Filed under: Food and Drink
Tucked within a homely Asian dominated strip mall in modest Milpitas, is Bleu Ginger. Yes indeedy, a San Francisco caliber dining establishment nestled within our ‘burbs. Tired looking Abel plaza holds a gem of an establishment.
You can park in this tacky little strip mall, with its tight squeeze parking spaces. You may, as we did, venture into the Indian grocery store for cheap Palak Paneer, fake henna tattoos,and spicy Indian cheeto-like snacks.
Then the heavy glass doors of Bleu Ginger open, and it’s a sanctuary. Muted, artful glass lighting, hostess in a slinky silk ao dai, bamboo and orchid all over. There’s a stage where jazz artists perform on Friday and Saturday evenings.
And the food?
Appetizers included shitake spring rolls, and deep fried taro rolls for the vegetarians. For carnivores, duck spring rolls and crab cakes with cool aoli. After a day of bouncing around like maniacs, we all felt like we were on sea legs, hence, no boozing. Didn’t get to sample the pomengranate martinis or "Interesting Reds" wine list.
Dinner entrees were consistently FABULOUS. Strawberry rack of lamb over mashed taro and julienned veggies at the ideal intersection of tender yet crisp. Sea bass 2 ways, either carmelized over bok choy, or wrapped in an origami of banana leaf and steamed with glass noodles. Passion fruit glazed pork chops with daikon cake. Niman Ranch steak with yam fries. Shitake and portabello ravioli in tomato cream sauce. Duck and edamame fried rice served in a "package" made of fresh egg crepe.
Being Asian, the minute our plates were set down, we all set upon them with knives to carve little bite sized sharing bits for all our neighbors.
As I attempted to be graceful in hacking lamb off the bone, small servings of sea bass, pork chop, and steak materialized on my plate rim. Times like this I am SO thankful we were all raised eatin’ family style.
Some of our post bounce party had to depart for the Contra Costa Chamber orchestra performance, featuring our friend KE,(that’s MR. Concermaster to you). Those of who remained, just had to sample the dessert menu.
We were not dissapointed. Mango Panna cotta with fresh fruit. Molten chocolate cake, caramel chocolate pyramid dusted with cocoa, Vietnamese coffee creme brulee, Paradiso tropical mousse sponge cake. Yummy indeed. Not a single note too sweet, nor too bland. No one was being polite here-not a speck was wasted or left over on any of those plates.
This meal was manna for those of us who normally have to endure the mediocre selections of suburbia. Bleu Ginger is the antidote to wanna be Mexican food, wimpy pasta, greasy cheap Asian food, and those endless damned chains that dominate my home city.
Next time you deserve an upscale dining experience at the end of a dreary work week, in the midst of a workday (they serve lunch as well), or to take refuge from the (Not-So-) Great Mall:
http://www.bleuginger.com/index.html
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