Portions play a factor, as does the “comfort-level” of the restaurant, which is grouped in the ambience category. Being crammed tightly into a space or learning that the gentleman next to you had a prostate exam that day would tend to lower this score. Lastly, the diversity of the dining patrons will be evaluated. In fairness, restaurants cannot control completely the diverse nature of its clientele. However, let’s face it, we are often more likely to dine at a place in an environment befitting our cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Thus, this criteria will be evaluated as well. Additionally, I will note if there are vegetarian options and also whether choices are available for the lactose intolerant.
Bluepointe
Pan fusion? Asian fusion? Fusion? If you’re in a big enough city, chances are you’ll experience a myriad of restaurants branded as being “fusion” restaurants. Ask someone what fusion actually means, and you usually get the following response: “Well, yes, it’s kind of like…ummm….well, it’s kind of a mix of……” You get the idea. Fusion leads to CON-fusion!!
In a nutshell, as best as I can determine, restaurants saddled with the “fusion” moniker are usually a mix of Asian cuisine with a heavy emphasis on seafood. Such would be the case for Bluepointe, proffered as “American with a splash of Asian flavor” from the folks at the Buckhead Restaurant Life Group.
Bluepointe is a trendy Buckhead restaurant, frequented by local celebrities such as Usher. It was this fact, coupled with a birthday celebration, that corralled me and my three best friends in on a Saturday night. I’m sad to report that the birthday in question was (sigh) mine. I’m now thirty----well, something.
The restaurant is quite inviting, and tables are spaced well. There is a section of “table row”, which you all know I loathe. However, for the most part, there are comfortable tables and booths to create a relaxing environment to unwind.
By far, the most outstanding aspect of the menu is the Blueplate appetizer----crab rolls, calamari (which isn’t breaded and fried by the way), tiger shrimp, and potstickers. Simply marvelous! The calamari surprised me with its surprising optimal salinity and was superb. The crab rolls, served with a mustard sauce, were pleasing as well---as were the marinated, flavorful shrimp and enticing potstickers. For $12, this is a winner and actually could be a meal if you were sampling by yourself. I have to commend our server, who recommended this appetizer for anyone who had never been to Bluepointe before, as it “showcases what we do” as he put it. And this, they do very well.
Entrees, on the other hand, though certainly satisfactory, didn’t measure up to the Blueplate.
I opt for the peanut crusted grouper in a masaman curry sauce, served with bok choy. You know, bok choy, right? I didn’t either. It’s steamed cabbage which is salted. Chewy and not particularly palatable to me by the way. The grouper itself was overpowered by the nuts. Frankly, I could have been happy with the grouper grilled or blackened and served in the masaman curry.
My one criticism of our waiter comes at this point, as he noted my dish was served just with the bok choy, so I ordered garlic mashed potatoes. Turns out it came out with white rice. Have you ever tried eating white rice and garlic mashed potatoes together? This is about as harmonious as Hillary and Barack French-kissing.
One of my friends opts for the cod wrapped in bacon. Maybe I’m not a sagacious fish connoisseur, but in my mind, the bacon was the only thing that saved this dish.
Probably the best of the entrees came from my friend who ordered the lobster in Thai coconut curry sauce. Problem with this was there wasn’t enough of it if you were ravenous. This is probably the meal to have if you wanted to eat a tad lighter. It was appetizing, but the $39 price tag seemed outrageous given the portions.
My third friend partook of the Asian barbecued organic chicken. It’s one of those dishes that the first bite seems acceptable enough, but the more you eat, the less you want. It was stuffed with rice, and the barbecue sauce was a bit too sweet for my tastes.
Dessert for the birthday boy, whose chair I never relish being in but somehow found myself there, was a hodgepodge of items. In summary, it was: some chocolate mousse creation topped with caramel, as well as peanut butter ice cream over peanut brittle, and some other chocolaty mousse textured circular dollop on top of the aforementioned caramel topped chocolate. Confused yet? I’m not a big fan of mousse or too much chocolate, but I enjoyed the chocolate with the caramel as well as the peanut butter ice cream.
A cornucopia of options for the lactose intolerant including steaks, scallops, several fish dishes including snapper, lamb, short ribs, and all of the dishes we consumed.
Vegetarian options are very limited. A few salads and the wok-stirred vegetable pad Thai are the only entrees I discerned in this category unless you are a “liberal” vegetarian who can eat fish.
I probably wouldn’t rush back to Bluepointe except for their Blueplate appetizer and martinis, which I heard were fantastic, though on this night we had Riesling. However, the ambience, service, and the company made it a worthwhile evening!
