Stephen B.'s Profile

I am excited that Bleu opened back up - wine therapist and all. The décor is splendid - reminiscent of any bistro in Paris - and the service is friendly and attentive. The food the night I tried it, while not bad, was not up to what I know Bleu is capable of.

We started off with the Canapes - two out of the three were very tasty. The dates wrapped in apple-wood smoked bacon is a nice treat and the crab bites were very tasty.  I could have done without the heirloom tomato bite.

The winter squash bisque was tasty and creamy, though there wasn't enough of it! I wanted more.

I got the Bouillabaise - a delicious seafood dish with hot broth poured on it tableside. The entire dish was tasty and the presentation beautiful, but the fish at the bottom of the bowl almost killed it for me. Either the fish was frozen and thawed too quickly (menu says fresh), or the fish was properly cooked before serving and then overcooked once the hot broth was poured on it. This could be an easily fixable oversight, and I hope the fish won't be dry the next time I try the dish.

The dessert was a pastry with apples and ice cream. I was admittedly blotto at this point and only remember wishing for the old dessert menu as there was more fresh fruit options available.

Am I disappointed in my experience at Bleu? Absolutely not. I just hope the food improves to what I know this place is capable of serving.

Fabric softener may give me skin cancer... but it feels too good to give up.

I've tried both the self-launder and the full service laundry here and can say that each experience has been surprisingly pleasant. The attendants were especially friendly when I asked for full service laundry on over 100lbs of clothes and they even offered to get it back to me the same day! Knowing that this probably would have been a burden on them, I let them know I wasn't in a rush. Still, I got it all back 2 days later... all fluffy and lemony fresh (maybe not so lemony).

Self-service is as pleasant as the owners can make it. There are TVs playing everything from reality TV shows to football games and there is free wireless for those of you who can't give up World of Warcraft for a few hours. Discriminating patrons will find that the clientelle is clean and sane, and that it is safe to leave one's laundry unattended briefly to grab a quick bite to eat if one desires.

The attendants keep the whole place sparkling clean and I've never had an issue after going there for several months. Just be sure to keep the crazies out.

Care to sample this restaurant's dishes on a tight budget? Try their prie fix menu Tuesday through Thursday. After the first bite, you may be willing to pay full fare just to enjoy the food on a weekend night with your special someone.

Bite is a lovely restaurant in the middle of Hillcrest with a contemporary style and fresh food. Their wine list is excellent and all bottles are half price on Monday nights. Service is friendly and attentive but not intrusive. As for the quality of food...

Try the Medjoul Dates - bet you won't be able to eat just one.

I had the Pancetta Wrapped Chicken Breast with Grilled Asparagus and Spinach Salad. The dish was a work of art and the effect on my palate was equally appealing. It's like my mouth went "what the hell is this and where can I get more?" The amount of food is deceptively small but was enough to satisfy my empty stomach.

For dessert, I had the Granny Smith Apple and Dried Cranberry Cobbler with Vanilla Gelato. This is a great seasonal dessert, perfect for cold nights where all you need is a cup of decaf and some comfort food before sleepy time.

I was ready to play Bulimic for the night just so I could taste more of the food (it's really that good). Good thing the kitchen closed for the evening.

My only gripe is that it can get a little loud on busy nights. Still, an excellent restaurant worthy of repeat business multiple times a week if you can afford it.

I would be hard pressed to find a bad seat at this place. The small size of the venue allows for a completely immersive feel as it is unlikely that you'll have rows of heads bobbing about between you and the stage.

Seating, to my knowledge, is usually general admission. It'd be best for you to show up about 30 minutes early if you are with a group, or you might end up sitting at different ends of the theatre on a busy night. If you want the best seats in the house, become a season subscriber and you'll always have a reserved seat.

Check-in was a bit odd. I wasn't entirely sure where to go for my will-call tickets, but went inside the downstairs lobby and walked up to what I thought was the ticket booth. To my surprise, it was the bar (go figure). After pre-ordering my intermission cocktail, I made my way to the ticket counter and got my program for the show. About 10 minutes before the show, I was shuttled upstairs to the theatre with everyone else like a herd of cattle. It's part of the experience and adds to the immersive feel.

