Judy M.
Yelp
I was a bit sensitive to some of the reviews. My friend raved about this place, so some Yelp experiences left me wondering if FB&BS was over-hyped.
Early spoiler alert: it's not! My rating is a solid 4.5! .
I am so happy for their inclusion in the T-Town food scene.
Vibe: Beautifully organized and intimate space. The music was . Whoever curated the play list . We were warmly greeted as soon as we walked in. Our table wasn't quite ready so we sat at the bar for like .5 seconds, before we were escorted to our table. I don't know how else to say this, but they have a beautiful staff of people. Everyone was genuinely warm, attentive, and I loved that they seemlesly worked together.
Drink: My husband had the watermelon based cocktail. I looked at it, but tequila be fighting my stomach so....but I did taste it and it was refreshingly tasty! I might ask for it next time and ask them to switch out the tequila for rum. Full disclosure--I'm a full on child when it comes to drinks. I want it like Lil' Wayne--like a lollipop. The bar staff made an off the menu drink based on my specifications. Though the drink was not exceedingly sweet, it was citrusy and refreshing--and actually more of what I was looking for without realizing it! It's not that I like super sweet drinks, but more so that I don't want the taste to be so alcohol forward. We'll upgrade me FB&BS. Teach me!
Apps: ordered the salami charcuterie special, salmon mousse, and the Shisho leaves and braised chicken. All were delicious! I mean charcuterie is charcuterie. Kind of hard to mess up or elevate. But elevate they did! The soft cheese was smooth and rich and the honey mustard was robust. The salami had a surprising little kick in the finish. Definitely took it to the next level.
The salmon mousse....Jesus Eugenio Cristo! Just so beautifully complex. I don't want to ruin the element of surprise, but this is masterfully composed and both accentuates each component individually and complements wholly. Different textures and tastes. Well played. Well played.
Shisho or perilla, or as we call them
sesame leaves have a distinct kind of licorice taste. My husband and I actually eat them often, but I remember him not liking them initially as he described it as having a perfume like taste. He loves them now though. So, we really liked this dish. It had a lot of flavors that are bold, but familiar to us. I can imagine for some that this is like a flavor punch in the mouth--being sweet, savory, and a hint of spicy. We liked it.
Entree: we shared the risotto with added crab. As with their other dish, there's a lot of flavors here--umami, pickled, and rich. Overall, good, and I'd order again, but Id just like the risotto cooked about 2 minutes longer. I know there's a fine line between getting the risotto just right and mushy, so no complaint here.
Dessert: I hate to say it, but in my experience, a lot of good food places are either just okay or not that great with desserts.
I can't speak for all their desserts. We ordered the peach crisp. Hardly any peach flavor. And the crisp was more chewy and soft than crisp. The creme fraiche was meh for me.
That seemingly ended on a down note, but it wasn't horrible, just not for me. I'd probably try the ice cream flight next time. And the rest of the experience was so good--I'm excited to go back. I'm really hoping to get the chance to try the duck gnocchi!