Photos by Jacob Romoser
Date night last week came courtesy of a Thrillist deal I found a few weeks ago. I don't know what it is about restaurants with simple names (hello, Fig + Olive), but I always gravitate toward them.
The entrance to Bread and Tulips is just a hostess stand plus a downstairs stairway. I wasn't sure what to expect when we descended, but the seating area was warm and inviting with lots of wood and exposed red bricks. Soul jams pumped throughout the restaurant, and I loved the planter full of baby chili pepper plants.
The entrance to Bread and Tulips is just a hostess stand plus a downstairs stairway. I wasn't sure what to expect when we descended, but the seating area was warm and inviting with lots of wood and exposed red bricks. Soul jams pumped throughout the restaurant, and I loved the planter full of baby chili pepper plants.
Our deal came with two shared plates, a brick oven pizza, plus two glasses of wine and gelato.
Out of the six shared plates offered, the Crostini with foie gras, pickled blueberries and toasted almonds piqued my interest most. By itself, the foie gras was kind of boring, but the bright flavor of the pickled blueberries really took it to the next level. I would have liked the bread to be crunchier, but the toasted almonds helped keep the textures playful.
Out of the six shared plates offered, the Crostini with foie gras, pickled blueberries and toasted almonds piqued my interest most. By itself, the foie gras was kind of boring, but the bright flavor of the pickled blueberries really took it to the next level. I would have liked the bread to be crunchier, but the toasted almonds helped keep the textures playful.
When the Fritto Misto came out my jaw literally dropped. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't a bucket full of fried goodness. Inside was chickpea panisse, green tomatoes, meat-stuffed olives and arancini with a side of lemon aioli.
The fried green tomatoes were out of this world. So fresh and crisp, I could have eaten a whole plate of just those. We also found what tasted like fried lemon. It was ridiculously refreshing, especially with the lemon aioli. The chickpea panisse was a little too mushy for my taste. All in all, I liked bits and pieces of it, but the Fritto Misto was just too greasy.
The fried green tomatoes were out of this world. So fresh and crisp, I could have eaten a whole plate of just those. We also found what tasted like fried lemon. It was ridiculously refreshing, especially with the lemon aioli. The chickpea panisse was a little too mushy for my taste. All in all, I liked bits and pieces of it, but the Fritto Misto was just too greasy.
I immediately started salivating when our Bresaola, Mustard Greens, Buffalo Mozzarella and Parmigiano brick oven pizza arrived at the table. The crust was deliciously light and baked to a nice crispness. The mustard greens, however, overpowered almost all of the other flavors. And don't even get me started on the buffalo mozzarella. That was the one component I was most looking forward to, and instead, I didn't taste it AT ALL. Without it, the pizza was far dryer than it should have been.
I honestly didn't have much room left by the time dessert rolled around. That was probably a good thing because the dessert was gross. I wish there was a way to say it nicer, but I almost spit the nectarine sorbet out. The buttercream gelato wasn't much better.
I do think I'll go back to Bread and Tulips, maybe just not for date night.
I do think I'll go back to Bread and Tulips, maybe just not for date night.