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Seeking stimulating meals and décor? Stop at Boulevard | |
| By Nancy Hobbs Special to The Tribune |
06/27/2003 | |
| The owners, chef and manager of the new Boulevard restaurant in Holladay feel strongly that dining out should be more than simply fueling the body."It should nurture the soul," says general manager Kristina Kraenbuhl. A feeling of warmth and elegance emanates from this latest contender in the Salt Lake Valley's fine-dining arena. The first sign this may be someplace special is just outside the front door, with a simple black embossed canopy that extends nearly to the curb. A step inside the door reveals a beautiful and intricate tile foyer, leading to a high-ceilinged, expansive dining room with plenty of latitude between linen-clothed tables. Dark wood columns and furniture, paintings hung on golden-hued walls and antique buffets and armoires add to the sense of refinement. If not for the fact that Boulevard is housed in a large brick box of a building, you might mistake the remodeled first floor for part of a grand estate, rather than a former phone utility company. This ambitious venture was undertaken by Janet and David Andrew, owners of the Normandie Café next door. The delicious breads that have been served for seven years at the bakery and café (and even longer at Bakers de Normandie, which the Andrews bought more than a decade ago) are an initial introduction to diners. Several varieties arrive in a basket, along with a choice of accompaniments: plain butter, butter with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil or a balsamic vinegar and oil dipping sauce. The menu, created by executive chef Michael Crosland, who was most recently at Rivers and with Gastronomy before that, is varied and inviting. It begins with three soups: a ginger-squash soup served daily, and two specials, including a seasonal soup, which on our visit was a summer gazpacho that is thick with onions and more pureed than chunky and was delicious. (A bowl is $6; a sampler of all three of the day's soups is $7.) We particularly enjoyed seared venison carpaccio, featuring wafer-thin slices of tender, peppery meat encircling a bed of greens with a fragrant juniper-berry olive oil dressing and caperberries ($12). It could easily serve a table of four as an appetizer, or fewer if you make it a significant part of your dinner. Likewise with the forest mushroom crepe stack, which, as the name implies, is layers of meaty mushrooms between crepes, surrounded by a tart and luscious citrus lemon sauce that helps temper the dish's incredible richness ($6). Ordered with a ripe tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil salad ($7), the two appetizers were a generous meal in themselves. Nice touches that add to Boulevard's elegant ambience are the unexpected chef's "amuse" -- a savory tidbit brought before the starters, perhaps a leaf of endive with a bite of cheese and salmon, or a small bruschetta -- and the palate-cleansing "intermiso," a shot-glass portion of fruit sorbet, enhanced with a bit of raspberry wine and served just before the entrées arrive. Whether that main course is mushroom ravioli with truffled cream sauce ($14) -- again, it is surprising how rich these fungi can be -- or a grilled New York steak or special rack of lamb ($23 and $24, respectively), you are not likely to be disappointed. After having sampled almost all of the nine regular entrées, as well as two of the chef's nightly specials, I can vouch for consistently fresh ingredients, delicious sauces and creative presentation. But it is not surprising that there might be a disappointment or two. Mine came with the special cioppino, or fisherman's stew. The entrée was thick with shellfish and seafood, and the tomato-based broth was fresh, nicely spiced and delicious. But my first bite of skate was a rude awakening, with a powerful whiff of ammonia. I gave my dining partner a bite, thinking that perhaps my senses
were momentarily askew. Given his expression, I knew otherwise. Skate is synonymous with ray, and the "wings" are the edible portion of the fish. It naturally has a strong ammonia odor that needs to be neutralized by soaking in a solution of water and acid, such as lemon or lime juice, or vinegar. Once neutralized, the skate's meat is reportedly "firm, white and sweet -- not unlike that of the scallop." My guess is that the portion we tasted simply hadn't been soaked enough, but I can't say with certainty. Manager Kraenbuhl said the staff was given samples of the fish to try, since it isn't widely used, and none of them, nor any other customers who ordered the cioppino, complained of the ammonia phenomenon. Dessert has a way of erasing all blemishes, and Boulevard's raspberry and mango trifle with a creamy mascarpone mousse did the trick. Equally delicious were the white chocolate cake with fresh raspberries and blueberries, and the decadent chocolate brownie sundae, served warm with vanilla ice cream and raspberry and chocolate sauces. A unique finale is the plate of cookies, frosted like dominoes, that makes the arrival of the check more palatable. The cookies, like all the breads and desserts, are made in house. It all fits with the Boulevard philosophy, printed on the restaurant's menus, that "l'art de bien vivre" -- the good life -- is synonymous with good food, nice wine and amiable hospitality. All are available in generous proportions at Boulevard. ----- Nancy Hobbs is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Hobbs welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at nhobbs@xmission.com Boulevard
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