a problem, don’t trash a hard working and VERY nice restaurant. That we need more of on the mainline.
Your use of all capitals and blatant exaggerations speaks more of the reviewer’s issues that the restaurants.
Ladies and Gentleman, if you haven’t tried Blush; do it I think you’ll find it VERY pleasant indeed.
February 23, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
We had a wonderful meal at Blush. The service was good, the food excellent. Yes, there was a bit of a wait but the discount gift certificate I purchased from Restaurant.com made it worth the while and made the restaurant much more affordable.
March 5, 2008 @ 10:57 am
We have eaten at Blush 3 times; when it first opened, then a year later to give it a chance, and recently as a guest of friends. It has not improved from the first time we were disappointed. The food is merely average and thus very over priced. The wine list has been chosen poorly and is served in totally pedestrian stemware (especially for a restaurant claiming to be upscale) and is obnoxiously expensive. . And the service would not be acceptable at a diner, let alone a “fancy” Main Line restaurant. Obviously I would not recommned it and there are many better choices in the area.
May 12, 2008 @ 6:30 pm
Dined at Blush for Mother’s Day brunch (three courses for $31) and was pretty disappointed. The place aspires to be fine dining, but falls short.
We were seated quickly and immediately noticed that there’s nothing separating the kitchen from the dining room, so you’re treated to every noise and shout that’s going on in there. The next thing we noticed were that the tables were strangely large so that you feel as if you’re a few miles away from the person across the table.
Our waiter arrived after a few minutes and while he was polite, he seemed awkward and inexperienced. The menus, wine list, and cocktail list were in these ridiculously huge covers and mimosas were strangely absent from the list of cocktails. While we were looking at the menus, the bread came along with butter and cream cheese. The bread basket contained four halved croissants. We asked if there was anything besides croissants and our waiter returned with halved chocolate chip scones. I’ve been to much less expensive brunches where we got not only a variety of breads and rolls, but also a wider selection of jams and spreads.
After the bread misfire, came the coffee misfire. A server came around with coffee and poured for my mother and then for me. I could see as she was poured my mother’s cup that we were getting the bottom of the coffee pot and when I tried my coffee, it was as lukewarm as I expected it to be. After my pour drained the coffee pot, the server disappeared without a word, leaving my father coffeeless. She eventually returned and my father got his coffee.
For starters, I had the sweet potato ravioli, for which I got three undercooked ravioli served in a huge pasta bowl. I took a bite out of two ravioli and ignored the rest. My father got the spring roll starter which was a single deep-fried spring roll served with a small bowl of sauce on a bizzarely large rectangular plate and when the waiter started to set down the plate, the spring roll started rolling around. Whoever plated this needs to work on appearances; it just looked so unappetizing, that greasy little overcooked spring roll in the middle of a large plate with no garnish or anything save a blob of red sauce at each corner of the plate–at least do something to keep the damn thing from rolling.
During our long wait for our salads, a server came by with another table’s starters. Instead of simply apologizing and going to the correct table, he seemed overly embarrassed.
Salads finally arrived and we all had the spinach salad with blue cheese, walnuts, and pear slices. My mother’s salad had a chunk of walnut in it about the size of a golf ball, but they were good, if not distinguished from similar salads at other restaurants.
Oh, another annoyance with the service was that whoever stopped by to refill our water or our coffee or remove our plates always felt the need to interrupt our conversation and ask if we needed more coffee/water/plates cleared. They need to work on being attentive without being intrusive.
Entrée arrived. My father’s peppercorn steak was cooked to perfection, my mother’s chicken was delicious, my French toast was strange. When I read the menu, I thought that the item was “French toast, pancakes, and Belgian Waffle” and thought I’d get a piece of French toast, a small pancake or two, and a small Belgian Waffle. So I’ll admit that maybe I misread the item, but since it was an “or” situation, not an “and” situation, they should have listed them separately on the menu. When I ordered I just said “French toast” and ended up getting French toast made with a croissant. Croissants have loads of butter to start with and the attempt to turn them into French toast reduced mine to a greasy, flattened piece of bread. I couldn’t taste any egg on it. My entrée and my mother’s entrée had undercooked potatoes as a side and fruit which looked and tasted like the fruit you’d get in economy class on a long-haul flight—it didn’t look fresh and didn’t taste like much.
Entrées done, the waiter came by with three dessert menus. I think this is the first time I’ve been to a restaurant where there wasn’t a single item on the dessert menu that interested me in the least bit.
So no desserts for us. The check came, was paid, and my mother received an ugly flower from the waiter. As we left the restaurant, the two valets saw us leaving, but waited until we were past them to say, “You guys have a nice day,” to our backs.
