It’s in the corner of a shopping center, but I’m not sure I’d call it a bistro!
It’s rather upscale (which is a cliche term: upscale - I feel a little typical using that to refer to a restaurant with delicious food and moderately high prices). Though, it seems more like a wine bar than a bistro. With upwards of fifteen wines to choose from, the list stands out on the wall written in chalk.
The menu is rather witty. Each salad is called: “this salad,” “that salad,” or “the other salad,” and the food is wonderful. The brie filled loaf of bread was a phenomenal appetizer. Toasty and delicious - of course, my bias is that cheese may very well be my favorite food. The table enjoyed two salmon dishes and a filet mignon. The one salmon that I preferred over the other was a salmon encrusted in floured corn bread. It was baked just perfectly and the combination of salmon and sweet corn bread was incredible.Because I like this place, I felt obligated to say a few nice words before I get down to the dirty business I have ahead of me. I primarily wrote this piece to address one enormous flaw in the Corner Bistro’s world: a flaw that could, in fact, completely ruin my chances of return. (It sounds dramatic, but this is such an offensive problem, it must be rectified immediately).
At the bottom of the menu I saw a small note that read something to the extent that the Corner Bistro was proud to support local beer producers; so the only beer they offered was Dogfish Head.
Now, this was too good to be true. Of course, when I read that my excitement level rose about fifty percent. Dogfish Head, being my favorite beer brewer, was the PERFECT choice to offer on a single beer menu. The variety of Dogfish Head beers is extensive and with the diversity of food offered at the Corner Bistro, a complementary (and equally as delicious) list of beers was an excellent idea.
I proceed to ask the waiter about my choices on Dogfish Head. I would have loved a glass of Palo Santo Marron with my steak - but I wasn’t holding on too tightly to that idea. Being one of Dogfish’s more elusive beers, it would be truly impressive if they had Palo.
I would have settled for a Chicory Stout (the Dogfish winter beer) or even something more typical - a 90-minute IPA. I was just looking for a tasty beer - no fruit - and a little substance.
Warning: This is the sad part of my story.
I ask the waiter what Dogfish I could indulge in this evening. He said, “Shelter Pale Ale and Raison D’Etre.”
My heart dropped. How could you possible advertise the fact that you support the local brew pub and only offer two of their beers?! The notion is blasphemous.
I was so disappointed. Here is a joint that offers fifteen different wines - from all over the world! - and two beers. Talk about marginalizing...