Food: B-
Service: A-
Portions: B-
Ambience/Comfort: A
Diversity Of Dining Patrons: Decent
Vegetarian Options: Limited
Options For Lactose Intolerant: Yes
OVERALL GRADE: B
FINAL COMMENT: Like so many “see and be seen” restaurants, it’s stronger in the prodigious flash than it is in substance follow through.
In a nutshell, as best as I can determine, restaurants saddled with the “fusion” moniker are usually a mix of Asian cuisine with a heavy emphasis on seafood. Such would be the case for Bluepointe, proffered as “American with a splash of Asian flavor” from the folks at the Buckhead Restaurant Life Group.
Bluepointe is a trendy Buckhead restaurant, frequented by local celebrities such as Usher. It was this fact, coupled with a birthday celebration, that corralled me and my three best friends in on a Saturday night. I’m sad to report that the birthday in question was (sigh) mine. I’m now thirty----well, something.
The restaurant is quite inviting, and tables are spaced well. There is a section of “table row”, which you all know I loathe. However, for the most part, there are comfortable tables and booths to create a relaxing environment to unwind.
By far, the most outstanding aspect of the menu is the Blueplate appetizer----crab rolls, calamari (which isn’t breaded and fried by the way), tiger shrimp, and potstickers. Simply marvelous! The calamari surprised me with its surprising optimal salinity and was superb. The crab rolls, served with a mustard sauce, were pleasing as well---as were the marinated, flavorful shrimp and enticing potstickers. For $12, this is a winner and actually could be a meal if you were sampling by yourself. I have to commend our server, who recommended this appetizer for anyone who had never been to Bluepointe before, as it “showcases what we do” as he put it. And this, they do very well.
Entrees, on the other hand, though certainly satisfactory, didn’t measure up to the Blueplate.
I opt for the peanut crusted grouper in a masaman curry sauce, served with bok choy. You know, bok choy, right? I didn’t either. It’s steamed cabbage which is salted. Chewy and not particularly palatable to me by the way. The grouper itself was overpowered by the nuts. Frankly, I could have been happy with the grouper grilled or blackened and served in the masaman curry.
My one criticism of our waiter comes at this point, as he noted my dish was served just with the bok choy, so I ordered garlic mashed potatoes. Turns out it came out with white rice. Have you ever tried eating white rice and garlic mashed potatoes together? This is about as harmonious as Hillary and Barack French-kissing.
One of my friends opts for the cod wrapped in bacon. Maybe I’m not a sagacious fish connoisseur, but in my mind, the bacon was the only thing that saved this dish.
Probably the best of the entrees came from my friend who ordered the lobster in Thai coconut curry sauce. Problem with this was there wasn’t enough of it if you were ravenous. This is probably the meal to have if you wanted to eat a tad lighter. It was appetizing, but the $39 price tag seemed outrageous given the portions.
My third friend partook of the Asian barbecued organic chicken. It’s one of those dishes that the first bite seems acceptable enough, but the more you eat, the less you want. It was stuffed with rice, and the barbecue sauce was a bit too sweet for my tastes.
Dessert for the birthday boy, whose chair I never relish being in but somehow found myself there, was a hodgepodge of items. In summary, it was: some chocolate mousse creation topped with caramel, as well as peanut butter ice cream over peanut brittle, and some other chocolaty mousse textured circular dollop on top of the aforementioned caramel topped chocolate. Confused yet? I’m not a big fan of mousse or too much chocolate, but I enjoyed the chocolate with the caramel as well as the peanut butter ice cream.
A cornucopia of options for the lactose intolerant including steaks, scallops, several fish dishes including snapper, lamb, short ribs, and all of the dishes we consumed.
Vegetarian options are very limited. A few salads and the wok-stirred vegetable pad Thai are the only entrees I discerned in this category unless you are a “liberal” vegetarian who can eat fish.
I probably wouldn’t rush back to Bluepointe except for their Blueplate appetizer and martinis, which I heard were fantastic, though on this night we had Riesling. However, the ambience, service, and the company made it a worthwhile evening!
Food: B-
Service: A-
Portions: B-
Ambience/Comfort: A
Diversity Of Dining Patrons: Decent
Vegetarian Options: Limited
Options For Lactose Intolerant: Yes
OVERALL GRADE: B
FINAL COMMENT: Like so many “see and be seen” restaurants, it’s stronger in the prodigious flash than it is in substance follow through.
posted by Thomas | 2:30 PM
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