Another self-conscious update is chef David Fogelman’s chicken nuggets. The tender bites are made from a mix of buttermilk-marinated light and dark meat, coated in panko crumbs and fried crisp. Served with a truffle/honey mustard sauce, the dish is a winner, but just slightly more sophisticated than the fast-food staple that inspired it. And the plating scheme, which threads the nuggets on skewers and plants them in a dried-bean-filled flowerpot, contributes little and wastes a pile of perfectly good black beans.
The menu is dictated by prevailing trends, with categories like “small plates” and “medium plates.” It’s verbiage that’s more meaningful to restaurant owners and PR flacks than to diners. Servers say all plates are meant for sharing and advise ordering any combination of items according to your appetite. But labeling a plate “small” doesn’t make it tapas, and at Blue Pear, “medium” is a typical portion of protein with a starch or vegetable accoutrement. It doesn’t matter what they call them: These are appetizers and entrées.
The servers certainly lend an air of youth culture to the restaurant. Most of them are good-looking kids from West Chester University who have little in common with their tuxedoed, seasoned counterparts next door. Dilworthtown servers boast an average of nine years’ experience and expert knowledge of that restaurant’s 800-bottle wine list. A Blue Pear server nervously explained that its short wine list focuses on “new” wines, though the list actually comprises the usual suspects from France, Spain, California and Australia. These kids may be on the dean’s list, but most have no idea what kind of Troegs is on tap, what cheeses are available, or which of the charcuterie plate’s four meats is cured in-house. (FYI: It’s the lamb shoulder confit, whose salty bite melts into a rich meatiness.)
Blue Pear is at its best when it isn’t trying so hard to be cool. The appealing second-floor lounge, with low lighting and posh leather armchairs, embraces its granny-chic pedigree. The medium-plate side of the menu is firmly rooted in French bistro traditions. Prince Edward Island mussels, served with a paper cone of slender fries, appear on half the tables on any given night, and for good reason. The plump morsels are meaty and deliver concentrated, briny flavor. The creamy broth is infused with saffron and spiked with a hit of cayenne — a delicious dip for the aioli-slathered grilled bread that comes with the pile of fragrant shellfish.
Steak frites, a dish by which bistros beg to be judged, is juicy and flavorful. The sirloin is served over roasted fennel and with the same crisp fries that accompany the mussels. A recent special that paired striped bass with chanterelle and oyster mushrooms over wine-braised beluga lentils lends itself to a partner from the trend-immune, Southern-influenced menu of side dishes, which, as advertised, are portioned to share. The sweet and creamy parsnip puree complements most of the savory meats. A side of grits, rich with butter and topped with a puddle of lamb jus, is a natural match for roast Jamison Farm lamb, served with parsnips and black-eyed peas.
Desserts offer another glimmer of Blue Pear’s real personality and potential. The only update foisted upon the classic brownie is a few welcome wine-poached orange segments. The coconut arborio rice pudding goes a little further with the addition of basil syrup. Both dishes show off what Blue Pear can be at its best: an approachable eatery that puts its own stamp on the classics and forgets the trends.
Blue Pear Bistro, 275 Brintons Bridge Road, West Chester, 610-399-9812, bluepearbistro.com.
