Brian’s pearl barley mushroom risotto was more easily replicated, but also more delicious. Wild mushrooms mixed into barley grains made for a great risotto interpretation, with a lemon truffle oil and a cashew cream giving it a rich, buttery flavor. Fried capers topped the risotto, providing a nice contrasting texture and flavor.
Restaurant Review: Café Blossom
466 Columbus Avenue
(between 82nd Street and 83rd Street)
Upper West Side, Manhattan
212-875-2600
Vegiboys Rating (3/4)
And Café Blossom certainly has a modern feel; the dining room is a sleekly decorated industrial space, very appropriate for fine dining. Larger tables are available at the back of the restaurant, but most are designed for small parties of two of three (and there is even the option for solo diners to eat at counter seating).
To drink, Brian went with a sweet raspberry fizz soda, and I chose a chai shake (which had the delicious taste of liquid cake).
Among the entrées, the weiner schnitzel jumped out at me as an uncommon dish to find in the vegetarian world, so I had to try it. The breaded seitan schnitzel was fun and mimicked the real thing well. Mashes of parsnip and cauliflower (of which I would have liked more on the plate) and braised red cabbage (of which I received far too much) were all covered in a beautifully sweet port wine sauce. It was a unique treat, and not something that could easily be recreated at home.
As a dessert, we shared a great vegan parfait with a chocolate mousse and a cashew purée blended with nuts and figs, which together with espresso, ended the meal on an excellent note.
Everything arrived with a beautiful presentation and in significant quantity (and we enjoyed all the tastes we encountered). At $55 each though, the price was high, and in terms of atmosphere and food, the original Blossom may be the better value. Overall though, Café Blossom does not disappoint, and is a good vegi-fine dining option for the Upper West Side crowd.
Food (3/4)
Atmosphere & Service
(3/4)
Value (2.5/4)