bouchees bistro (a pleasure palate evening)

bouchees bistro (pleasure palate)
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

sushi, dim sum, tapas--there's something to be said for the small. though they have regular-sized burgers, go for the minis! variety is the spice of life after all. besides, they are unbelievably cute, and served on these delicious handmade sesame poppy seed speckled rolls.

the trio of burgers i had included the turkey shiitake mushroom, ahi tuna & avocado and jumbo lump crab cake sandwich. my favorite is the lump crab, which actually accurately describes the sandwich. large chunks of crab that tasted fresh, like it was pulled from a live crab that had been cooked that day--not imitation or freezer stored. the tangy, salty lemon caper aioli is a perfect complement to the crab. the ground turkey was amazingly moist and flavorful with hints of cracked black pepper, something rare in a turkey burger. the ahi tuna, which was made from ground meat, was not as flavorful as the other two burgers, but fine. my boyfriend loved the veggie burger, whose flavor was enhanced by a mesquite bbq sauce. a-plus for vegetarian and health-conscious eaters.

parmesan garlic fries. do i really need to say anything? definitely ask for the mix of regular and sweet potato fries. even their desserts are a must have. i, of course, had to have the coconut milkshake. they make their ice cream sandwiches to order, literally a big scoop of ice cream between two fresh baked cookies, with flavors changing out on a daily basis. the night we were there, they had hazelnut ice cream with peanut butter cookies. and if that isn't enough, the chef may just have finished icing some cupcakes made with real french butter cream.

this is not your regular burger joint. the difference really is in the details. from the fresh shiitake mushrooms to the hip atmosphere created by the clean, contemporary furniture and downtempo electronica.

photos from our meal here.