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Shhh! Let’s Keep this One Secret
By Gail Gundersen, Resident of Woodbay |
I’m about to let the cat out of the bag and reveal Tampa’s best kept
secret. I haven’t written about this small, always crowded café for
selfish reasons. Why would I want to send more people there? But the
food is wonderful, and my guilt over keeping Café Bistro all to
myself is too much to bear.
I’m surprised that so many have no idea that Nordstrom’s at
International Plaza has a café. Yet this just isn’t any café. It’s
one that lives up to Nordstrom’s high standards. Café Bistro
features casual and very affordable bistro cuisine. Their talented
chefs work tirelessly behind the stage kitchen to turn out delicious
dishes, one after the other.
After sampling the entire menu over multiple visits, I’ll just share
my favorites. The Blue Cheese and Pear Salad is a huge portion of
baby organic greens tossed with crunchy candied pecans, dried
cherries, seasonal pears, blue cheese and a dark cherry balsamic
vinaigrette. Every mouthful is shear delight. Another standout is
the Chicken Artichoke and Goat Cheese Salad, featuring organic
greens, julienne chicken, marinated artichoke hearts, goat cheese,
peppadews (a fascinating, small red fruit from South Africa) and
garlic croutons with a Dijon balsamic vinaigrette.
One of Café Bistro’s specialties is their Brick Oven Pizzas. My
favorite is the Four Cheese Pesto Chicken Pizza, a combination of
roasted chicken, basil pesto and tomato sauce baked with mozzarella,
provolone, parmesan and goat cheeses. The quality ingredients on a
crispy crust make these pizzas as good or better than you will find
in most pizza shops.
Café Bistro’s sandwich specialties also shine. All of their
sandwiches are served with bistro French fries (think pommes frites!)
with a kalamata olive aioli for dipping. You won’t be able to stop
eating these fries. My favorite sandwich is the Warm Rosemary
Chicken Ciabatta –
slices of chicken breast with an amazing tomato-onion marmalade,
white cheddar cheese, arugula and rosemary aioli on toasted ciabatta
bread. Café Bistro’s attention to details, like the tomato-onion
marmalade, is what sets it apart from many restaurants.
Several Bistro Specialties also provide heartier fair and are
perfect for dinner. There are Chef Specials to choose from as well.
While you won’t find The Carnivore eating here frequently (he
equates shopping with having a root canal), he did go once and loved
his Bistro Steak. Unfortunately the pain of shopping without
anesthesia will not get him to return anytime soon!
Whether you are there for lunch or dinner, make a point to order
dessert. Café Bistro makes a White Chocolate Bread Pudding that is
to-die-for. It is not only beautiful but sinfully delicious. It is
served warm with a white chocolate and raspberry sauce. My second
favorite is the Chocolate Paradise Cake. One bite of this moist
chocolate cake and you will feel like you are in paradise. The moist
cake is layered with rich chocolate ganache and English toffee over
a pool of buttery caramel sauce. Heaven.
Café Bistro also has a good sampling of reasonably priced wine,
offered by the glass or bottle, to accompany your lunch or dinner.
When you go, just make me this promise: don’t tell too many of your
friends that you’ve found a wonderful, new place. It’s hard enough
getting a table!
Café Bistro is located on the second floor in Nordstrom’s department
store at International Plaza. Hours of operation are:
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sunday, noon-6 p.m. Call
875-4400 and ask for Café Bistro for more information.
Bon Appetit!
Editor’s note: Gunderson welcomes your questions or comments. She
can be e-mailed at
gailgund@tampabay.rr.com.
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