- By Katrina Binkewicz
- Around Town
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This restaurant could be called Blue Moon, because it is rare that a meal comes along unrivaled in taste for the last decade. Last night I had that meal. In a good meal, that first fantastic bite might be matched by the following three or four, but eventually one’s taste buds numb a bit and the euphoria settles down. The magic of a ‘fantastic’ meal is that each bite is as good as the first and sometimes even better. You are not able to rush through the meal even if you were willing, but must eat slowly, savoring the complex dance of flavors, texture, and the places they take you.
There are many great meals to be had in this area: Valentines, Maxi’s, Les Ducs, Renee’s (of the past), Za Za’s, Antlers (still reliably tasty and affordable after all these years), Thai Cuisine, Madeline’s, and Joe’s (past and present)- to name only a few. What, you may ask, gives the Blue Stone credence among these establishments of culinary excellence? Let me take you on a tour.
The first thing you notice as you walk down Aurora Street is a very intensely blue restaurant front where Kope’s Garage used to be. It is as if a fairy wand was waved and you have no memory of how it used to be. Curious, you wander over and peek in the window at a cozy, bright bar with windows framed by eclectic wooden beads with more beads dangling from the ceiling lights in a sparkling dance of color. The interior is whimsical and comfy. The ‘blue stone’ bar is elegant without being cold. Across from the bar, tables line a cushioned bench covered in a bright pink patterned fabric that speaks animatedly to a large framed print of Andy Warhol’s cow on the opposite brick wall of the dining area. Every decorative detail reflects humor, practicality, and interest in giving visitors a fun, fine dining experience.
Who is the Blue Stone? The Blue Stone is the brainchild of husband and wife team, Douglas and Nancy Gruen. This personable couple recently moved to Ithaca with their two young children (Walker and Lewis) from downstate New York. Douglas graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park in 1977. Prior to their move to Ithaca , he was a chef at a variety of top-line NYC restaurants including La Cote Basque, La Tulip, and La Gentile, to name a few. Nancy was a caterer in Westchester County. The Gruen family moved to Ithaca because of its strong sense of community, diversity, and natural beauty.
 Douglas Gruen |
Starters range in price from a cup of chili for $3.95 to Santa Fe Black Bean Crab Cakes at $10.95 with the average falling in the $8.95 range. The portions are quite generous and the flavors are diverse and satisfying. There is so much that you want to try you may simply choose to share a variety of starters for your meal as I have on a previous visit.
For a first pass try the homemade pizza. The dough is made fresh every day. Or sample a combination of ‘Frijoles Melt’( roasted black beans laden with cheese, sour cream, salsa and homemade chips) wedded with a mountain of ‘fried Calamari’ (cut fresh every day and tender beyond belief), and the delicious ‘Baby Artichoke Soufflé’. This Soufflé is a must! Each bite is more mouth watering than the one before. For those enchanted with the taste of fresh herbs, you ought to sprinkle the thyme leaves from your garnish over the soufflé and take in a little with each bite. Close your eyes and you will fly to Italy.
A couple who wants a lighter appetizer might start with a single order of ‘The Beggars Purse’-brie, pistachios, and sun-dried cranberries baked in puffed pastry, followed by a shared grilled vegetable salad. That would do the trick nicely.
The lunch menu has a diverse array of sandwiches with the average price modestly set at $7.95. The crabcake is the best I’ve had since Vinalhaven, Maine. A Cuban Panini (or media-noche) is, according to a best friend who has spent a great deal of time in Florida, ‘the real thing’. Now that I have you wondering- the Panini is roasted fresh pork, hickory smoked ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard grilled on French bread.
If you crave a burger- they offer beef, freshly ground turkey breast, or a veggie made in house. I cast a heartfelt vote for the ‘Wasabi Hoisin Chicken Wrap’ and for an additional taste excursion you can try the ‘Mango, Pineapple, BBQ Duck Wrap’. WOW!
The Dinner Entrees start at $12.95 and will take you through the landscapes of Europe: Greece with the ‘Grecian Eggplant’, Italy featuring ‘Baked penne with a grilled vegetable sauce’ and ‘Roasted pork loin and linguini’, France offering ‘Salmon en Papillote’ and ‘Garlic chicken’. After your journey through Europe taste the specials of America. The states contribute ‘Southern Fried Chicken Breast- Buffalo style and ‘Kentucky Bourbon Black Angus Steak’. For me, the tip top of the experience was the ‘Jamaican Jerk Catfish’. This dish took 20 minutes for my husband and me to eat because it was so filled with complimentary taste sensations, textures, and aromas.
What can be said about dessert? It took me several visits to even try a dessert since I was so full after every meal. In the interest of thorough journalism I returned in order to complete the review. Blue Stone offers a standard assortment of desserts, such as carrot cake and hot fudge brownie sundae. But if you are adventuresome, try the cheesecake packaged in a whole wheat wrap and deep fried. It is served sizzling on a plate with strawberry, jalapeno sauce. Jalapeno with a small j. This is worth the trip by itself. You take a bite through the crisp, rich, cookie-like wrap and delve into the semi-melted cheesecake. Mmmmm. The strawberry is so intense you feel as if it is summer, and then…the heat of the sun rushes to your face, it is the brief exhilaration of hot pepper without the taste of the pepper. The next bite of cheesecake soothes you, and then again. Quite magical!
What the future brings… Douglas and Nancy plan on adding windows that will open onto the sidewalk for expanded summer seating, catering food for special occasions up to 75 people, and adding live music some evenings. Don’t forget to check on new seasonal specials.
The combination of excellent food, reasonable price, fun cozy décor, and great service, makes The Blue Stone Bar and Grill a must visit in the year 2006. My only fear is you will love it as much as I do, making it harder to find a seat. The Blue Stone is at 110 North Aurora Street in Ithaca. 272-2371. Winter hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11:30 – 10pm.
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