Lunch Review - Bistro 27

With all the buzz around Bistro 27, (27 W Broad St) given its Groupon offer this week, I decided that I need to try this place for myself.  Their lunch menu prices are very reasonable, so I put on a cute outfit and headed there for some pasta. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how large the space was at Bistro 27.  They have a beautiful dining room with super high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows.  The décor is and clean and simple, white table cloths, dark wood accents and what looks like original hardwood floors.  This corner of Broad isn’t the most gorgeous corner in Richmond, but once inside it is clear that the food and atmosphere attracts a high end crowd.  The lunch crowd is a professional group.  They have a lot of space if you wanted to bring a bunch of office buddies or have a quite working lunch by yourself.

Since I was eating alone, I decided to sit at the bar.  There were a couple of guys with laptops also sitting there.  This may not have been the best decision on a cold day because every time the front door opened a freezing gust of wind blew right across the bar.  The bonus to eating there was a view of the open kitchen.  I love watching chefs at work, so it was good entertainment while I waited for my meal.

I had every intention of ordering the Capellini Pomodoro for $10.  I had looked at the menu before I got there and had been craving a good pasta dish.  But once I was there I totally flipped and ordered a sandwich.  I had the Caprese Panini with sweet potato fries for $9.  It was an open face sandwich with house-made mozzarella, tomato, basil and a drizzle of olive oil.  I know this is really a summer dish, but I am craving the summer, so I thought it would help improve my mood.  I was impressed that all of their sandwiches were $8-$9 and all lunch entrees under $13.  I thought those to be reasonable prices for the amount and quality of the food.

My sandwich was delicious.  The mozzarella melted in my mouth and the basil was perfection.  I am a sucker for sweet potato fries and they were good, too.  I would definitely order this again, if there weren’t so many other enticing things on the menu, like the Brazilian Pork & Pineapple Press sandwich and the Beef Ravioli.  Plus, I do eventually have to try their Capellini Pomodoro.  I would say that having too many reasons to go back is a good problem to have.