In Bloom (Paso Robles, CA)
In Bloom Restaurant
1845 Spring St, Paso Robles, CA 93446
805-286-4344
www.inbloompasorobles.com
Thu 07/25/2024, 06:40p-08:35p
If you read my last post, you'll know that I was in Paso Robles recently, for my first time no less. After a tasting at Justin Winery, we headed downtown for dinner, and after considering a few dining options, decided to check out In Bloom. The creation of Chris Haisma, the restaurant opened in February 2022 at the Paso Market Walk mixed-use development, and features the contemporary American cuisine of Executive Chef Ron Frazier.
About the Principals: Christopher Haisma hails from the suburbs of Chicago, and started his hospitality career following high school, when he moved to the City proper and found employment at the likes of Gibsons and Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House. A few years later, he relocated to LA and worked for Mastro's, then at Innovative Dining Group's Katana in WeHo. In September 2008, he opened Sushi Roku in Scottsdale for IDG, and in 2010, returned to Chicago to join Boka Restaurant Group. There, Haisma helped launch GT Fish & Oyster in 2011 as GM, was promoted to Director of Operations, and opened J. Parker for Boka in July 2012. In 2014, he co-founded Footman Hospitality and was responsible for the likes of Bangers & Lace - Evanston (December 2014), The Betty (January 2015), Sparrow (November 2015), and Clever Rabbit (May 2017). In 2020, Haisma and his wife Nicole moved to Paso Robles to start a new chapter in their lives, and In Bloom was thus born.
Frazier, meanwhile, was born in 1991 and largely cut his teeth in Orange County, including at Hopscotch Tavern in Fullerton in the mid-2010s. During this period, he also launched The 86'd, a restaurant industry-focused apparel brand. Frazier eventually made his way to the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach, where he came under the tutelage of Kenny Seliger and helped open Henry's Ocean View Dining in June 2019. However, he resigned from his post during the pandemic, and by October 2020, had relocated to San Luis Obispo along with his old boss, with the duo taking over Brasserie SLO at Hotel Cerro. That didn't last long, though. By May 2021, both men had started work on In Bloom, with Seliger as EC and Frazier as executive sous. In April this year, Seliger decamped for an Exec Chef gig at SLO Provisions, thus providing Frazier an opportunity to step up and lead the kitchen.
Pictured above is In Bloom's menu, a fairly compact affair that's apparently in its 23rd iteration. We also see the restaurant's beer list and cocktail offerings, concocted by Haisma and Bar Manager Kevin Hooker. And while Haisma has curated a surprisingly respectable wine list, I don't think that we were ever presented with it. Corkage is $40, limit two. Click for larger versions.
Toast [$26.00] | mortadella mousse, ficelle, olallie berry mostarda, yuzu, pistachio, sumac
An elegant presentation of mortadella ate comfortingly "hammy" and was smartly complemented by the nutty crunch of pistachio, all while the one-two punch of olallieberry and sumac served as a sweet-tart finishing touch.
The Smoke [$18.00] | catedral espadin mezcal, campari, grapefruit, lemon, aquafaba, demerara
I started the evening with a cocktail, one that showcased the earthy, smoky qualities of mezcal, but set against a bevy of citrus flavors and the signature bittersweetness of Campari.
Yukon Gold Potato [$18.00 + $40.00] | scamorza fonduta, pickled onion, smoked onion, potato crunch + add 1/2 tin osetra caviar
Potatoes arrived homey and hearty, perked up by the zing of onion and the saltiness of caviar, with the cheese helping to tie everything together.
Bread [$14.00] | carrot butter, hemp seed, cabernet sea salt
Bread service comprised a pleasantly chewy, salt-studded loaf, paired with an uncommonly rich, almost "cheesy" butter.
Beverage-wise, the main draw tonight was the 1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve that I'd brought with me. The nose here was surprisingly youthful, displaying tart red fruits commingled with tertiary funk. On the palate, the wine was silky, its fully mature qualities making themselves known against flashes of vivaciousness, all rendered with elements of dark, dusty fruit, earth, smoke, and herb. A strong showing from a legendary year for Napa wine.
Prawns [$24.00] | strawberry habanero emulsion, tamarind, cucumber
Prawns were great texturally, coming out with a "bounciness" that I quite enjoyed. And surprisingly, the sweet-saline character of the shrimp matched up swimmingly with the sheer fruitiness of the dish, all while cucumber lightened things up a tad.
Japanese Eggplant [$16.00] | curry, masala cashews, crispy ginger
The nasu was another winner. I was a fan of the aubergine's tender, juicy consistency and its delicate bittersweetness, which linked up beautifully with the warmly-spiced, South Asian-ish flavors going on.