Blush: If you want to be fine dining, then you have a lot of improvement to do. If you don’t want to be fine dining, then work on the quality and appearance of your food and cut your prices.
Also, get rid of the step in your dining room. Two of your waitstaff almost fell on their faces after failing to successfully negotiate the step.
As for Cameron’s comment of: “In the future if there is a problem, don’t trash a hard working and VERY nice restaurant. That we need more of on the mainline.“
They might be working hard, but they’re not delivering a product in line with their prices so I don’t think that any criticism is unjustified. The Main Line does need more nice restaurants; Blush is not one of them.
May 22, 2008 @ 9:33 am
I was there for mothers day too- I agree that they need to step it up a bit for brunch, I had the French toast as well and do feel that it should never be made with a croissant, the fruit with every dish seems a little under the bar- I’m not sure if that is because it was a busy day or if that’s how brunch always is. Other than salads we had spring rolls and raviolis to start with – all were great, I loved the sauce that came with the spring roll- I wish I had two it was so good! The entrees took a little long to get but besides my French toast I mentioned before we had crab cakes (amazing) and an omelet. The omelet was not a good choice the egg part was way too thick. Even with all of that our server was cheerful and all in all we had a good time- I liked the flower they gave out at the end it was bright and cheerful…
Something I MUST note-
I had dinner there a week before and feel it is a much better reflection of their quality – They started off with homemade rolls (very good & warm!) I started with the crab- it was okay, but I tried some of the soup my friend had- it was a great seafood chowder. My friend had the filet- it was a bit under done but for the best, she tried it and now likes it better that way. It came with amazing truffle mashed potatoes. I had the tuna, the tea went really well with the dish. We didn’t have room for dessert (either time I went) but I will go back again and make sure I save room for it next time- the menu was unique and worth a try.
As for the service, the only thing I can say is that it took a long time to get dessert menus but it was a busy night and we got our coffees quick so it made up for it. And personally I liked the attentive staff asking me if I needed more wine or if I was done my dish before they took my meal away…
To top it off they have chocolate Kiss’s at the door! yum!
July 9, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
I thought the food was absolutely overpriced. I was incredibly disapointed by my meal and the service. I had the spring roll and for a high price I recieved a single spring roll which as over cooked. My filet was somewhat chewy which was suprising and to top it off they had a very pitaful wine list. A few weeks later I ate at the new restaurant in Villanova, Mia, and thought that not only was the price more appropriate but the quality of food and service was much better then Blush’s. I highly recommend taking the extra five minute drive past Blush to Mia.
August 6, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
I went to Blush for Valentine’s Day. The atmosphere was particularly nice, especially the gorgeous fireplace when coming in from such a cold day. My husband and I were very pleased with both the food and service. I can’t personally speak to the wine list as I was pregnant, but my husband enjoyed the wine which was recommended to him. I’ve been planning to go back on a nice evening to sit outside on the veranda. This time I’ll actually be able to enjoy some cocktails.
August 10, 2008 @ 11:13 am
I’ve dined there a few times. You’d think I’d learn my lesson.
It’s not a bad place to eat, but the decor mixed with the same food over and over gets pretty old.
I have never had a bad meal, but I wish they would change their menu so I could try something new from them.
I enjoy going their for lunch, but how many times can you order the Bison Quesadilla or the Calamari?
Variety please!!
I do recommend this to all my friends, and tell them to look past the dingy, dark decor.
Definitely a lovely gem that needs to be spruced up.
November 2, 2008 @ 5:44 am
My wife and I had a very good meal here last night, our first time dining at Blush. The dinners were perfectly cooked, delicious and beautifully presented. Great wine, atmosphere and service. This place is true fine dining in a neigborhood that has gone more casual.
no counterspace » Blog Archive » Philadelphia Brewer’s Plate
March 9, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
[…] Blush 24 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 Tempura tilapia with crispy onion strings – this was one of my favorite offerings. The fist was seasoned with lemon and the tempura batter makes for a lighter fried fish than usual. And it didn’t hurt that they had the frier right there and people were eating the fish as quickly as it came out. If only the table at the restaurant would come with a frybaby right there. […]
September 1, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
I purchased a $ 200.00 gift certificate at the end of June 2009; and when the recipient called to make a reservation, the phone had been disconnected . I think they should not have sold future gift certificates if they were closing. Who is the owner to contact ? Thank you for any help you can provide.
September 1, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
The Blush chef/owner is now cooking at Verdad down the street.
http://chi17.stablehost.com/~undiscov/mainlinedine/rest/verdad-tequila-bar-bryn-mawr.html
http://verdadrestaurant.com/