171 Water Street
Ph. 726-9016
Dinner at Bianca’s is not the time for anybody to think about calories.
For many it’s a special occasions restaurant, a place to celebrate
anniversaries, significant events and romantic love. For the “gourmet” or
serious food lover, it’s a place to enjoy and celebrate food that, hopefully,
has been prepared with extra effort and creativity. Being shackled by the
calorie police is not the way to fully appreciate what a fine dining restaurant
has to offer. If a dish is meant to have cream or butter in it, then that is
the way it should be experienced.
Owners Bianca and Nick Tzanov opened their current Bianca’s Water Street
restaurant several years ago, having operated before that at a much smaller
location across the street. What they have managed to create since those humble
beginnings is a restaurant whose three-syllable name has cachet. Just mention
“Bianca’s” and, for most of St. John’s, the word conjures up images of
sumptuous food in classy surroundings.
I had not eaten at Bianca’s in a while. When my companion and I arrived
the first thing we noticed was the absence of Bianca’s trademark blue
tablecloths. Instead we saw pale yellow cloths. Apart from that, the layout was
pretty much the same. Bianca’s has maintained an open concept with a completely
exposed kitchen. Having the cooks in the room with the diners created energy
and no doubt kept them - the cooks - focused.
Bianca’s colours were strong, suggesting Mediterranean influences. Apart
from one wall of brick, the restaurant wore coats of solid, intense orange,
blue and gold. Boldly coloured, flamboyant abstract art by a European artist
was hung around the room, large pieces that made a significant contribution to
the understated elegance of the room.
A feature that I liked, and have always liked, was Bianca’s wine wall.
Hundreds of bottles featured on the restaurant’s wine list were displayed on
dark wood shelving attached to a curved gold coloured wall near the bar. They
stood on their bases so that labels like, Escudo Rojo Red Label 2002, could be
clearly seen, as well as prices, discreetly affixed to the neck of each bottle.
Nick Tzanov is quite proud of Bianca’s cellar, which boasts the most ambitious
restaurant wine selection in the city. Until 2003 Bianca’s was regularly listed
as one of the best restaurants for wine in St. John’s by Wine Spectator
magazine.
Of the approximately one dozen specials rattled off by Bianca’s Maitre
d’, Barry Bennett, only one piqued my interest, the Malpeque oysters. The
famous bivalves cultivated in Malpeque Bay, P.E.I. have acquired an
international reputation for quality and have even been compared to the great
Belon oysters of Brittany, France. Bianca’s served five Malpeque oysters around
a centrepiece of organic greens topped by a nasturtium bloom. P.E.I. oyster
fishermen, apparently, prefer downing their famous oysters without any
seasoning or au naturel, as it were. I ate a couple with just a tiny drizzle of
fresh lemon and the others as an oysterman would. I liked them both ways. It’s
not hard to understand why the Malpeques have such a good reputation. They
tasted like the ocean itself, slightly briny and fresh, with a delicate, almost
ephemeral texture. After each one, I had a sense that I had just consumed
something special, something rare.
Two more appetizers followed: a scallop dish featuring an avocado sauce
flavoured with almonds, lime and jalapeno and a shrimp appetizer served with
orange liqueur. Both appetizers were superb. The excruciatingly tender scallops
were nicely caramelized giving a smoky grill flavour that contrasted
beautifully with the slightly piquant, smooth, buttery, almond crunchy avocado
sauce. An “Oh my God!” was my immediate reaction to a single scallop with a
soupcon of the avocado sauce.
The shrimp quickly won my approval as well. I had forgotten how
perfectly the flavour of orange compliments shrimp, especially grilled shrimp.
About four moderate sized shrimp sat in a thin pool of orange liqueur sauce,
bordered by decorative lines of balsamic reduction. Together, all elements gave
this dish the quality of a citrusy confection, comfort food for the gods.
As Il Divo sang Nella Fantasia and memories of the shrimp and scallop
appetizers lingered, I felt like I was in some kind of foodie heaven. Next came
two sensational entrees: a caribou filet served with a sour cherry and shallot
sauce and a duck leg confit with risotto. The caribou, sliced and fanned onto
the plate, was served medium rare. It almost melted in my mouth and the
mingling of sour cherry flavour and texture put this dish into the realm of
high cuisine.
A quick note. Remember I said the filet was medium rare? Be warned, the
chefs at Bianca’s - according to our server - do not like to serve “well”
filet. They believe it will be too tough. I wholeheartedly agree; I hate to
cook any meat much beyond medium. However, I also believe that if a paying
customer wants a filet cooked as black as night and served with Heinz 57 on it
he or she should get it. I deplore the kind of pretentious attitude displayed
by a few famous chefs on this subject. When they foam they behave like cliché
chef caricatures from a bad novel. Give me a break. Please.
Moving on…My duck leg confit - in this case, meaning duck cooked in its
own fat - was a superb example of good cooking. The meat, that literally fell
off the bone, had strong duck flavour, toasty hints and was gloriously rich.
Combined with an expertly made earthy tasting risotto filled with fresh herb
flavours, Bianca’s confit entrée was gold calibre.
So, who were these masters in the art of fine food preparation? The
executive chef at Bianca’s is Greg Brzezinski. Kent Tilley - a Bianca’s veteran
- and Steve Cardoulis cooked on the night my companion and I visited. It’s
staff like those three, along with mature, experienced servers like Barry
Bennett, Philip Thomey and Myron Arnold that make Bianca’s operate like the
proverbial “well oiled machine.”
Finally, a word about our desserts. My companion ordered an apple
strudel that was competently prepared but amounted to not much more than cooked
apples in a flaky pastry. It was definitely not haute cuisine; the word
“boring” comes to mind. I ordered crepes Suzette that arrived in a stunning
presentation. Four folded crepes, two dark brown - made from flour mixed with
chocolate powder - and two white were spread in alternating colours across a
white rectangular plate. In turn they were napped with a Grand Marnier sauce
seeded with bits of lime zest and finished off with a few orange sections plus
a sprinkling of tiny fresh cranberries. Flaming is critical for this dessert.
It’s what helps bring out the dish’s unique flavours. For some reason Bianca’s
did not flame my crepes Suzette. Henry Charpentier - who created the dessert in
1895 - would not have been pleased. Despite the omission, the sauce was
fabulously fruity, sweet and tart at the same time, from the bits of zest and
the occasional burst of cranberry juice. Sadly, the folded crepes that looked
so appetizing to my eyes, upon tasting had the texture and slick surface of
overcooked lasagna noodles, and, save for the fabulous sauce, probably would
not have tasted much better than lasagna noodles.
With the exception of the very obvious stumble at the finish line, our
evening at Blanca’s was extraordinary. I now see why so many fans like to save
a trip to Bianca’s for those “special” occasions.
Our meal at Bianca’s - including two aperitifs, a $48 bottle of Escudo
Rojo Red Label 2002, two after dinner liqueurs and tip - came to a total of
$263.22.
Best Points:
Very fine food with equally fine service.
Areas for Improvement:
Work on your desserts.
Ratings Category:
Bianca’s gets a score of 9 out of 10.