Saffron Cavatelli [$39.00] | nduja, sugar snap peas, soffritto, crispy garlic, white gold parmesan
Our sole pasta dish also met the mark. Cavatelli were properly dense and chewy, and really set the stage for a wonderful back-and-forth between spicy 'nduja and the bright, crunchy nature of snap peas. Meanwhile, the sofrito lent a coziness to the dish, and I liked how the Parmigiano helped it all coalesce.
Kurobuta Pork Chop [$50.00] | dry rubbed snake river farms chop, blackberry kimchi, pickled veggies
The pork chop was arguably my favorite dish of the night. I was a big fan of both its tenderness and succulence, while its porcine flavors married perfectly with a spicy rub. I certainly didn't mind the counterpoint offered up by the pickles, either.
A small selection of desserts is joined by an array of postprandial beverages. Click for a larger version.
Cherry Blossom Creme Brulee [$16.00] | preserved white strawberry, white chocolate & black pepper bark
We ended up getting all three desserts, and this first one wasn't quite what I was expecting from a crème brûlée, given that it didn't really have the hard caramelized top I was anticipating. Nevertheless, it was still a treat thanks to its delightful mix of floral and fruity flavors, all punctuated by that white chocolate.
Digestif duties were handled by a pour of Chartreuse V.E.P. Green [$40], an extra-aged expression of the classic liqueur with a beguiling, multifaceted mix of sweet, boozy, spicy, and brazenly herbal nuances.
Mille-Feuille [$16.00] | dulce de leche, bee pollen, honeycomb, burnt vanilla cream
A mille-feuille had that flaky puff pastry texture I was looking for, and its burnt vanilla flavors made quite a bit of sense when combined with the overt sugariness of dulce de leche.
Peach Sorbet [$16.00] | june lady peaches, black sesame caramel, sesame brittle, stone fruit
Last up was a refreshing peach sorbet, augmented by juicy cuts of fresh stone fruit and, more importantly, the satisfyingly familiar nuttiness of sesame.
In Bloom represented my first-ever meal in Paso Robles, and I left the restaurant pretty impressed. There was just a level of creativity, ambitiousness, and sophistication to the cooking that I didn't expect given the relaxed nature of the city. I also appreciated the diversity of the dishes we tried, and in the end, I have to say that Frazier and his team did a commendable job representing the current state of Central Coast cuisine. The place is definitely worthy of consideration if you ever find yourself up around these parts.
1845 Spring St, Paso Robles, CA 93446
805-286-4344
www.inbloompasorobles.com
Thu 07/25/2024, 06:40p-08:35p
If you read my last post, you'll know that I was in Paso Robles recently, for my first time no less. After a tasting at Justin Winery, we headed downtown for dinner, and after considering a few dining options, decided to check out In Bloom. The creation of Chris Haisma, the restaurant opened in February 2022 at the Paso Market Walk mixed-use development, and features the contemporary American cuisine of Executive Chef Ron Frazier.
About the Principals: Christopher Haisma hails from the suburbs of Chicago, and started his hospitality career following high school, when he moved to the City proper and found employment at the likes of Gibsons and Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House. A few years later, he relocated to LA and worked for Mastro's, then at Innovative Dining Group's Katana in WeHo. In September 2008, he opened Sushi Roku in Scottsdale for IDG, and in 2010, returned to Chicago to join Boka Restaurant Group. There, Haisma helped launch GT Fish & Oyster in 2011 as GM, was promoted to Director of Operations, and opened J. Parker for Boka in July 2012. In 2014, he co-founded Footman Hospitality and was responsible for the likes of Bangers & Lace - Evanston (December 2014), The Betty (January 2015), Sparrow (November 2015), and Clever Rabbit (May 2017). In 2020, Haisma and his wife Nicole moved to Paso Robles to start a new chapter in their lives, and In Bloom was thus born.
Frazier, meanwhile, was born in 1991 and largely cut his teeth in Orange County, including at Hopscotch Tavern in Fullerton in the mid-2010s. During this period, he also launched The 86'd, a restaurant industry-focused apparel brand. Frazier eventually made his way to the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach, where he came under the tutelage of Kenny Seliger and helped open Henry's Ocean View Dining in June 2019. However, he resigned from his post during the pandemic, and by October 2020, had relocated to San Luis Obispo along with his old boss, with the duo taking over Brasserie SLO at Hotel Cerro. That didn't last long, though. By May 2021, both men had started work on In Bloom, with Seliger as EC and Frazier as executive sous. In April this year, Seliger decamped for an Exec Chef gig at SLO Provisions, thus providing Frazier an opportunity to step up and lead the kitchen.
