A
restaurant is so much more than its cuisine. The service and atmosphere are as
important as the items coming out of the kitchen. That is why I was thrilled
when Robert’s Restaurant and Wine Bar opened the second location in the Village
of Arroyo Grande. It is a sophisticated, yet refreshingly relaxed atmosphere of
glossy woods, exquisite decor, and captivating photography of the stars of
yesteryear, the ones that made us swoon. White table clothes adorn every table
and the handcrafted chairs beg for you to sit back and enjoy refinement.
I
love that the chef’s look right out into the dining room and the window seats
on the front enclosure. We started with a bottle of Victor Hugo Petite
Sirah, one of the
best wines coming out of the Paso Area. Chef de Cuisine, Bo Fargo (who I am a
long time fan of his work in the kitchen) sent out some succulent Fried
Brussels Sprouts. Usually this is my most avoided vegetable, but the waiter assured
us that this was the best dish on the menu. They came is a shallow bowl with a
drizzle of smoked goat cheese, but were swimming in a apple cider glaze that
cut the bitterness of the orbs and brought out an amazing sweet flavor. I had a
second and third helping, surprising myself.
Gary
started with the Signature Carrot Cake and a huge slice arrived with three
layers with cream cheese frosting and toasted pistachios. Not recognizing all
the flavors, our waiter told us there were quinoa and a parsley green sauce.
Delectable and good for you, we were on to something. We all munched on the cheese plate with a
creamy brie, Spanish manchego and Pt. Reyes Blue with a plethora of dried
fruits, nuts and crispy crackers. The Braised Pork Belly with its green apple
slaw, roasted apple, and maple demi glaze reduction was a table favorite as the
pork belly was thick and crispy. The apple did what it does best with pork in
both forms.
On
to the main dishes that were recommended highly by the waiter and did not
disappoint. Beef Stroganoff Braised Short Ribs consisted of fall off the bone
meat in a creamy mushroom sauce and papardelle pasta. It was comfort food and
yet very stylish. I thoroughly enjoyed the Macadamia Nut Crusted Halibut with sautéed
snow peas, green onion rice, and a papaya-coconut beurre blanc sauce. We all tried
it, the table grew quite, and I think I moaned. This dish was so good it robbed
that table of conversation. 
For
those of us that want our sweets after the meal, the Fallen Chocolate Soufflé
Cake with vanilla ice cream was a dreamy delight. I talked with Executive Chef
Justin Picard, he told me he started as a cook at Robert’s Paso Robles. He has
been in the restaurant business since he was 8 years old, a son of a chef. His
family owned and operated a New England fine dining restaurant. He told me he loves surprising the diners of
South County as he believes that cooking isn’t just a job, its an art form.
I
returned the next day with my dear friend Suellen Iness. She is a traditional
eater, I was sure that she would love Robert’s twist on fine dining. We started
with Crispy Shrimp Spring Rolls that were amazing. Spicy, crunchy and wrapped
in a butter lettuce cup with fresh herbs, cashews, and piquant dipping sauce,
we inhaled them. Bo brought us some specials to try a taste of and we were
impressed. Smoke trout on butter lettuce with shredded green pea pods and caramelized
onions, sitting on a bed of baby greens. I adored the Smoked scallops, acquired
from a couple of ultimate chefs who smoked the scallops to perfection. They
were served with a salad of lemon cucumber, baby tomato, butter pickles with a sriracha
drizzle.
Running
low of tummy room, we shared the Crispy Mahi-Mahi Tacos. I loved that
tempura battered fish came served on grilled corn tortillas, with cabbage,
cotija cheese, spicy salsa and a chipotle garlic-lime sauce. This was a perfect
lunch; we were both excited to return.
