No one will argue that a restaurant based around using local, sustainable ingredients is a great idea. Unfortunately, it takes more than that to get our taste buds going. See what we mean in this week's Cafe column.
Food Critic Michele Laudig on Calistro Bistro:
In theory, I should love this place. After all, Calistro Bistro does seem to be doing more than just paying lip service to the organic trend. In reality, though, even seasonal, local, organic ingredients couldn't elevate certain dishes.
Alaskan scallops with celeriac remoulade, and pork tenderloin with baked tepary beans were the two biggest misses. The former was beyond bland, four smallish scallops (sans a good searing) plunked on a tasteless pile of celeriac and carrot shreds, with a few sun-dried tomatoes scattered on the plate. I suppose the oily, flavorless foam surrounding the scallops was butternut squash-prawn emulsion with fresh black truffle, but there was no sweetness of prawn nor any whiff of earthy truffle...full story