Pictured above is In Bloom's menu, a fairly compact affair that's apparently in its 23rd iteration. We also see the restaurant's beer list and cocktail offerings, concocted by Haisma and Bar Manager Kevin Hooker. And while Haisma has curated a surprisingly respectable wine list, I don't think that we were ever presented with it. Corkage is $40, limit two. Click for larger versions.
Toast [$26.00] | mortadella mousse, ficelle, olallie berry mostarda, yuzu, pistachio, sumac
An elegant presentation of mortadella ate comfortingly "hammy" and was smartly complemented by the nutty crunch of pistachio, all while the one-two punch of olallieberry and sumac served as a sweet-tart finishing touch.
The Smoke [$18.00] | catedral espadin mezcal, campari, grapefruit, lemon, aquafaba, demerara
I started the evening with a cocktail, one that showcased the earthy, smoky qualities of mezcal, but set against a bevy of citrus flavors and the signature bittersweetness of Campari.
Yukon Gold Potato [$18.00 + $40.00] | scamorza fonduta, pickled onion, smoked onion, potato crunch + add 1/2 tin osetra caviar
Potatoes arrived homey and hearty, perked up by the zing of onion and the saltiness of caviar, with the cheese helping to tie everything together.
Bread [$14.00] | carrot butter, hemp seed, cabernet sea salt
Bread service comprised a pleasantly chewy, salt-studded loaf, paired with an uncommonly rich, almost "cheesy" butter.
Beverage-wise, the main draw tonight was the 1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve that I'd brought with me. The nose here was surprisingly youthful, displaying tart red fruits commingled with tertiary funk. On the palate, the wine was silky, its fully mature qualities making themselves known against flashes of vivaciousness, all rendered with elements of dark, dusty fruit, earth, smoke, and herb. A strong showing from a legendary year for Napa wine.
Prawns [$24.00] | strawberry habanero emulsion, tamarind, cucumber
Prawns were great texturally, coming out with a "bounciness" that I quite enjoyed. And surprisingly, the sweet-saline character of the shrimp matched up swimmingly with the sheer fruitiness of the dish, all while cucumber lightened things up a tad.
Japanese Eggplant [$16.00] | curry, masala cashews, crispy ginger
The nasu was another winner. I was a fan of the aubergine's tender, juicy consistency and its delicate bittersweetness, which linked up beautifully with the warmly-spiced, South Asian-ish flavors going on.
Saffron Cavatelli [$39.00] | nduja, sugar snap peas, soffritto, crispy garlic, white gold parmesan
Our sole pasta dish also met the mark. Cavatelli were properly dense and chewy, and really set the stage for a wonderful back-and-forth between spicy 'nduja and the bright, crunchy nature of snap peas. Meanwhile, the sofrito lent a coziness to the dish, and I liked how the Parmigiano helped it all coalesce.
Kurobuta Pork Chop [$50.00] | dry rubbed snake river farms chop, blackberry kimchi, pickled veggies
The pork chop was arguably my favorite dish of the night. I was a big fan of both its tenderness and succulence, while its porcine flavors married perfectly with a spicy rub. I certainly didn't mind the counterpoint offered up by the pickles, either.
A small selection of desserts is joined by an array of postprandial beverages. Click for a larger version.
Cherry Blossom Creme Brulee [$16.00] | preserved white strawberry, white chocolate & black pepper bark
We ended up getting all three desserts, and this first one wasn't quite what I was expecting from a crème brûlée, given that it didn't really have the hard caramelized top I was anticipating. Nevertheless, it was still a treat thanks to its delightful mix of floral and fruity flavors, all punctuated by that white chocolate.
Digestif duties were handled by a pour of Chartreuse V.E.P. Green [$40], an extra-aged expression of the classic liqueur with a beguiling, multifaceted mix of sweet, boozy, spicy, and brazenly herbal nuances.
Mille-Feuille [$16.00] | dulce de leche, bee pollen, honeycomb, burnt vanilla cream
A mille-feuille had that flaky puff pastry texture I was looking for, and its burnt vanilla flavors made quite a bit of sense when combined with the overt sugariness of dulce de leche.
Peach Sorbet [$16.00] | june lady peaches, black sesame caramel, sesame brittle, stone fruit
Last up was a refreshing peach sorbet, augmented by juicy cuts of fresh stone fruit and, more importantly, the satisfyingly familiar nuttiness of sesame.
In Bloom represented my first-ever meal in Paso Robles, and I left the restaurant pretty impressed. There was just a level of creativity, ambitiousness, and sophistication to the cooking that I didn't expect given the relaxed nature of the city. I also appreciated the diversity of the dishes we tried, and in the end, I have to say that Frazier and his team did a commendable job representing the current state of Central Coast cuisine. The place is definitely worthy of consideration if you ever find yourself up around these parts.
posted by kevinEats at
6:40 PM
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