Blue Bottle Cafe, Hopewell NJ

Six of us got together for dinner at a little BYO in Hopewell, NJ a few weeks ago. This was our second time trying the converted house with blue glass bottles decorating the walls. Ordering two courses each we pretty much covered the small, seasonal menu. It had just turned over that evening...

For appetizers the ladies ordered salads including Dana's Blue Bottle Salad with mixed greens, sliced red grapes, toasted hazelnuts, red wine & honey vinaigrette with shaved manchego cheese; Mary's Arugula and spinach with Chiogga & Yellow beets, butternut squash, rutabega, marinated cauliflower and pumpkin seed vinaigrette and my Frisee lettuce with duck confit, roasted shallots, haricots verts, mushrooms, creamy truffle vinaigrette and fingerling potato chips.

I tried all three salads. Mary's had a lot of root vegetables in chunks that I didn't think blended in well with the other flavors. My duck salad was quite tasty but was a bit thin on the duck - could have used more meat, literally. I thought Dana's was the most well balanced and had the best flavor profile overalll; really liking the little bit of sweet that the grapes gave the dish.

I know Alan ordered the sauteed calamari with chorizo, piquillo peppers, chick pea croutons and paprika citrus vinaigrette and that Steve had the celery root and apple soup with toasted pistachios and cider gastrique. I can't remember Jeff's dish. I didn't love either the soup or the calamari but the calamari was a unique dish with plenty of kick (which is why I shied away) that is worth a try.

For entrees Dana and Alan both ordered fish...Alan got the Arctic Char  prepared over sweet potato and pear chutney with savoy cabbage in tomato ginger lemongrass broth. Dana requested a substitute to put the Mahi Mahi with the preparation of the Arctic Char listed above. Alan's fish was well prepared, moist and flaky and complimented by the heavier Fall mix of vegetables.

Steve and Mary both ordered the pan roasted tenderloin with potato and bacon croquettes, smoked onion and horseradish jam, creamed swiss chard and a red wine reduction. Again, no recollection of what Jeff had. I went with the pan seared day boat scallops served with sauteed leeks, fingerling potatoes, fennel and baby carrots in a saffron emulsion sauce.

The tenderloin was nicely prepared but forgettable though I really liked the creamed swiss chard. My scallops were large, cooked to just past translucent and paired nicely with the fragrant saffron sauce - a nice dish overall.

For dessert...

We ordered and shared the dark chocolate and hazelnut tart with nutella anglaise and whipped cream pictured above; a trio of profiteroles with caramel sea salt ice cream and hot fudge and a pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing, walnuts, caramel and cinnamon ice cream. The tart was really good - the other two only just ok.

While it was a fun night out no one was blown away by the food and since the restuarant is seriously in the middle of nowhere, this is most likely our last hike out to the Blue Bottle Cafe.

Jenn: 77
Zagat: 26-18-23