There’s a new restaurant in the old Cellar location in the Tallan Building at 200 Martin Luther King Boulevard. The Deep Bistro & Lounge has opened and the space looks terrific.
The menu is innovative and the presentation creative. You just have to see the Ceasar Salad to believe it.
Right away we knew reaching a decision was going to be difficult. The appetizers including items such as a plate of spreads - pita with hummus, focaccia with eggplant tapenade and pita with muhammaro ($3 each or $7 for all); or, ceviche (in cured salmon ring, micro greens, crostini and avocado-lime aioli ($8).
Wayne decided to go with the pear salad (shaved pear, arugula, micro greens, jicama, toasted almonds, maytag bleu cheese with blackberry bourbon vinaigrette - $6). I couldn’t resist the wild mushroom gnocchi (sautéed with roasted butternut squash, pancetta, garlic, baby spinach and aged balsamic - $8).
Wayne said the salad was fresh, crisp and delicious. The gnocchi was excellent, served warm. I could have made a meal of just gnocchi (a type of dumpling).
The Deep menu states their menu is based on the seasons, local availability and environmental sustainability. Certain fish (Chilean sea bass, wild blue fin tuna, swordfish, grouper or shark) will never be served at Deep in an effort to speed the recovery of these endangered species.
On the night Wayne and I were there, the menu offered sea bass, roasted and served with potato pave, poached leeks and chervil oil ($16); trout wrapped in Benton Farm Bacon, fingerlings, baby spinach, pickled okra, and red wine butter sauce ($12); Pork Belly with chili-hoisin glaze, baby bok choy, shoestring sweet potatoes ($12); and Quail Breasts (bacon wrapped and roasted with maple-sage glaze, pear-pecan risotto and fried quail egg ($14).
Wayne ordered the scallops served with a candied orange-cracked pepper crust, arugula, chanterelles, and smoked corn puree ($15). He said the large sea scallops were a winner and he would definitely order them again.
Having eaten ostrich in the past, both of us were considering the ostrich satays. I made the move to order it, positioned on a long slender plate. There were three servings of cucumber salad, each topped with a generous, skewered, serving of ostrich in tandoori paste, along with a small cup of peanut sauce and tatziki ($18). The cucumber was sliced in such a way as to resemble long, wide noodles. Everything about this dish was wonderful!
After enjoying the delicious food and presentation, it was impossible to pass on dessert. We were anxious to see the presentation. Our server told us that everything is made in-house, so Wayne wanted to try the ice cream which was sandwiched between two small cakes. I ordered the S’more Thing. All desserts were $6.50. The s’mores seemed to be two chocolate triangles, although our server said they were graham crackers coated in chocolate. The decadent dessert was topped with a toasted marshmallow.
Honestly, we loved this place. Wayne went back for lunch the following week. He said the hamburger was very good, juicy and sizeable. It is served with a side of sweet potato fries. Lunch also offers a turkey sandwich, and a braised pork sandwich (both are $9). Of course, at lunch, they do offer some of the other tempting dishes mentioned above.
Hours for the Deep Bistro and Lounge are Monday through Friday for lunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and for dinner Monday through Saturday, opening at 5 p.m. The bar opens at 4:00 Monday through Saturday. They are closed on Sunday.
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