EVERETT – It doesn’t seem like a month since I stopped by Bistro Vino and painters were putting the final touches on the restaurant’s name, but this lively eatery’s been open for almost four weeks.
We visited Friday night and realized that many others had also discovered this new addition to Everett’s ever-expanding downtown scene.
Bistro Vino owner Nick Webster grew up in the restaurant business. His family owned restaurants in London and Spain for 30 years. He worked in restaurants in Barcelona and Seattle before bartending at Lombardi’s in Everett.
BISTRO VINO
1801 Hewitt Ave., Everett 425-252-4214
Specialty: International favorites Hours: Breakfast pastries and coffee, 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday; Lunch 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; Dinner 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday
Price range: moderate
Liquor: full bar
Smoking: non-smoking
Reservations: recommended for parties of six or more
Disabled accessibility: no apparent barriers Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa
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Webster said it was time for him to go out on his own, and he looked at restaurant locations from La Conner to Seattle before settling on the historic building on Hewitt Avenue that’s home to Bistro Vino.
The windows run the length of the building, giving the dining room an open-to-the-street feeling. The earthquake retrofitting demanded that two poles be installed, which the staff work around without effort. The newly installed, sleek and highly polished wood bar combines with the historic ceiling, lighting and setting for a chic, big-city feel.
Webster created the international menu that includes chicken satay with Thai peanut sauce ($11.50), Polish sausage, chicken and apple skewers ($11) and Swedish meatballs ($11).
Webster’s fiancee is Swedish and he borrowed her family’s recipe for the restaurant. The pork-beef meatballs are mild, not spicy like those served in an Italian restaurant, and served with ligonberry sauce, potatoes and gravy. There’s also Pacific Northwest seafood such as wild king salmon ($15) and Dungeness crab cocktails ($8).
My friend and I chose the next to the last empty table and commented on how busy it was at 9 at night. We reviewed the wine list, which includes glasses from Washington, Oregon, California, Italy, Spain and New Zealand. My friend selected a Leaping Lizard chardonnay from California ($5.50). I chose the BV Beaulieu Vineyard Zinfandel from California ($6.50) because I thought I was ordering the wild king salmon.
Then, our server said there was one serving of grilled halibut with roasted red potatoes and steamed vegetables left. I didn’t care that I was going to end up drinking red wine with halibut. And, I didn’t ask the price so I can’t tell you how much it cost.
The roasted potatoes accented with herbs were very tasty although a couple cubes were a little rubbery. The vegetables were perfectly steamed. But it was the halibut that won my heart. It had beautiful cross-hatching from the grill and was perfectly – not 10 seconds under or over cooked – but perfectly grilled.
Saltimboca is traditionally made with thin rolls of veal that are covered by a smaller slice of prosciutto and a sage leaf. My friend’s chicken saltimboca substituted a skinless chicken breast for the veal and was slit lengthwise for the insertion of ham. My bite didn’t have any ham but I thought that was due to it being near the end.
My friend said she didn’t find any ham and was also unhappy with the sauce that covered the chicken. I thought it was an appealing accent. Her saffron-laced rice was delicious and her steamed vegetables were like mine.
For dessert, my dining companion ordered cheesecake with strawberry coulis ($4.95) and I selected the ultimate chocolate cake ($6.50). Both are house-made and it was difficult for us to decide which one was better. My chocolate cake was like birthday cake, only better, and the cheesecake was creamy, light and perfect for a summer night.
As we finished our dessert, more customers arrived and ordered dinner. It reminded us of San Francisco, where dinner is served until very late.
Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs. You can e mail her at features@heraldnet.com.
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