Blue Pear Bistro, West Chester
275 Brintons Bridge Road
West Chester, PA 19382
610.399.9812
Review: 3 silver spoons out of 5
Overview: The more casual sister of the acclaimed Dilworthtown Inn, the restaurant features an eclectic, seasonal bistro menu with great bar snacks, a superb wine list and a relaxed atmosphere.
Food: Having already enjoyed the Dilworthtown Inn, we were intrigued by the menu and concept of the Blue Pear Bistro. The menu, consisting of small and medium sized plates (though, all but one of our medium plates were typical entrée portions), contains modern bistro fare, where classics like steak frites are offered alongside eclectic selections such as skate wing and French toast napoleon. We started the meal with cocktails and bar snacks. Though the strawberry mojito was much too strong, my drink, called Fig Thyme, was absolutely delicious – the earthy, fragrant thyme was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the figs. For our snacks, we chose the deviled eggs and white truffle popcorn. While the deviled eggs were quite good, it was the popcorn that took center stage – none of us could stop eating it! It was warm and crisp and covered with just the right amount of salt and truffle oil; for me, it was one of the highlights of the meal.
Appetizers consisted of shigoku oysters, fried calamari and jalapeño rings, and the bacon and egg salad. The oysters were lovely: sweet, creamy, and mildly briny. They were especially delicious when topped with the accompanying mignonette and a refreshing ginger concoction that was reminiscent of a good granita. The bacon and egg salad was also very good, though the egg was coated in a greasy batter that didn’t stick to the egg. Luckily, when removed, the egg turned out to be well cooked with a proper runny yolk. Though the fried jalapeño rings were enjoyable and offered just the right amount of heat, the calamari itself was rubbery and rather tasteless.
For my entrée, I had the barbecue beef short ribs with creamy grits and watercress salad. The short ribs were cooked very well – they were melt-in-your-mouth tender – and well-seasoned. However, the barbecue sauce was overwhelming and took away from the flavor of the meat. The creamy grits were true to their description and full of rich, buttery flavor. Although I enjoyed them at first, by the end I almost felt as though I was eating mouthfuls of whipped butter. One of my dining partners tried the skate wing with citrus beurre blanc, a special of the evening, and was very pleased with it. The meat itself was tender and delicately flavored and went very well with the tangy sweetness of the citrus sauce. Another member of the group had the seared scallops with English and sugar snap peas and a subtle but rich lobster saffron sauce. The scallops were tender, perfectly cooked, and lightly caramelized. The scallop dish was the smallest of the entrees – seemingly the only one that actually lived up to the “medium plates” label.
Though the meal so far had been very enjoyable, dessert was rather disappointing. Despite an enticing menu, including French toast napoleon, lemon-maple sorbet, and profiteroles, both desserts that we ordered were underwhelming at best. The French toast napoleon was cloyingly sweet, and I could only eat a few bites of it. Not even the accompanying lemon-maple sorbet and tart blueberries could offset the sweetness. The other dessert, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and crispy carrots, was far too spicy.
Service: Having already experienced the fantastic service at Dilworthtown Inn, I had high hopes for the Blue Pear. However, the service was adequate at best. When asked about the flavor of dishes on the menu, our robotic waitress had to check with the kitchen, making it very clear that she had never tasted them. Worse yet, on a number of occasions she cleared plates off the table when people were still eating! Initially, she took the popcorn as someone was reaching in for another handful (we were too stunned to say anything), and later proceeded to do the same with my appetizer and another person’s entrée.
Ambiance: Housed in a renovated 18th century general store, Blue Pear is warm and inviting, with a number of different styled sections – a porch, bar area, lounge, and regular dining room. This cozy feeling is enhanced when people are sipping wine on the porch and/or talking and enjoying snacks at the bar.
Value: Prices for the small and medium plates range from about $7.00 – $24.50, with bar snacks and side dishes ranging from about $2.50 – $6.50.
Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 1
Reservations: Yes, by telephone
Hours: Monday – Saturday 4:00pm – midnight (bar service begins at 4:00pm, dinner at 5:00pm)
Bar: Yes
Cards: Yes
Website: http://www.bluepearbistro.com/
August 5, 2009 @ 4:02 am
I’ve eaten at the Blue Pear twice and had fantastic experiences. I’m sorry to hear your waitress wasn’t up to snuff – I found the waiters to be prompt (even though they have to constantly run up and down the stairs!), very well-informed, accommodating, and professional. My food was excellent. I had the mussels and frites, which where just right. I’ve also had the lobster Cobb salad, which I highly recommend (if it’s still on the menu, as the menu changes with the seasons). The ingredients were very fresh and always allowed to stand on their own. And of course great historic atmosphere without the crazy Dilworthtown prices!
August 17, 2009 @ 5:29 am
I frequently dine at Blue Pear Bistro and can attest that the servers are highly trained professionals,always friendly and knowledgeable about menu items and specials. I’ve never had a remotely similar experience as described by the previous reviewer. To the contrary, I’m always amazed that the owner finds such outgoing, intelligent young staff who never fail to welcome newcomers and warmly greet regulars, while tending to a busy clientele, frequently checking to see if anything else is needed after the food has been served. I’ve never had a server remove my plate before asking if I was finished with my meal and if I enjoyed my entree. The staff at Blue Pear is, quite simply, topnotch. The food is always well prepared, delicious and innovative. The owner/manager is ever vigilant to ensure that all is running smoothly and makes an effort to personally great and speak with new and regular patrons. Reading the negative review about service at the Blue Pear Bistro makes me wonder if the reviewer was actually at the Blue Pear! The Blue Pear Bistro enjoys a well-deserved reputaiton for food AND service. It provides a wonderful dining experience in a beautiful setting with a large repeat clientele. The reviewer brings to mind a movie critic that slams a movie which then goes on to bring in top box office receipts. The clincher was to describe the desserts as “underwelming at best.” Seriously? The most difficult part of ordering dinner at the Blue Pear Bistro is to narrow down the choice of entree from all the delectable offerings, while attempting to leave room for the exact desserts the reviewer disparaged. To the contrary–I’ve had both desserts and they’re over-the -moon scrumptious! In fact, just thinking about the Blue Pear Bistro desserts has made me decide to go there again tonight!