During intermission there are cookies and coffee available for $1 each and, of course, a nice selection of cocktails. The end of intermission is signaled by the sound of a bell. Keep this in mind when you've chugged too many cocktails and start to notice the crowd downstairs thin out.

Ordering online seems a bit silly with the "convenience charge" that is all too often tacked onto ticket purchases these days (it's a convenience for another person to take money from me? Help me understand this). To bypass this, simply call them or visit to purchase your tickets.

Definitely a great theatre with interesting productions. Give them a shot.

It's a cute place and usually pretty busy... but last time I checked, neither of these are a factor in experiencing good food. This is a review of the dinner menu.

Parkhouse Eatery has been a fixture in University Heights for longer than I care to guess. It is truly disappointing that my dinner experience was not reflective of the kind of experience I would expect from a well-established restaurant. After experiencing a good brunch here, I decided to have dinner here with a good friend of mine before seeing a play at the Diversionary. The service was friendly and attentive, but the food was definitely off.

The bread served with the meal was soft and presented with a sundried tomato topping.
The soups were tasty - a tomato basil soup with bold tomato flavor and a clam chowder full of veggies and clam meat.  Ok so far, right?
For mains I was presented with braised short ribs, mashed potatoes, and fried broccoli. Perhaps I should have been taken aback when I was also presented with a steak knife. The veggies and sauce were great, but the meat... well, it either wasn't short ribs or this poor animal had too many growth hormone supplements in its diet. The meat was a mass of rubbery, gristly, overcooked protein. It was as if the chef threw it on the grill and cooked it as if it were a steak (Side note: braised short ribs should fall apart with a fork when cooked properly for several hours). When I was finished, my jaw felt as though it'd just been run through a Jillian Michaels workout routine. I was starving and even that could not make up for the quality of the meal.

I couldn't believe it. This place generally serves good food from what I hear. Where could I have gone wrong? Could it be that ordering something from the night's specials wasn't a good idea? I snuck a bite from my friend's plate (swordfish). Nope. Dry and overcooked. Such a shame.

If the short ribs had been cooked nearly as long as I've been stewing over this review, the dinner would probably have been nearly perfect. Is this a breakfast restaurant that is attempting to pass for a pre-production dinner venue? Perhaps I was there on an off night, but I can't help but think that my experience is a unique one. Still, 3 stars for tasty soup and cute atmosphere.

Going here is like going to Tijuana. It's great to go once to experience something different, but no real draw to return.

Splash takes a unique departure from the traditional bar experience. Upon entering, one is greeted by an easy to miss sign that goes over how the place works. Little did I know that this was a foreshadowing of the rest of my experience at Splash that evening. I found that the majority of my interactions with Splash employees were with these signs or little pieces of paper with limited wine info - not with real people.

Splash offers a moderately-sized selection of wines with a few rare gems. Unfortunately, many of the 20 or so wines that I sampled were less than palatable and some were even offensive. I suppose this may be part of the fun with this kind of wine bar, akin to pulls at a slot machine - you never know which wine is going to be worth another shot until you or your friend tries it.

Take a friend with you to be a guinea pig if you don't like surprises.

The menu is basic and offers tasty bits to go with your wine. This is not a place for dinner, however, and the quality seemed a bit inconsistent, though this was no fault of the cook's. From what I saw, it seemed like there was one person doing her best and working her butt off in the kitchen on a busy Friday night.

In-person service was spotty. Like I mentioned before, I was offered little education on the wine selection besides which were more expensive. Furthermore, what little in-person interaction I had with staff left me feeling a bit rushed to finish my food and wine.

The parking area here is a mess with misleading signs which say on first glance that parking is free for Splash guests but on closer inspection indicate only during weeknights. Be careful where you park or be greeted by a "ticket" on return (these aren't legal tickets, really, so you're not forced to pay... but still annoying).

I can't imagine how this place gets when it is crowded. It was loud enough early on a Friday night and nowhere near crowded. Also, be quick with getting your wine from the machines, or someone may unintentionally steal credits from your card.

