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Mid Rivers Newsmagazine is St. Charles County's
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Mid Rivers Newsmagazine Restaurant Spotlight Archive |
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Boulevard Bistro Offers A 'Culinary Experience'By Mary Ann O'Toole Holley
It is contemporary and chic with its stainless steel accents and walls in cool shades of gray, but sit down and sip a martini or two, dine at lunch or dinner and Boulevard Bistro is an atmosphere that warms any occasion. Chef Matt Franke says anyone can open a cookbook, but it takes an artist of sorts to create a culinary experience that brings raves. "You never want to classify yourself, but overall, Boulevard Bistro is a casual atmosphere with gourmet foods," said Franke, a well trained saucier. Start lunch with an appetizer of wild mushroom cheese dip ($6.95) and then move to the soup du jour ($2.95/$3.95). For your main entrée, the ciabatta ham melt ($7.95) provides a tasty touch. Wrap up with thick, luscious crème brulee, and you will arrive home well satisfied. Soups and sauces are Franke's specialty, but Boulevard Bistro has even more. When weather permits, a sprawling pond backdrop enhances lunch on the open-air patio. A gentle spray of water cascades from a fountain, trickling gently as conversation moves forward. Indoors it's cozy with asymmetrical walls of glass providing a sneak peak to the quaint hideaway tucked in the center of the Lakeside Shoppes at Winghaven. "Our lunch menu focuses on quicker items for people on business and on-the-go lunches," said Maureen Cheuk, one of five owners of this delightful dining establishment. Dinner at Boulevard Bistro is an entirely new experience with their appetizer offerings of unique delicacies that include fried green tomato napoleon ($7.95) layered with crabmeat and topped with a Creole mustard vinaigrette. Try the shrimp and andouille bruschetta ($7.95) sautéed with mushrooms, red onions, red peppers, spinach and garlic, served with bruschetta. Cajun pasta features conchiglie in a spicy cream sauce with tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, andouille sausage and grilled chicken. The eight-ounce filet mignon ($19.95), the rib-eye steak ($18.95) or the veal Marsala ($17.95) are unbeatable, but the blue nose sea bass marinated and grilled is a must-try for those enticed by the unusual ($18.95). All entrees are served with chef's vegetable and potato or grain. Despite the gourmet lineup, Franke's favorite is the South St. Louis Pizza prepared in a stone oven with garlic butter sauce, shaved ham and provel cheese. On the gourmet side, Franke's favorites are the sea bass and the smoked duck - an entrée that has been smoked in cherry wood and cooked to perfection. Boulevard Bistro's fully stocked bar serves martinis from A to Z, unusual tastes like the green apple martini, the chocolate and the Jolly Rancher martini feature flavors overblown with fun. "I've often looked around and noticed that we get a lot of women who stop in for a drink or a visit with friends for lunch," Franke said. "I asked once, and they said it's because Boulevard Bistro is a comfortable place. It's a comfortable place to have a drink, dinner and good conversation, without the 'tavern' environment." After-work gatherings are big with Boulevard's happy hour specials, featuring ($3.95) appetizers, an ample selection of Martinis, plenty of wine offerings and, of course, cocktails. Don't expect the standard fare at Boulevard Bistro. The menus change with the seasons but the signature desserts remain always amazing. Franke's Boulevard Basket, features a ground almond brittle, molded and baked into the shape of a basket, filled with ice cream, fresh berries and sauces. Yummmmm. "That's definitely our best selling dessert," Franke said. "Chocolate cake is also on the menu, and it's definitely a standard for those who want chocolate." All dressings and soups are house made, and Franke prides himself in that. "That's what makes us unique," Franke said. "We make it ourselves and use local vendors to get our meats and breads. That's important to us." Boulevard Bistro is located at the Lakeside Shoppes at Winghaven, 3072 WingHaven Blvd., just off Hwy. 40-61 at Winghaven Boulevard. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The bar stays open until 1 a.m. nightly. The establishment is closed Sunday, but available for private parties and other events. Boulevard Bistro will be open for New Year's Eve. For more information or reservations call Boulevard Bistro at 636-561-5202.
Boulevard Bistro
3072 WingHaven Blvd. Winghaven 636-561-5202 Hours:
Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fri. - Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Sundays
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