Overall, very meh. Show owner comment »

Opening a restaurant while others in the area are closing down? That's either brave or stupid, but this place has potential to push through the tough times.

This restaurant/bar takes over for the former Cafe Eleven - even the sign in the parking lot still reads Cafe Eleven. If it weren't for the indoor wall-sized painting that can be seen from across the street and the copious noise from drunken lesbians (love ya, girls), this place could easily go unnoticed as it is right now. It would be a shame, really, because this place is worth a visit or two to try out. Ask for Julie... she's as precious a waitress as they come.

The food here is all made fresh, even down to the salad dressings. While the menu is going through some very minor refinements, everything I sampled had potential to be a great dish that'll have people talking.

The lime and avocado bruschetta is a swanky version of a guacamole dish you'd find at a mexican restaurant. If it had some tomato, as most bruschette do, it would be perfect.

The truffle mac and cheese is a great entree by itself. It wasn't too cheesy nor was it overwhelmingly doused with truffle oil. Adding lobster or crab (not krab) would get people really talking and, possibly, willing to pay a few bucks more for the entre.

The crab sandwich was tasty. I just wish that there was more crab as the flavor got lost in the bun.

My major complaint is the amount of cigarette smoke here. If there is a breeze coming from the east anytime soon, the indoor dining area will reek of cigarette smoke... and that's just not hot.

Somehow, this restaurant/bar will need to find a balance between catering to the dinner crowd and the bar crowd. If they are able to offer affordable upscale food to the drunkards in addition to tasty libations for the foodies, I see this place becoming a Hillcrest institution.

When you've just finished your 5th long island at 10pm, doesn't a nice cupcake sound delicious?

I can't honestly figure out what is happening here, and I'm totally ok with that. It's like a wine bar meets cybercafe meets Extraordinary Desserts. Add in live music and nice coffee and you have yourself... something. Maybe it makes sense to Hippies.

In any case, the cupcakes or "Babycakes" as I was encouraged to call them, are delicious and made fresh throughout the day. The coffee and ice tea selections are great compliments. Don't expect the wine to be anything special beyond $10 chuck that can be found at the RiteAid across the street, but the atmosphere and charm of the place certainly makes up for any lack of variety in libations. If you are visiting past 10pm on a weekend night, chances are you either won't care or will wretch at the thought of more alcohol.

So, stuff yourself silly with cup... babycakes and nurse your stretched stomach a bit before going home. Take a few home with you for breakfast and go back for brunch the next day. Seriously, these things are addictive.

Resist while you can.

Truly, this is a hidden gem in Hillcrest. It's like an upscale Cheers.

The wine list here is extensive, and the bartenders are knowledgeable about each wine. You will be able to find something you like here. There are special wine events and tastings here about once every two weeks, and they will soon open on Sunday and Monday nights for football events and awards shows.

The food is hit-or-miss depending on what you order. While the pizzas may be frozen, the brie with fig jam is absolutely delicious. This is not a fine dining experience by any means, but this is the place to go to if you want a quiet glass of wine with a date or friends. The back room can get pretty noisy on Friday and Saturday nights for parties, though.

Check out their website or give them a call to see when the next special event is. Wineries from all over California visit frequently, and there is always an opportunity here to learn about wines.

Waiting for your table at Arrivederci? Why not enjoy some wine at Bianco Rosso?

The venue may be small and intimate, but the wine list can put any of the local wine bars to shame. Try any of the weekly specials if you have trouble picking out a wine. There's a reason why they're special, but you'll just have to try to find out. While you're at it, go ahead and buy a bottle. You can take whatever is left with you to your table next door, and it's much cheaper than buying by the glass!

Although the wine is excellent, the food leaves something to be desired. The menu is simple and full of dishes that can be made in bulk and simply reheated on order. It is a smart business move, but leads to the inconsistency in quality that many reviewers on this page have commented on. I found my French Onion Soup (in an Italian wine bar, I know) salty and watery. Conversely, the eggplant dish reminded me of lasagna and was tasty. If the food here stepped up a bit, I could envision this place heaving on any night of the week.

Overall, a great addition to Arrivederci, but not my first choice in town for a wine bar.